BACKGROUND: The Dutch, NSB, Nationaal-Socialistische Beweging, (National Socialist Movement), founded on December 13TH 1931 by Anton Mussert, was a nationalistic Dutch fascist political party that had based itself on the German NSDAP, Nationalsozialistische Deutsche Arbeiterpartei, (National Socialist German Worker’s Party). After the German occupation of Holland in May 1940 the NSB readily collaborated with them and made minor political gains by absorbing smaller Dutch fascist political groups. On December 14TH 1941 the Germans officially authorized the NSB as the only legal political party in Holland and all other political parties were forced to merge with the NSB or disband. On March 11TH 1943 Mussert announced the formation of the Landwacht Nederland, (Netherlands Territorial Home Guard), to be formed from all physically fit male NSB party members from the ages of seventeen to fifty years old to provide internal national security. On its formation the Landwacht introduced a distinctive unit identifying collar tab featuring an exploding grenade to be worn on the right collar of the uniform with a rank collar tab to be worn on the left side of the uniform. On October 16TH 1943 the Landwacht Nederland was absorbed into the SS, Schutz Staffel, (Protection Squad), and redesignated, Landstorm Nederland. On November 2ND 1944 the Landstorm Nederland was upgraded to brigade status and redesignated as SS-Freiwilligen-Brigade "Landstorm Nederland". Finally in February 1945 the unit was upgraded to divisional level and received its final designation, 34.SS-Freiwilligen-Grenadier-Division "Landstorm Nederland". Through-out all the upgrades the divisional personnel retained the right to wear the distinctive collar tab. This example appears to be of Dutch manufacture.

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: Black wool construction, right hand side, unit designation collar tab features a metal exploding grenade device with "flames" emanating from the top edge. The collar tab is mounted on a tan buckram backing. Scarce 1^st pattern example.