We are selling this nicely preserved and rare concentration camp SS guard collar tab with the double swastika.

These are rarer than TK skulls since they were worn by temporary assigned guards to concentration camps. In 1944, the Reischsführer-SS Heinrich Himmler took manpower among reservists and wounded soldiers (ages of 40+), around 10000 men, to serve in concentration camps in guard duties, since all the younger and physically fit soldiers from every branch of the SS apparatus were transferred to Waffen SS to defend the Reich during its collapse at the end of the war. These reservists wore SS uniforms with collar tabs like this one we are offering, and they filled the empty KZ positions left by Totenkopf younger soldiers. This pattern collar tab was introduced late in the war, (circa June 1944), for wearing by Heer and Luftwaffe personnel on temporary duty as concentration camp guards.

Right hand side, black wool construction collar tab with machine embroidered, double armed swastika in silvery/grey rayon threads. The collar tab is mounted on a light tan buckram backing.

All these collar tabs (used and unused condition ones) are known to come from the Dachau horde, name given to the tons of insignia found by the US troops that liberated the KL Dachau, were there were some workshops in the complex, that used slave labor to manufacture SS and WH insignia of really high quality, being these highly wanted by collectors.

MORE INFO: Apparently it was originally to be worn by the Wehrmacht transferees only, but in June 1944 the decision was made to have all concentration camp staff- and guard personnel - whether permanent full SS members or temporary draftees/transferees - wear the patch, restricting wear of the traditional "death's head" collar patches to personnel of the Totenkopf-Division only. Full SS members were authorized to wear the SS breast runes as a distinguishing badge, same as with those serving with foreign Waffen-SS formations that were also not authorized "SS runes"- or "death's head" collar patches either.

We attach some period photos of temporary assigned camp guards wearing this kind of double-armed swastika tabs.