BACKGROUND: As early as 1938 Reichsführer-SS Heinrich Himmler and the Allgemeine-SS, (General-SS), began recruiting volunteer "Germanische", (Germanic), personnel who were considered to be suitably "Nordic", to serve in the SS-VT, SS-Verfügungstruppe, (SS-Special Purpose Troops). Originally these Germanic personnel were drawn from Dutch, Belgian, Danes and Norwegians but with only minor success. In March 1940 with the formation of the Waffen-SS recruitment of the Germanic personnel began to increase slightly and with the outbreak of WWII additional Germanic volunteers came forward to join the ranks of the Waffen-SS. The invasion of the Balkans in 1941 brought forward another pool of suitable Volksdeutsche, (Ethnic Germans), personnel available for voluntary enlistment in the Waffen-SS. The invasion of Russia on June 22ND 1941 and the war against Bolshevism resulted in the Waffen-SS experiencing another surge in recruits willing to serve with the Germans. As the war continued and man-power shortages became severe the standard criteria for acceptance into the Waffen-SS was decreased dramatically and numerous personnel who would have been unacceptable in 1939 were readily conscripted into service with the Waffen-SS. By the end of the war more then half of all the personnel serving in the Waffen-SS were non-Germans. On May 25TH 1940 the first Dutch volunteers were assigned to the newly formed "Westland" regiment. In November 1941 the Dutch volunteers were issued a distinctive national sleeve shield to be worn on the upper right sleeve of the uniform. Dutch personnel also served in 11.SS-Freiwilligen-Panzer-Grenadier-Division "Nordland", the 23.SS-Freiwilligen-Grenadier-Division "Nederland" (niederlandische Nr.1) and the 34.SS-Freiwilligen-Grenadier-Division "Landstorm Nederland".

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: Recruitment leaflet for the Dutch Waffen-SS. Two sided, black and white printing with photo’s and text. Approximately 23.5cm x 32cm. Shows typical light age yellowing but overall good condition.