Photographer looking for help from an SS expert

[brianwoods]

Hi all

I'm a photographer who's putting together a photoshoot which involves an Allgemeine SS officer, I've been pulling bits of repro uniform together but would like to make sure I get the look right, this is causing a fair bit of confusion as the ranking and insignia seems to be very very complex. Would any of you mind answering a few questions please?

With regards to the black Allgemeine SS uniform,

what cuff titles would have been worn?

would it have featured an arm emblem?

would it have had the double runes and collar edging?

Did the Waffern SS employ the black uniform, if so was it the same tunic?

As part of my gathering for the shoot, I managed to get a repro tunic which has the double runes (silver piped edges which I presume are officer) and it has the silver and black collar lace with a cuff title "Adolf Hitler" but I can't find an image in books or on the net with that combination.

It has no sleeve eagle or pocket insignia though, I'll need to find something to match the rest of the insignia if you know what i mean.

Any help and advice would be greatly appreciated.

[militarymania]

several cuff titles could be worn with the black tunic,depending on the unit,,,however,the "Adolf Hitler" cuff title seems the most favored,,no arm eagle as the SS version of the party armband would have been worn,,,silver buillion runes with twisted silver tab edging and matching rank tab with silver edging,,,the W~ss wore the same style of tunic with some slightly different features as the war progressed,,,,the tunicn that you took a pic of sounds like an EM tunic with some officer insignia attached,,,here is one example,of many that can be found,,,if you need something different,let me know and i will try to oblige you,,,

[brianwoods]

Hi

Thanks for the speedy reply

The tunic I have has no sleeve eagle, so that's good
It also has the same shoulder board as the one pictured, the collar edging is the same to. Did the double runes depict a particular unit too? and would they have been featured with the "Adolf Hitler" cuff?

I had read that the "Adolf Hitler" title denoted the Liebstandarte and would be Waffern SS rather than Allgemeine SS, the tunic pictured seems to have the roman numeral divisional markings of the Allgemeine SS

Thanks

[militarymania]

the SS collar patch simply denoted membership in the SS,later in the war,SS volunteer units of Germanic heritage were allowed to wear the SS on their collar tabs,but foreign volunteers not of Germanic heritage wore a specially designed tab,depending on the division or units origin...the Allgemeine SS wore the AH cufftitle first,then the SS~Verfungungstruppe and finally worn in the Waffen~SS....i cant see any numerical markings on the tunic pictured unless it is on the cuffband,which it would be the SS-Abschnitt or district where the unit was based,,,if i have gotten any part of this explanation wrong,,,i apologize...

[brianwoods]

No need to apologize, your information is fantastic and is of great help.

The pictured tunic looks to have cuff title markings XXI, but I might be mistaken

so, i'm guessing a tunic with

silver collar lace, double runes in bullion, the officer shoulder board and the AH cuff title isn't going to get me lynched when the photos are released

While we're talking about the uniform, was there anything special about the black tie? Or was it just a plain item?

[militarymania]

the tie would have been a RZM aproved design and type,but if you are just going for a display,,,a modern black tie of the identical length would work...

[Friedrich-Berthold]

This site has many photos of authentic black SS uniforms to include Allgemeine SS uniforms. The latter are included as well. The search function will help you. The "Adolf Hitler" Standarte was part of the SS Verfuegungstruppe, which together with the SS Totenkopfverbaende came to be called the Waffen SS by the end of 1939. These units wore the black uniform prior to the outbreak of the war. Your questions are of such a general nature that they are difficult to answer. The illustration above in the Hayes book is of a senior officer in the command echelons of the Allgemeine SS. The books of Robin Lumsden are the simplest method to answer your questions. The task of an on line tutorial in this material in its deep complexity is a request too far, as it were. Do look at the images I have posted, or those of Bob Coleman and Bob Hritz, as well as others who own authentic items. Good luck.

[Friedrich-Berthold]

Please note Enclosed herewith LAH

[brianwoods]

Thank you so much for the images, they are FANTASTIC!

[Friedrich-Berthold]

Well then, here are some more....

You won't find this material on other sites, that's for sure.