What tattoos did Wehrmacht and Waffen SS soldiers wear?

Why SS tattoos?

The Waffen SS troops differed from ordinary Wehrmacht soldiers in their high level of political training and commitment to the ideas of Nazism. Germany valued every such soldier very much, so she tried to do everything to save his life.

That is why, on the back of the arm, all SS soldiers were tattooed with their blood type. This information could speed up the saving of a soldier's life if an urgent blood transfusion was suddenly required in the hospital.

Such tattoos were made using a special mark, which left a noticeable mark on the skin.

It is noteworthy that SS officers were not given such tattoos, so as not to discredit them in case they were captured.

SS veteran and his tattoo

If you think that the place for a tattoo is rather strange, then German experts will not agree with you. Even before the start of World War II, they collected statistics and found out that this particular area of ​​the body is least likely to be damaged.

The history of the SS (Schutz Staffeln - security detachments) begins in the early 1920s, when a group of bodyguards for Adolf Hitler was formed as part of the SA (Sturmabteilungen - assault battalions). By 1929 the SS numbered less than 300 men, but by 1933 it had grown to 30,000 men. The security detachments, under the command of Heinrich Himmler, consisted of three gendarmerie battalions. It was through the forces of the SS that Hitler managed to become the sole leader of the NSDAP during the “night of the long knives” on June 30, 1934... By the beginning of the Second World War in 1939, the SS had only a few small armed units - the SS-Verfuegungstruppe. The military viewed the SS with suspicion, seeing them as a kind of gendarmes, incapable of conducting regular combat .

The first experiences of war in France and then in the Soviet Union changed this attitude. In several stages, the SS-Verfuegungstruppe became organized into a structure that became known as the Waffen-SS. By the end of 1943, the SS troops already numbered several battle-hardened mechanized and tank divisions. Unlike the first years, when obsolete or captured models entered service with the SS troops, now the Waffеn-SS had the highest priority, receiving the most modern German military equipment and weapons.

The SS troops became the striking force of the German army... By the spring of 1945, the number of divisions had increased to 38. Although many of these 38 divisions existed only on paper or were still in various stages of formation, the combat effectiveness of the SS troops was steadily growing. SS corps and even two SS armies were formed, although these formations, in addition to the SS, also included army units.

The SS divisions were tactically subordinate to the OKW, but the Waffen-SS had its own command structure, which was personally headed by Reichsführer-SS Heinrich Himmler. In the summer of 1940, simultaneously with the transformation of the SS-Verfuеgungstruppe into the Waffen-SS, the SS-Fuehrunghauptamt was formed, which took over operational control of the SS troops.

The rank structure of the Waffen-SS and their names were completely borrowed from the General SS (Allgemeine-SS). Instead of one shoulder strap on the right shoulder, adopted by the Allgemeine-SS, Waffen-SS soldiers wore shoulder straps on both shoulders - in the army style. At the same time, the practice of wearing insignia only in the left buttonhole has been preserved. With minimal changes, this system existed until May 1945.

In general, the ranks in the army and SS troops were the same. Thus, the army rank of captain (Hauptmann), which usually corresponded to the company commander, had an analogue in the SS troops - SS-Hauptsturmfuehrer. Also the rank of colonel (the position of “regiment commander” was available both in the army (Oberst) and in the SS (SS-Standartenfuehrer). Ranks in the SS troops historically arose from the names of positions, therefore they consisted of two parts - the name of the detachment commanded by this commander , and the words Fuehrer, that is, “leader,” “ commander .” (more about SS ranks)

In the “non-Nordic” SS units that were formed towards the end of the war, the prefix SS- was changed to the prefix Waffen-. For example, a Hungarian who was awarded the position of captain was called Waffеn-Hauptsturmfuehrer.

If not a regular division was formed, but a foreign legion, then the prefix was changed to Legion and it sounded like Legion-Hauptsturmfuehrer.

