Original Item: Only One Available. This is an original German WWII Waffen-SS black Panzer wrap tunic configured for an SS-Oberscharführer associated with the 9th SS Panzer Division “Hohenstaufen.” It retains its original period insignia, including SS collar tabs, rose pink piped NCO shoulder straps, a machine woven sleeve eagle, Hohenstaufen cuff title, and Iron Cross 2nd Class ribbon. The tunic displays correct Waffen-SS Panzer wrap construction, legible size and depot markings, and extensive service-related repairs.

Black protective uniforms were introduced for German armored vehicle crews before WWII. Members of early SS-Verfügungstruppe and Leibstandarte armored formations initially used Army pattern black Panzer clothing with appropriate SS insignia. As the number of Waffen-SS armored formations increased, a distinct SS pattern Panzer wrap was produced.

The Waffen-SS pattern differed from the Army version in several readily visible details. The front opening was cut vertically and closed by concealed buttons, the collar points were rounded rather than sharply pointed, and the rear body was generally made from a single panel of black wool rather than two panels joined by a center seam.

This example has the correct single-piece back, rounded collar and lapel ends, and concealed front closure associated with the Waffen-SS pattern.

The concealed closure has four primary buttons, together with two buttons farther inside the right front that engage short straps on the left interior. Three additional buttons above allow the upper front to be secured more completely.

The lower three large closure buttons remain present. The upper large button and the smaller button above it are missing.

Buttons are also fitted at the sleeve ends.

The interior is partially lined with light gray brown rayon. A horizontal slash pocket is positioned on the right interior, while a vertical slash pocket is located inside the left front opening.

The concealed buttonholes are reinforced on both sides with matching light gray brown rayon.

Interior straps are present across the rear for the attachment of belt hooks, though no belt hooks appear ever to have been installed.

Additional adjustment straps are fitted inside the sleeve areas and connect with ties on the front lining.

The left interior retains the following size and depot markings:

44     42
92
66     68
C27

The significance of the lower C27 marking has not been identified.

Gray lining material is commonly encountered on Waffen-SS Panzer wraps. The gray brown rayon used here may reflect variation in available wartime textile supplies. Although later production frequently incorporated substitute fabrics, the precise source or date of this lining material cannot be established from the garment alone.

The tunic has reportedly been examined by multiple specialists and was considered consistent with period construction. No written expert opinion or named examination documentation was supplied with the description, so that assessment is recorded as reported background rather than independent provenance.

The upper left sleeve carries a second pattern Waffen-SS sleeve eagle, or SS-Ärmelhoheitsabzeichen, machine woven in silver gray thread on a black backing.

The edges are folded beneath, and the insignia is attached with straight machine stitching. It remains in its original position and shows wear consistent with the surrounding tunic.

Farther down the same sleeve is a machine woven cuff title reading:

Hohenstaufen

The silver gray lettering remains clearly legible against the black background. The cuff title shows wear along its edges and is stitched to the sleeve along both borders.

The Hohenstaufen cuff title identifies association with the 9th SS Panzer Division “Hohenstaufen,” although no individual wearer history or unit paperwork accompanies the tunic.

The collar carries the correct Waffen-SS collar tabs, or Kragenspiegel. The wearer’s right tab bears the embroidered double Siegrune insignia in silver gray thread on black, appropriate for EM/NCO use.

The wearer’s left collar tab carries two rank pips, identifying the NCO rank:

SS-Oberscharführer

This rank was broadly comparable to a Heer Feldwebel.

The button-attached NCO shoulder straps are constructed from black wool over field gray wool bases. Each has a black covered gray retaining tongue and a single row of diamond woven NCO tresse around the perimeter.

Each shoulder strap carries one rank pip, corresponding with the SS-Oberscharführer collar rank.

The straps are piped in Rosa, or rose pink, the Waffenfarbe associated with Panzer and Panzerjäger personnel.

An original ribbon for the 1939 Iron Cross 2nd Class is attached at the upper left lapel button.

Two thread loops are also present on the left breast for mounting decorations or badges, though no awards are currently attached.

The tunic remains in very good service used condition, with wear visible across both the wool body and insignia. This includes areas of discoloration, light fraying, and general age and handling wear.

The wool has undergone extensive repair. Several stitched repairs are visible on the front, while the reverse has multiple repaired areas.

Some reverse repairs were additionally stabilized from the interior with adhesive or iron-on backing material.

A rectangular section measuring approximately 4" by 5" on the left rear has been completely replaced. The repair was executed carefully with machine stitching.

Other damaged areas were repaired by hand, though most of the visible work is machine sewn. The date of these repairs and whether they were performed during service or later cannot be established.

With its correct Waffen-SS Panzer wrap construction, Hohenstaufen cuff title, SS-Oberscharführer rank insignia, rose pink piped NCO shoulder straps, original sleeve eagle, Iron Cross ribbon, legible interior markings, and extensively repaired service used character, this is a highly desirable armored uniform tunic. The missing closure buttons, discoloration, fraying, extensive stitched repairs, interior adhesive stabilization, replaced rear panel, unidentified C27 marking, and absence of documented individual wearer provenance are fully disclosed. It would display particularly well in a 9th SS Panzer Division Hohenstaufen, Waffen-SS armored uniform, SS-Oberscharführer, black Panzer wrap, or advanced WWII uniform collection.

Approximate Measurements
Collar to shoulder: 10"
Shoulder to sleeve: 22.5"
Shoulder to shoulder: 17"
Chest width: 20"
Waist: 18"
Front length: 25"

The Allgemeine-SS, (General-SS), was originally formed in May 1923 as the Stosstrupp Adolf AH, (Shock Troops Adolf AH), and was redesignated Schutzstaffel, (Protection Squad), in April 1925 with the official acceptance of the name verified on the second anniversary of the failed Munich "Beer-Hall" Putsch on November 9TH 1925. On January 6TH 1929 Heinrich Himmler was appointed as Reichsführer-SS, (National Leader {of the} SS), and on July 20TH 1934 shortly after the, June 30TH 1934, purge of the SA, Sturm Abteilung, (Storm Troopers) on the "Night of the Long Knives", the SS was rewarded by AH by being granted the status of an independent organization under direct control of the NSDAP, Nationalsozialistische Deutsche Arbeiterpartei, (National Socialist German Worker’s Party).

The SS developed the distinctive SS style cap skull and cross bones on October 6TH 1934 and introduced the SS pattern national cap eagle in February 1936. After their introductions the skull and eagle were to be worn on all forms of SS headgear. In 1944 the SS developed a single piece of cap insignia which incorporated both the skull and eagle on a one piece trapezoid base for wear on the M43 field cap. Originally these trapezoidal pieces of insignia were produced in a machine woven version until a final, embroidered version was introduced in late 1944. The first versions of the trapezoidal cap insignia featured dual rows of teeth in the skull while later versions only had a single row of teeth. Panzer personnel’s cap trapezoids were produced with a black base to match the color of the cap it was to be worn on.