SS unit insignia was a form of uniform insignia used by the S.S. between the years of 1932 and 1945. SS unit insignia was displayed on an SS member’s right collar and was worn opposite the badge of SS rank. The exception to this was in the case of those officers ranking Standartenführer and above who wore rank on both collars and did not display a unit insignia collar patch. The SS also used cuff titles, sleeve diamonds, and shoulder patches as additional versions of unit insignia. ... The   (German for Protective Squadron), abbreviated (Runic) or SS (Latin), was a large security and military organization of the National Socialist German Workers Party (Nazi Party) in Germany. ... Year 1932 (MCMXXXII) was a leap year starting on Friday (the link will display full 1932 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1945 (MCMXLV) was a common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar). ... Throughout the existence of the German SS, the organization maintained a unique set of ranks and insignia that differentiated it from other branches of the German military, German state, and the Nazi Party. ... SS-Standartenführer insignia Standartenführer was a Nazi Party paramilitary rank that was used in both the SA and the SS. First created as a title in 1925, in 1928 the rank became one of the first commissioned Nazi ranks and was bestowed upon those SA and SS officers... 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. ...

Collar patches

Collar patch	Description	Definition
	Sig Runes	General and widely recognizable SS unit insignia. Sig Runes which were first worn by the Leibstandarte in 1933. By 1943, the Sig Runes had become the standard SS unit insignia authorized for the entire SS.
	Blank Collar Patch	Established in 1932 as the unit insignia for the SS Headquarters. From 1933-36 also the members of the SS-Totenkopfverbaende carried these badges reciprocally on their uniform collars. After 1934, became the Collar Patch used by the Gestapo and SD. After 1939, worn by all members of the RSHA and certain members of the SS-Hauptamter (Main Offices).
	Death's Head	After 1936, worn by all members of the SS concentration camp service, the Totenkopfverband. Also used after 1941 by members of SS Division Totenkopf.
	Numbered Sig Runes	Worn from 1934 to 1938 by units of the SS-Verfügungstruppe. SS(1) was worn by members of the Deutschland Regiment, SS(2) by the Germania Regiment, and 2nd SS Das Reich Regiment.
	Numbered Death's Head	Worn between 1941 and 1945 by members of the SS Division Totenkopf. The number displayed indicated the Regiment in which the SS member served. Also authorized for certain officers of the Concentration Camp service who were full members of the Waffen-SS.
	General SS Patch	Worn from 1930 to 1945 by members of the Allgemeine-SS. General SS patches displayed a members Standarten (Regiment) Number and were worn in combination with cuffbands to denote the wearers Abschnitt (Brigade) and Oberabschnitt (Division).
	Auxiliary SS Patch	Worn between 1944 and 1945 by members of the so called "Auxiliary SS", who were non-SS members conscripted to perform such duties as Concentration Camp service and administrative support.

S.S. Sign Runes (Released by US National Archives) File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Two Sig Runes: The symbol of the Nazi SS The Sig Rune is an ancient symbol, appearing as a jagged lightning bolt which symbolize the Goddess of Victory. ... The Leibstandarte Adolf Hitler started life in the early days of the NSDAP as Adolf Hitlers personal elite bodyguard. ... S.S. RSHA Collar Patch File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... The   (contraction of Geheime Staatspolizei: “secret state police”) was the official secret police of Nazi Germany. ... Sicherheitsdienst (SD) sleeve insignia. ... Reinhard Heydrich - the first director of RSHA The RSHA, or Reichssicherheitshauptamt (Reich Security Main Office), was a subordinate organization of the SS created by Heinrich Himmler on September 22, 1939, through the merger of the Sicherheitsdienst (SD, or Security Agency), the Gestapo (Secret State Police) and the Kriminalpolizei (Criminal Police). ... S.S. Deaths Head Patch (Released by U.S. National Archives) File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... See also the related List of German concentration camps Concentration camp in Nazi Germany. ... The SS-Totenkopfverbände (SS-TV) — the Skull or Deaths Head Formations — were made up of Nazi Germanys camp guards. ... SS-Division Totenkopf Kampfgruppe Eicke 3. ... Numbered SS Runes (Released by US National Archives) File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... The SS-Verfügungstruppe (combat support force) (short: SS-VT) was created in 1934 from the merger of various Nazi and right-wing paramilitary formations. ... German word translated as The Empire. Used in conjunction with the Nazi Party belief that they were the Third Reich ... Numbered SS Deaths Head patch (Released by US National Archives) File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... SS-Division Totenkopf Kampfgruppe Eicke 3. ... General SS Patch (Released by US National Archives) File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... The Allgemeine SS (General SS) was established in the autumn of 1934 to distinguish certain SS members from the Waffen-SS (Armed SS) and SS-Totenkopfverbände (Deaths Head formations). ... Auxiliary SS Patch (Released by US National Archives) File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ...

Waffen-SS foreign legions

After 1942, Waffen-SS began forming a number of divisions composed of members from allied or conquered nations. A wide variety of "national insignia" thus developed which was worn as the standard unit insignia for Foreign Legions of the Waffen-SS. Waffen-SS recruitment poster; Volunteer to the Waffen-SS The Waffen-SS was the armed wing of the Schutzstaffel. ...

Foreign Legion Collar Patches