History

The SS-Division Totenkopf was one of the first Waffen-SS combat units formed following the outbreak of the Second World War in 1939. The Division was originally composed of concentration camp personnel who had been transferred to the Waffen-SS from the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd regiment of the SS-Totenkopfverbände. In addition, the unit also included former members of the SS-Heimwehr “Danzig”.

On November 9th, 1942, the SS-Totenkopf-Division was renamed the SS-Panzergrenadier-Division “Totenkopf”.

On October 22nd, 1943, the SS-Panzergrenadier-Division “Totenkopf” was redesignated as the 3rd SS Panzer Division “Totenkopf”.

The men transferred from the Totenkopfverbände continued to wear the distinctive skull and crossbones, positioned vertically, on the right collar tab. For a short period of time around 1939-1940, the division wore collar tabs that featured a skull on both side. Eventually, the left skull was replaced by a collar tab that indicated the wearer’s rank.

In May of 1940, members of the SS-Totenkopf-Division began to wear the death’s head collar tab horizontally, while members of the SS-Totenkopfverbände began to wear the death’s heads collar tab vertically.

The collar tabs for the ranks of SS-Mann up to and including SS-Obersturmbannführer were produced out of black cloth, while the collar tabs for the ranks of SS-Standartenführer and above were produced out of black velvet. From 1934 until 1940, Non-Commissioned Officers and Enlisted Men were issued collar tabs that were piped with twisted black and aluminium piping. Officer ranks wore collar tabs that were piped with twisted aluminium cord.

There is a great deal of variety that can be encountered when studying these collar tabs. For example, there are pairs of collar tabs that feature skulls facing in the opposite direction as each other (inward or outward), as well as pairs of collar tabs that feature skulls that are both facing in the same direction.