Sepp Dietrich pre-1942 Shoulderboard Device

**Nopegineer** · 05-04-2019, 02:52 PM

Hi all,

I've noticed that Sepp Dietrich wore a device on his long pre-April 1942 shoulderboards, quite similar to the oak leaf cluster that Himmler wore on his shoulderboards throughout the war. The photos I found weren't very clear so I couldn't really make out whether or not Dietrich was wearing a similar cluster or a LAH cypher. Any comments would be greatly appreciated!

Sepp Dietrich pre-1942 Shoulderboard Device

Cheers,
Gordon

**Espenlaub Militaria** · 05-04-2019 02:52 PM

We also buy and trade your items and full collections!

**HPL2008** · 05-04-2019, 03:02 PM

It's the "LAH" monogram.

**KRISSE** · 05-06-2019, 02:37 PM

Its a rare first type monogram. Not so common to see.

**FALLSCHIRMJAGER** · 05-06-2019, 02:54 PM

Certainly all look like LAH insignia to me as well. Leon.

**carpediem** · 05-06-2019, 10:11 PM

Yup, +1 for LAH.

**Nopegineer** · 05-10-2019, 02:12 PM

Thank you all for your opinions. Another "quirk" of Sepp Dietrich as chief of the LAH, I guess.

**HPL2008** · 05-10-2019, 02:30 PM

by Nopegineer

Thank you all for your opinions. Another "quirk" of Sepp Dietrich as chief of the LAH, I guess.

Yes, although (unlike, say, his gold sleeve eagles and cuff titles), these shoulder boards were not unique to him.

He simply continued to wear these "Allgemeine SS-style" shoulder boards long after all other SSVT-/W-SS personnel had transitioned to army-style shoulder boards on their grey uniforms.

**KRISSE** · 05-11-2019, 08:19 PM

I guess he and other Leibstandarte Officers used to wear this monogram on their early black tunics.
They come in two different types. And a thirt which is know to be worn on the wartime grey uniforms.

If someone has such early 1st type monogram, please let me know. :-)

**Nopegineer** · 05-12-2019, 02:09 PM

by HPL2008

Yes, although (unlike, say, his gold sleeve eagles and cuff titles), these shoulder boards were not unique to him.

He simply continued to wear these "Allgemeine SS-style" shoulder boards long after all other SSVT-/W-SS personnel had transitioned to army-style shoulder boards on their grey uniforms.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but the Allgemeine-SS type boards were used until April 1942, right?

Thanks also to Krisse for the nice photo!

**HPL2008** · 05-12-2019, 06:17 PM

by Nopegineer

Correct me if I'm wrong, but the Allgemeine-SS type boards were used until April 1942, right?

I may have got this wrong.

The army-style shoulder boards for SS officers were already introduced in the SSVT in 1938.

However, I hadn't remembered that general officers (i.e. those above the rank of Standartenführer) were initially exempt from this and were to continue wearing the old boards, which was expressly stated in an order of May 1939. At this time, only Hausser as the inspector of the SSVT was allowed to wear the army-style boards.

Other general officers of the armed SS were only ordered to adopt the army-style boards at a later date. Some secondary sources say 1942, while Cook & Bender in their book on the LSSAH list 1939/1940 as the introduction date for the army-style boards for the ranks of Brigadeführer to Obergruppenführer and expressly state that Eicke and Hausser were authorized these boards in their role as divisional commanders in November 1939.