Would like opinions on partial Dachau cuff title...

[dzyner]

Hi all.

I'd like to get some opinions from the experts on this Dachau cuff title that was cut down and framed. She's pretty rough but the photos should tell you all you need to know.











Thanks!
Dzyner

[CBH]

It should be written in capitals not lowercase "DACHAU" not "Dachau".
But wait for more opinions.

[stakeside]

Not only is this a vision test for a senior citizen like me, it should test anyone's eyesight. However, lower case letters appear to be OK.

Post #6 by Robin Lumsden to SS Lager Complex Dachau started 08-04-2008 by F-B.

Any comparison of this blurry font with the OP font is problematic.

[MM1985]

I'm sorry but this is just BAD.

[HPL2008]

It's bad and of rather poor quality; but anyway, I don't think there ever was a cuff title that only said "Dachau" or "DACHAU".

It doesn't appear in any period photographs, orders or other documents that I am aware of and, in any case, it would be an odd thing to have such a cuff title with the name of the camp's location only. The cuff titles "W.B. Dachau" (for the Wirtschaftsbetriebe Dachau) and "Kdtr. Ü.L. Dachau" (for the Kommandantur of the Übungslager Dachau) did exist, though.

There are a few known specimens of a cuff title with "DACHAU" in all capital letters that are considered original, but interestingly, all of them have been cut down to a very short length just to the left and right of the word "DACHAU", and one of them still shows a "B." before that. So, if those are original, they almost certainly started out life as variant "W.B. Dachau" cuff titles which, for some reason, were made in all capital letters.

As to the question why they were even cut down to eliminate the prefixes: Apparently, all of those were actually worn by former prisoners thus displaying the name of the place of their ordeal. There are at least two known photographs of former prisoners with such cut-down "Dachau" cuff titles attached to their clothing:





Photo credit:

The ‘souvenir’ RzM-type ‘Dachau’ cuff-title in wear by a Belgian P.O.W. .... - Wehrmacht-Awards.com Militaria Forums
dachau cuff title - Page 4 - Wehrmacht-Awards.com Militaria Forums
(That thread has quite a good discussion on the Dachau-related cuff titles.)

[MM1985]

1

[CBH]

There was also "SS-Übungslager Dachau" title worn by personal assigned to the SS Training Camp Dachau.
The example I mentioned with all capitals was cut down, so it's history is unknown.

[dzyner]

Thanks for the feedback everyone, much appreciated and very educational!