BACKGROUND: The origins of the 3RD SS-Panzer-Division "Totenkopf" can be traced back to the formation of the SS-Wachverbände, (SS-Guard Units) in March 1933 which was re-designated, SS-Totenkopfverbände, (SS-Death’s Head Units), on March 29TH 1936. The SS-Wachverbände began to wear the distinctive Death’s head collar tabs on both collars sometime in 1935 with the death’s heads positioned horizontally on the collar tabs. In October 1939 personnel from the SS-Totenkopfverbände were recruited to compose the cadre of the newly forming SS-Totenkopf-Division and continued to wear the death’s head, positioned vertically, on the right collar tab. In May 1940 personnel of the SS-Totenkopf-Division altered the positioning of the death’s head from the vertical position to the horizontal position while personnel remaining with the SS-Totenkopfverbände did the exact opposite by exchanging the horizontal positioning for the vertical positioning, on the same date. Of Note: Originally EM/NCO’s collar tabs for the ranks of SS-Schütze to SS-Hauptscharführer inclusively were piped in twisted white cord from their original inception, (Unit tabs, August 1929/Rank tabs, May 1933), until October 24TH 1934 when the piping for EM/NCO’s was modified to alternating twisted black and silver/aluminum cord piping. The final modification, in August 1940, eliminated all piping from EM/NCO’s collar tabs. Officer’s ranks collar tabs from SS-Untersturmführer to SS-Hauptsturmführer utilized alternating twisted black and silver/aluminum cord piping from their inception until October 24TH 1934 and silver/aluminum cord piping from October 1934 until the end of the war while the ranks of SS-Sturmbannführer to SS-Reichsführer utilized the silver/aluminum cord piping from August 1929 to May 1945. The horizontal positioning of the death’s head and the lack of any outer edge piping on the collar tab indicate this example was intended for wear by a EM/NCO ranks serving with the SS-Totenkopf-Division, which was upgraded and re-designated, SS-Panzer-Grenadier-Division "Totenkopf" on November 9TH 1942, and 3RD SS-Panzer-Division "Totenkopf" on October 22ND 1943.

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: Right hand side, unit designation, collar tab features a machine embroidered, horizontally positioned, skull superimposed over crossed bones in silvery/grey cotton threads on a black wool base. The skull has black teeth, eye and nose accent threads. The collar tab is mounted on a buckram backing.