Cuff title
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
A cuff title (German: armband) is a form of identification used on German military and paramilitary uniforms, most commonly seen in the Second World War but also seen postwar.
Cuff titles are most commonly associated with units of the Waffen SS but were widely used by other branches of the German military, as well as paramilitary and civilian organizations as well. The Infantry Regiment Großdeutschland (later Großdeutschland Division) were also well known for their use of cuff titles. The Afrikakorps was also famous for its cuff title, which formed the genesis of future campaign identifiers (see below).
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[edit] Description
Image of the dark green Gothic Script cuff title introduced in 1939. From the GD for CM website, courtesy the webmaster.
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Image of the Sütterlin Script cuff title introduced in 1940. From the GD for CM website, courtesy the webmaster.
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Image of the Latin Script cuff title introduced in 1944. From the GD for CM website, courtesy the webmaster.
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Cuff titles were generally wool in construction, 4cm wide, with cotton embroidery (some wire embroidery was worn on "officer's pattern" titles), though BeVo titles became common as the war progressed and newer titles were introduced. The titles were often edged with Russia braid (similar to the material used in waffenfarbe soutaches on early pattern field caps). Waffen SS titles were generally black in colour with grey or white lettering.
Lettering could be in Latin, Gothic or Sütterlin style script, as shown on the GD titles at right. Block letters were also used. For other unique uses of devices or script styles, see below.
[edit] Method of wear
As worn on Second World War uniforms, the bottom edge of German cuff titles were generally placed 12 cm from the edge of the cuff, or above any turnbacks if present.
More than one title could be worn if the soldier was entitled. General Manteuffel wore the Afrika campaign title over his Grossdeutschland title during the period he commanded that division. Unit titles were not granted as a mark of prior service (in the manner of divisional patches worn on the right sleeve of US Army uniforms, for example). However, members of elite divisions who were also military policemen, combat correspondents, or members of the Führerhauptquartier (Hitler's headquarters) could wear both the cuff title of their division as well as the title identifying their branch.
[edit] Types
- Unit Identifiers. These generally referred to the name of a division, though some regiments also had distinctive titles.
- Branch Identifiers. Members of the Feldgendarmerie (Military Police) wore a distinctive cuff title regardless of their divisional affiliation, often in conjunction with a unit identifier cuff title, if entitled.
- Campaign Identifiers. Participation in some campaigns, such as the North African or Crete campaigns, was recognized by the award of a special commemorative cuff title.
There are several hundred patterns of cuff title known to have been issued; some units had several unique patterns. Among the more interesting designs were:
- The Totenkopf Division had a skull and crossbones design on their title.
- Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler had the Führer's handwritten signature as the basis of their design.
- The British Free Corps had a cuff title in block Gothic script with the name of the unit (Britisches Freikorps) in German.
- The Afrikakorps title (unique in being worn by an entire corps) was worn informally as a campaign title until replaced with a later Afrika title bearing that name as well as depictions of palm trees.
[edit] Status
Cuff titles worn by "elite" units of the Waffen SS or Heer were considered a special honour. The history of the Grossdeutschland Division by Helmuth Spaeter describes an instance in which the motorcycle company of the Infantry Regiment Grossdeutschland was held to account for losing a position; they were forbidden from wearing their cuff titles until they had earned the privilege back by success in a later battle.
When Waffen SS divisions failed to perform satisfactorily near Vienna in April 1945, Adolf Hitler ordered the units involved to remove their cuff titles as a punishment. The SS commander was enraged, and apocryphally sent them back to Berlin in a chamberpot.
Soldiers in training were usually presented the cuff title only on completion of that training, and the award of the title was seen as a rite of passage. This rite is described in the controversial book The Forgotten Soldier.
[edit] Post World War II
The East German military continued the tradition of cuff titles, most notably worn by Guard Regiments named after famous German communists.
The West German Bundesluftwaffe (Federal German Air Force) continued the tradition of awarding cuff titles to its Traditionsverbände such as: "Jagdgeschwader Mölders", "Jagdgeschwader Steinhoff", "Jagdgeschwader Richthofen" and "Jagdgeschwader Boelke", which were named after famous fighter pilots of the First and Second World War.
The German Federal Army (Bundeswehr) continues to wear two distinctive cuff titles today. The first, used by its "Heeresflieger" (Army Aviation) is a stylized silver grey "wing" on a black band with silver piping on the top and bottom edges. The other for its Armored Training Battalion (and School) which is a silver grey embroidered "Panzerlehrbrigade 9" in Gothic script.