These modifications of ranks were explained by the fact. that Heinrich Himmler was seriously passionate about the theory of racial superiority, and therefore did not want non-Aryans to wear the sacred SS runes. For foreigners, buttonholes of a special type were also required, without runes. But the Germans who served in these divisions had the right to wear runes on their left breast pocket, thereby emphasizing their status as full-fledged members of the SS.

Non-commissioned officers, starting with the SS Rottenführer, wore on their sleeves a chevron made of aluminum or gray silk braid (Tresse), woven on a triangular black base. The knob on the sleeve of the SS Oberschütze, unlike the knobs on the buttonholes, was not made of white metal, but was woven with silver-gray thread on a black round base.

The runic right buttonhole was a diamond-shaped piece of oilcloth covered with black felt. SS runes were embroidered on a black field. The embroidery was machine-made and made with silver-gray silk thread, or hand-made and made with aluminum thread, but there were also buttonholes made of aluminum thread. Although aluminum buttonholes were usually intended for officers, in practice they were sometimes worn by non-commissioned officers and even privates. Officers had an edging made of twisted silk cord along the edge of their buttonholes, but sometimes there was no such edging, then officer dignity was determined solely by the insignia that was worn in the left buttonhole. The generals' buttonholes were covered with black velvet.

The shoulder straps of the SS troops were generally copied from the army. Enlisted men and non-commissioned officers shoulder straps with black or dark gray lining. Along the edge there was an edging, the color of which indicated belonging to a particular branch of the military or service (Waffenfarbe). For non-commissioned officers, straps were additionally edged with galloon (aluminum or dull gray silk). The rank of non-commissioned officer was determined by the number of aluminum knobs. Officer candidates had the following ranks: • SS cadet; • SS Standartenjunker; • SS Standartenoberunker. They wore shoulder straps of SS Unterscharführer, SS Scharführer and SS Hauptscharführer respectively, with two strips of aluminum braid. The non-commissioned officer buttonholes of officer candidates had officer edging. Candidates for non-commissioned officers wore soldier's shoulder straps with one strip of aluminum braid. Officer's shoulder straps were made of straight or woven gray braid. Unlike army shoulder straps , which had a colored (Waffenfarbe) lining, the lining of SS officer's shoulder straps was invariably black, while the piping sewn between the braid and the lining was colored. The knobs denoting rank were bronze or gold plated, although there were also aluminum ones. The general's shoulder straps were woven from braid with gold and silver strands, but unlike the army ones, they had a pale gray lining rather than bright red.

For officers of the SS troops there was a cap with a black band and a crown of the main color; along the upper seam of the crown and along the top and bottom of the band there was cloth piping in the color of the branch of service. The eagle was located on the front of the crown, and on the band was a skull and crossbones; under the skull there was a silver cord attached to two small shaped buttons . SS generals wore a similar cap, but its band was made of black velvet. In full dress uniform, lower ranks were also allowed a cap black leather strap was used When officers wore a cap or cap, there was an edging made of silver twisted cord along the top seam of the bottom and crown. In addition to the cap , cap and cap , officers and non-commissioned officers from December 1939 were allowed to wear a more elegant aviation cap with SS distinctions. It is very important that the soldier on the battlefield is equipped with comfortable and practical uniforms. The uniforms for the SS troops were sewn by prisoners of fascist concentration camps, mainly in Dachau and Buchenwald. Several samples of comfortable uniforms were tested and used in SS units. Subsequently, many of the main features of the SS field uniform were used in the armies of other countries.

In addition to cotton or woolen underwear, the SS men wore gray woolen shirts, cut in such a way as to retain warmth and provide the greatest freedom of movement. Unfortunately, the woolen material from which these shirts were made was unusually scratchy, so when the shirts wore out they were replaced with cotton ones, which turned out to be more practical and popular.

The trousers and jacket were not only practical, but also quite elegant. Both of these uniform items were made from wool with the addition of artificial fiber ( viscose ), which extended the service life of the items. Long trousers with a high waistband were held up by suspenders rather than a belt, although suspenders were no longer used towards the end of the war. A single-breasted jacket with four large pockets designed to store personal items and additional ammunition, tied at the waist with a belt.

headgear in the field , until 1943 the most popular was the cap (Feldmutze), very similar to the caps used in many armies around the world.



