History

A national emblem in the form of a breast eagle was worn, on most pieces of clothing that bore it, on the right breast. The Third Reich style insignia was introduced on February 17, 1934. Early examples were embroidered, while later examples were often machine-woven in the so-called BeVo style. Examples for privately purchased tunics, dress tunics, or for officers were often hand-embroidered.

Next to the hand-embroidered examples, officers would also wear silver or aluminum machine-woven eagles. Those worn by men of General ranks were in gilt. Early examples were made of gilt bullion wire, later examples of golden-yellow celleon wire. NCOs (non-commissioned officers) and EMs (enlisted men) were allowed to wear the officer’s aluminum machine-woven or hand-embroidered breast eagles on privately purchased tunics.

Breast eagles came on different cloth backings. Those were either rectangular, triangular, or had no backing and were therefore just a cut-out version.

All versions were also produced for members of Panzer and Tropical units. Panzer breast eagles show a white eagle on a black backing, while Tropical breast eagles show an eagle on a tan backing.

A breast eagle made of metal was worn on the Officer’s White Summer Tunic, with a gilt version for Generals.