History

Foreign volunteers serving with the Waffen-SS were divided into ethnically based formations, although oftentimes several ethnic groups or nationalities were combined into a single unit. Arm shields were used to identify the nationality of a unit's members and they often incorporated a nation’s flag or a relevant cultural or ethnic symbol.

The shields were worn on the upper or lower left sleeve, although eastern troops often wore the shields on the right sleeve.

Initially, many of the shields were produced locally but the manufacturing process was later standardised by the RZM. All officially produced shields were machine-embroidered and the majority were produced by the firm Tröltsch & Hanselmann, Berlin.

There are often numerous versions or patterns of a sleeve shield.

In March of 1944, the Spanish ‘Blue Legion’ was ordered to return to Spain, but a small number of soldiers refused to return and instead transferred into to the Waffen-SS. These Spaniards served in the Spanische Freiwilligen-Kompanie der SS 101 and 102.

Spanish SS volunteers wore arm shields of the disbanded Spanish Blue Division.