Very Rare SS-Sanitats Arm Patch

[Friedrich-Berthold]

Freiherr von Eelking's 1934 work "Die Uniformen der Braunhemden" also contains a lot about the uniforms and regalia of SA medical personnel.

[mseagle]

Many thanks to Wim's for the great information he posted regarding this patch. You're the best and always seem to come through with a wealth of knowledge about some of the most obscure insignia.

Thanks again to all who have contributed!

Mark

[d'alquen]

The first arm insignia for SS medical personnel was an armband. It was introduced in SS-Befehl Nr. 22 in February 1931. Despite the order it seems to have been worn in addition to the standard brassard.
It still appeared in the 1934 price list so it is difficult to ascertain exactly when or how the arm badges that theoretically replaced it came into use.

[d'alquen]

The listing from 1934 of the arm band.

[d'alquen]

The armbinde in wear.

[Friedrich-Berthold]

Thanks for all of this fine material.

[d'alquen]

According to some documents it would appear that one badge did not replace another but indicated skill level. The version with the white cross on a red background was for what was termed Feldschere, essentially someone with field training i.e. ambulance, stretcher bearer, first aid etc. The red cross on white for Saenitaetsmaenner was for a higher level of medical skill but below a licensed physician. Here is a clearer period view of the badge posted at the start of the thread (which is an excellent example by the way).
I probably have some material that can shed more light on the issue and will see if I can find it.

[Wilhelm Saris]

The version with the white cross on a red background was for what was termed Feldschere, essentially someone with field training i.e. ambulance, stretcher bearer, first aid etc. The red cross on white for Saenitaetsmaenner was for a higher level of medical skill but below a licensed physician

As such it is not mentioned in the earlier noted order as with post 17 (August 1933). The word Feldscher was not used (but as such for the
HJ-organization: Bezeichnung für Hitler-Jugen, die im Sanitätsdienst ausgebildet sind. Abzeichen Genfer Kreuz). Anyway not for the SA!
For them new devices (aesculapius) came into being and were mentioned in the earlier noted Anzugs-Ordnung from January 1934. The
SS will have had its "own" regulations about the wearing of the red cross upon white, either as patch or armband. For the NSKK conditions were
as for the SA and as such noted in the Anzugsordnung des NSKK from January 11, 1935. Page 46 mentions conditions, page 47
shows the white circle with red cross. With the dress-regulation from December 1, 1936 in some ways this changed. The round patch was replaced
by a white armband with red cross, but only then when ordered for service.


white disc - red cross; red disc white cross

From volume 4 from the series "Headgear of Hitler's Germany", chapter about NSKK:



The Sanitätszug-truck from the Hilfszug "Bayern" with the Genevan cross; second a hospital orderly from the unit,
which first was assigned to the SA and in later years NSKK:



With issue 29 from December 15, 1934 from the Mitteilungsblatt der Reichszeugmeisterei the both armbands for the SS were included
with SS price-list 1. At that moment as article-numbers 29 and 30.
An arm-patch as shown with some photographs with the Genevan cross was not included there, but a different form, aluminum embroidered, was
available for doctors and medical personnel as numbers 41 and 42. I guess this was the diamond. Maybe d'Alquen can confirm.

Great photo with post 27. There is an edge around the patch, which surely is not black (maybe brown as the shirt). The photo possibly is dated
before August 1933. The tag with the patch shown in post 1 mentions: formerly SS medical arm-insignia until 1934.



In the Sanitätsvorschrift für die Allgemeine-SS (SS-San.-V, nr.8) from August 16, 1935 the following is said on pages 17 and 18:
The - with a special order from a higher ranked leader - use of the Red Cross armband, is to be worn upon the left lower arm
between the cuff-title and the regular SS armband in such waut the lower edge nearly touches the upper edge from the cuff-title.
The vertical "leg" of the cross should be in the midle for the swastika and the middle for the text upon the cuff-title.

Section XIV from the regulation mentions on page 67:
SS-Krankenträger (stretcher bearer's) are no part from the Sanitäts-Korps, but be regular members from an SS-unit.
The Red Cross armband only is to be worn on special orders by a leader from the Corps. No round patch was included in this regulations.

[Friedrich-Berthold]

sehr schoen. A poem, really. We are all very thankful for yet another of these masterful threads.

Please all go buy Wim's books, and then buy a second and third copy and give them to your friends, too.

And we wish that colleague d'Alquen would publish his book. I can find him a publisher or two, if he so desires.

[Friedrich-Berthold]

and someone, and it cannot be me for the time being, could take a lot of this material here on this site and render it into a book.

and those who use this place for their spiritual orientation are thanked for their good citizenship and zest for knowledge.