History

Members of the SS-Totenkopfverbände wore the same shoulder straps with the black uniform as were worn in the Allgemeine SS and the SS-Verfügungstruppe.

At some point after July 1937, an SS-TV-specific pattern of shoulder straps for Non-Commissioned Officers (NCOs) was introduced. These straps correspond with the SS-TV 3rd pattern Enlisted Men shoulder straps. They are made of black cloth, have a pointed tip, and have the regiment's (Standarte) number of the wearer in the form of a cypher made of white metal. Additionally, they feature borders of silver-coloured NCO tresse around the entire strap (except for Unterscharführer, whose straps had no tresse at the bottom), as well as rank pips, if applicable. Sturmscharführer (rank introduced in January of 1938) straps have three pips, one at the top and two at the bottom, Hauptscharführer straps have two pips, one at the top and one at the bottom, Oberscharführer straps have one pip at the bottom, and Scharführer and Unterscharführer straps have no pips.

In 1939, SS-TV-specific shoulder straps and boards were discontinued. Instead, members of the SS-TV now wore the same straps and boards as did members of the Waffen-SS, but with brown piping. For more information, please refer to the Waffen-SS shoulder boards section.