BACKGROUND: In April 1925 the fledgling Schutzkommando, introduced its own version of the standard NSDAP, Nationalsozialistische Deutsche Arbeiterpartei, (National Socialist German Worker’s Party), swastika armband by the addition of black stripes to both the top and bottom edge to differentiate SS personnel from SA, (Storm/Assault Detachment), personnel, since both groups were outfitted with the traditional brown shirt "uniform" at that period in time. The SS armband was worn on the black service dress and the early field-grey uniforms, until it was replaced with the SS-VT, SS-Verfügungstruppe, (SS-Special Purpose Troops), sleeve eagle in May 1936. Of Note: The Schutzkommando, was renamed, Schutzstaffel on November 9TH 1925 and the SS-VT would evolve into the Waffen-SS, (Armed SS) in December 1939. Also Of Note: The RZM, Reichzeugmeisterei, (National Equipment Quartermaster), was official founded in June 1934 in Munich by the NSDAP as a Reich Hauptamt, (State Central Office), and was based on the earlier SA Quartermaster’s Department. The functions of the RZM were not only to procure and distribute items to Party formations, but also to approve chosen designs and to act as a quality control supervisor to ensure items manufactured for the Party met required specification and were standardized. Starting in late 1934 items manufactured for the SS came under the quality control of the RZM and were marked by a cloth RZM/SS approval tag. The dimensions and design of these cloth tags was altered in 1935 and this second pattern tag remained in use until early 1938, when it was replaced by a paper tag. Of Note: In 1943 the Waffen-SS assumed full control over their uniform item production and no longer fell under the authority of the RZM.

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: Nice quality multi-piece construction armband features a red wool, base field with a central, vertically ribbed, white rayon, circular field with a canted, ribbed, black rayon tape swastika to the front center. The top and bottom edges of the armband are bordered in the correct, 5/16" wide, (9mm wide), vertically ribbed, black rayon tape. The central white circular field. The swastika and the top and bottom edge border trim are all machine stitched to the armband. The reverse of the armband has a machine stitched, vertical, seam. Nice clean example!