History

Foreign volunteers serving with the Waffen-SS were divided into ethnically based formations, although oftentimes several ethnic groups or nationalities were combined into a single unit. Arm shields were used to identify the nationality of a unit's members and they often incorporated a nation’s flag or a relevant cultural or ethnic symbol.

The shields were worn on the upper or lower left sleeve, although eastern troops often wore the shields on the right sleeve.

Initially, many of the shields were produced locally but the manufacturing process was later standardised by the RZM. All officially produced shields were machine-embroidered and the majority were produced by the firm Tröltsch & Hanselmann, Berlin.

There are often numerous versions or patterns of a sleeve shield.

In 1941, the Waffen-SS created the Norwegian Legion and after a couple of years on the eastern front, the legion was disbanded. Some legionnaires wanted to remain in the Waffen-SS and they were transferred into the 23. SS Panzergrenadier Regiment 'Norge', which was a regiment of the 11. SS-Freiwilligen-Panzergrenadier-Division 'Nordland'. Norwegian members of the SS were issued sleeve shields that depicted the Norwegian flag.