Honour Chevron for the Old Guard

Obersturmbannführer Max Seela wearing Honour Chevron, along with the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross and the German Cross in Gold

The Honour Chevron for the Old Guard, (German: Ehrenwinkel der Alten Kämpfer), was a Nazi Party decoration worn by members of the SS. The silver chevron, which was worn on the upper sleeve on the right arm, was authorised by Adolf Hitler in February 1934. All members of the SS, who had joined the Allgemeine-SS, NSDAP or any other party organisation prior to 30 January 1933 were entitled to wear the insignia.[1]

After the Anschluss in Austria, the Nazi Party authorized that the award could be worn by all Austrians who had joined the Austrian National Socialist Workers' Party (DNSAP) prior to 18 February 1938. Qualification was later extended to include any SS personnel who were former members of Nazi Security services, the Ordnungspolizei and Wehrmacht, if they fulfilled certain conditions.[1]

Those who wore the chevron were nicknamed Winkelträger (English: brackets) in German. This referred to the shape of the chevron and also that Winkelträger were supporting the regime, just as a bracket supports a shelf.[2]

Notable recipients

References

Notes

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Hannon, Paul and Robin Lumsden (1993). The Allgemeine-SS. Osprey Publishing. p. 22. ISBN 1-85532-358-3.
  2. ↑ Angolia, John (1983). Cloth Insignia of the SS. R. James Bender Publishing. p. 127. ISBN 0-912138-28-9.