Hello everyone!
I am wondering when the members of the 12th SS Panzer Division "Hitlerjugend" received their cuffbands. I was under the impression that they received them as soon as they completed their training. But, according to page 39 of Men Of Steel by Michael Reynolds, the Hitlerjugend Division received their cuffbands only on September 19, 1944. Can anyone confirm this?
I have seen pictures, in The Panzers And The Battle Of Normandy by Georges Bernage, of Hitlerjugend Division membes before Normandy with cuffbands. But, it is difficult to see what the cuffbands say. I know that there were many ex-Leibstandarte members in the Hitlerjugend Division and they apparently wore the cuffband of their former division, the LSSAH. Photographic evidence shows ex-LSSAH men in the Hitlerjugend with the LSSAH cuffband and also the LAH monogram on their shoulder straps.
So, when one sees a Hitlerjugend Division soldier with a cuffband before September 19, 1944, is it safe to assume that this soldier actually wears an LSSAH cuffband and is ex-LSSAH?
Thank you in advance to anyonethat can help!
Cheers,
Wolfkin
Hitlerjugend Division Cuffband
Moderator: John W. Howard
Hitlerjugend Division Cuffband
Amateurs limit their study to either Tactics, Strategy or Logistics. Professionals study ALL THREE of these!!!
-
Paddy Keating
Waffen-SS men posted to units without their own cuff title were allowed to wear the cuff title of their parent unit. The vast majority of Hitlerjugend Division officers and NCOs came from the LAH and wore their Adolf Hitler cuff titles.
The Hitlerjugend cuff title was indeed not instituted until September 1944. It is unlike other SS cuff titles in that it was an award for individual special merit. Not all Hitlerjugend soldiers received a cuff title. The cuff titles were made in Holland and were machine-woven but that is where their similarity to the German-made BeVo cuff titles ends.
Hope this helps.
PK
The Hitlerjugend cuff title was indeed not instituted until September 1944. It is unlike other SS cuff titles in that it was an award for individual special merit. Not all Hitlerjugend soldiers received a cuff title. The cuff titles were made in Holland and were machine-woven but that is where their similarity to the German-made BeVo cuff titles ends.
Hope this helps.
PK
-
Paddy Keating
Hello Paddy!
Wow, I thought no one would ever answer this! I almost forgot about this post. Thank you for your answer, so it looks like Reynolds was right in his book after all, I was wondering about that. Hey nice looking cuffbands there! Thank you again!
Cheers,
Wolfkin
Wow, I thought no one would ever answer this! I almost forgot about this post. Thank you for your answer, so it looks like Reynolds was right in his book after all, I was wondering about that. Hey nice looking cuffbands there! Thank you again!
Cheers,
Wolfkin
Amateurs limit their study to either Tactics, Strategy or Logistics. Professionals study ALL THREE of these!!!
In the book by SS-Hitlerjugend (the history of the 12th ss div 1943-45) by Rupert Butler. It states:
"[...] Of the junior ranks, Sturmann displayed the cuff title Hitlerjugend, which was awarded to the division as a whole in recognition of its showing in Normandy in September 1944.[...]" (page 52)
"...Artur Axmann was tireless in his bid to boost the morale of his men. In September 1944, for example, he was pictured at Kaiserlautern in Germany distributing Hitlerjugend cuff titles to new recruit." (page 53)
Hope this helps!
"[...] Of the junior ranks, Sturmann displayed the cuff title Hitlerjugend, which was awarded to the division as a whole in recognition of its showing in Normandy in September 1944.[...]" (page 52)
"...Artur Axmann was tireless in his bid to boost the morale of his men. In September 1944, for example, he was pictured at Kaiserlautern in Germany distributing Hitlerjugend cuff titles to new recruit." (page 53)
Hope this helps!