BACKGROUND: On July 20TH 1934 shortly after the, June 30TH 1934, purge of the SA on the "Night of the Long Knives", the SS was rewarded by Hitler by being granted the status of an independent organization under direct control of the NSDAP. Originally, (circa 1932), SS personnel had worn the Imperial Prussian Danziger style skull and the political style national eagle on their visor caps. In an attempt to distance themselves from the SA, the SS introduced a new pattern cap skull to replace the previously used Imperial Prussian Danziger style skull on October 6TH 1934 and in February 1936 a new SS pattern national cap eagle was introduced. Both these pieces of insignia were worn through-out the war.

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: Die stamped zinc construction SS cap eagle. The left facing eagle features out-stretched wings and is clutching a wreathed, canted, swastika in its talons. The hollow backed reverse is a mirror image of the obverse and two of the original three soldered attachment prongs are intact. The eagle has no visible manufacturers markings but the construction appears to indicate manufacture by F. W. Assmann & Sohn of Lüdenscheid.