BACKGROUND: TeNo, Technischen Nothilfe, (Technical Emergency Corps), was originally established in September 1919, of trained, voluntary, civilian personnel to maintain and repair essential services in the event of a natural disaster or emergency. Many of its personnel were ex-service men and a large amount of them had some type of specialized technical training which was key to its mandate. TeNo was a civilian organization administered under the Minister of the Interior, until mid-1939 when it became an official State organization under control of the Police which in turn was controlled by the SS. With this change in status a small nucleus of salaried Officials were employed to run the organization. As the war dragged on TeNo, became more and more a para-military organization with its direction becoming more controlled by the Waffen-SS.

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: Nice quality, officers visor cap eagle. The insignia is comprised of an eagle clutching a mobile swastika, which has the TeNo logo inside a cogged wheel to its center. Die-struck aluminum. Missing one prong.