In 1943, the soft cap (Einheitsfeldmutze) was introduced, which was previously worn only by mountain riflemen. The cap turned out to be much more practical than the cap , as it protected the eyes from rain and sun. SS mountain divisions also wore a ski cap (Bergmutze).

There was a tropical version of the jacket, trousers and headdress, made of lightweight fabric, and although SS troops were not sent to North Africa, tropical uniform clothing was widely used in the summer on the southern sector of the Eastern Front. In cold weather, personnel wore thick, long-brimmed woolen overcoats, the double-breasted wrap of which provided reliable protection from the wind. For sentries there was a version of the same overcoat, made from thicker cloth.

However, even such overcoats turned out to be “weak” against the harsh Russian frosts, so in the fall of 1942 the SS men received thick, warmly lined parkas with a hood . The hood had a cord, which, together with the waist belt, protected the soldiers from the piercing wind. Along with the parka, the soldiers wore fur and sheepskin earflaps.

The basis for the equipment was a Y-shaped belt, the black leather straps of which passed along the chest over the shoulders and there, at the level of the shoulder blades, were connected together with a metal ring. There was only one belt . Two triple cartridge bags - one each to the left and right of the buckle . The belt was attached to the belt by means of metal rings shaped like the letter “D”. The SS men rarely went into battle with full gear, but tried to lighten their equipment as much as possible.

During marches, the SS men wore additional belts , which were attached using buttons at the level of the collarbones to the front belt straps, passed under the armpits and connected to the D-rings on the back of the belt. Attached to this intricate web of straps was a backpack that was approximately square in shape. The backpack contained personal hygiene products, a toothbrush, weapons care tools, dry rations, tent pegs , a ball of rope and a change of clothes.

The bowler hat in the stowed position was attached to the back wall of the backpack, and camouflage , a blanket and an overcoat in a roll were wrapped around the backpack. The result was a rather cumbersome structure, which was completely impossible to carry on your back during battle. The entrenching tool and bayonet were another part of the soldiers' equipment. Typically, soldiers carried an engineer's shovel with a wooden handle, suspended from the back of a belt on a leather strap on the left thigh.

At first, the shovel had a straight blade, but later a new type of shovel with a triangular blade was introduced, which made it possible to use the shovel as a bladed weapon. In addition, the new spatula had a folding handle. In the stowed position, the blade of the scapula was covered on three sides with a leather sheath, secured with a leather loop or, later, with horizontal and vertical straps with buckles. The bayonet in the sheath was usually worn at the back, on top of the shovel , then it was transferred to the stomach, between the cartridge bags, since it was impossible to remove the shovel without first removing the bayonet.

To balance the shovel, a large canvas bag . In addition to rations, in this bag the soldiers kept their caps and other small items that were not included in the backpack. On top of the bag there were two metal rings, to one of which a flask with drinking water was attached. A gray tin canister with a gas mask hung on a separate belt worn over the shoulder. Instead of a canister, a canvas bag was sometimes used, in which a chemical protection cape was also placed. Since the warring parties almost never used toxic substances, various small things were usually stored in the canister instead of a gas mask, especially those that were susceptible to moisture, such as cigarettes.

The SS men began the war wearing standard high black German military boots (Marschstiefel), and SS officers also wore high cavalry boots (Reitstiefel). The experience of the war on the Eastern Front forced the introduction of felt protective stockings worn over boots , as well as additional thick mittens, since standard gloves were also completely unsuitable for the Russian winter.

