BACKGROUND: The origins of the elite Panzer Division Großdeutschland may be traced back to the formation of the Wachregiment Berlin, (Guard Regiment Berlin), in 1921. The Wachregiment was tasked with guarding all the military installations within greater Berlin as well as providing security for State visit and formal functions but was soon disbanded after its formation as it was considered unpredictable and was reformed as Kommando der Wachtruppe, (Commanding Guard Troops). In the autumn of 1934 the Kommando der Wachtruppe was re-designated Wachtruppe Berlin and in June 1937 the Wachtruppe Berlin, (Guard Troops Berlin), was enlarged and re-designated, Wachregiment Berlin. On June 12TH 1939 the Wachregiment, was given Infantry regiment status and renamed Großdeutschland Infantry Regiment with its personnel eventually going on to form the cadre of the elite Panzer Division Großdeutschland in May 1942. On June 20TH 1939 special uniforms and insignia were introduced for all Großdeutschland personnel including the distinctive cufftitle and shoulder board/strap cyphers. Originally introduced for wear by all ranks, the Großdeutschland cufftitle was produced in at least four variant patterns during the war with minor modifications. The first pattern cufftitle was a machine woven version featuring Gothic style script in bright silver/aluminum threads on a dark green base which was replaced with a second pattern in mid-1940 that also featured machine woven Gothic style script in bright silver/aluminum threads on a dark green base and added the prefix, "Inf.-Regt.". The second pattern cufftitle was only worn for a short period of time until a third pattern was introduced on October 7TH 1940, that featured hand embroidered Sütterlin style script in bright silver/aluminum threads on a black base and eliminated the "Inf.-Regt.", prefix. In mid-1944 the third pattern was altered to machine embroidered Sütterlin style script in silver/grey cotton threads. The fourth and final pattern cufftitle was introduced in late 1944 and altered the script from the Sütterlin style to the Copperplate style script. This example is an early, first, pattern, (Circa June 1939-October 1940), cufftitle with machine woven Gothic style script. Of Note: Although the earlier pattern cufftitles with the hand embroidered script are often referred to as Officer’s types there was no differentiation between the Officer and EM/NCO’s cufftitles. Also Of Note: Although the unique "GD" uniforms were placed in storage until altered and reissued in 1944, personnel of the regiment did utilize the cufftitle and shoulder board/strap cyphers through-out the war.

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: Dark green rayon construction cufftitle featuring machine woven Gothic style script, "Großdeutschland", in bright, silver/aluminum flat-wire threads. The cufftitle is bordered at both the top and bottom edges in vertically woven, bright silver/aluminum flat-wire threads. The reverse of the cufftitle has loosely woven, vertical, silver/aluminum flat-wire threads and shows the script in a green rayon mirror image. Uniform removed. Scarce early, short lived, first pattern, Großdeutschland cufftitle.