Later, more comfortable laced boots (Schnurschuhe) appeared, similar to those previously used by mountain riflemen. Usually the boots were worn with canvas gaiters. The tall boots provided support for the ankles and allowed soldiers to move freely over rough terrain without fear of spraining their ankles. The SS men were the first in the German army to try on camouflage , which became, as it were, their distinctive sign. The German gray-green uniform was a fairly practical camouflage , but the SS leadership felt that this would not be enough. camouflage was required that would allow soldiers to dissolve not only against the background of a different landscape, but also would not lose its properties depending on seasonal changes (for example, against the background of yellowed autumn foliage).

At the very beginning of the war, in September 1939, the personnel of most SS units wore loose blouses worn over the head over the main jacket. Blouses were made from cotton fabric with the addition of artificial fibers ( viscose ). The blouse did not restrict movement and was tightened with a drawstring at the waist. The collarless neckline, as well as the cuffs, were also tightened with laces, which gave the blouse a characteristic baggy appearance and enhanced its camouflage properties.

The first blouses had two slits on the chest, allowing soldiers to use the breast pockets of their jackets, but it soon became clear that it was impossible to use the pockets anyway, so the slits were soon removed. Cloth loops were often sewn onto the shoulders, sleeves and cover of the helmet The blouse could be turned inside out, and the pattern on both sides of the blouse was different. There were three camouflage patterns: • a combination of light gray and dark gray colors - spring camouflage : • a combination of two shades of green and purple-brown - summer camouflage : • a combination of three shades of yellowish and brown - autumn camouflage .

Since such complex fabric dyeing had never been done before, the dye formulation and dyeing technique were specially developed. At first, painting was done using a stencil, then, when they began to use waterproof fabric, they began to use the machine method. The camouflage pattern was specially designed to break up the soldier's silhouette into small, dirty spots edged with a contrasting color. All this made the soldiers practically invisible against the background of a forest or hedge.

During the war, four types of camouflage were used: • “broad-leaved tree”; • “palm tree”; • “oak leaves”; • "peas". All four types of camouflage had approximately the same qualities and did not have any advantages over each other. Apparently, new types of camouflage appeared as an experiment. In 1942, work began on creating a new uniform for SS grenadiers. The result was the standard 1943 camouflage uniform, which consisted of a single-breasted jacket and trousers made of viscose fabric. Camouflage coloring was applied only to the outside of the uniform, and the palette was dominated by dull yellow with splashes of green and brown. The 1944 uniform, which soon appeared, was made from low-quality twill, so the 1944 uniform was not as warm as the uniform adopted the year before.

In addition, the 1944 uniform got wet much faster. The appearance of the 1944 uniform was the final stage in the simplification and deterioration of the German military uniform. By 1944, the shortage of materials and the need to save money forced the introduction of a new type of jacket and trousers in the SS troops. The field tunic (Feldbluse) of the 1944 model was shortened and the cut resembled the field tunic of the British army. The jacket was made from the so-called Zeltbahn - a cheap and low-quality material that did not retain heat at all. The trousers were now supported by one belt - the suspenders were removed in order to save money.

By tradition, each branch of the SS troops was assigned a distinctive color, the so-called “Waffenfarbe”. The military color was worn as piping on the cap and black shoulder straps, and also as a colored corner on the front of the cap . During the war, the colors of the military branches changed 4 times, but the most important were the last two changes. After 1942, the personnel of the SS troops schools wore piping according to their specialization.

Source: website Uniform of the Armies of the World - //uniforma-army.ru/

How did those with tattoos live in captivity?

I would like to note that there was no order in the Red Army to shoot everyone who has tattoos.

Indeed, Soviet soldiers had a certain contempt for the SS troops, so they preferred not to talk about the details of their service. Naturally, there were cases of killing prisoners because they belonged to the SS, but they were not widespread.

The Germans surrender to Soviet soldiers

But the “allies” had a real hunt for captured SS men. In the camps, all prisoners were checked for the presence of a characteristic tattoo. There were cases when ordinary Wehrmacht soldiers, who foolishly got themselves a similar tattoo, found themselves “under the snowcock.”

It is worth noting that sometimes soldiers received such tattoos in hospitals, especially without asking their wishes.

What else do you know about the tattoos that German soldiers wore?