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Totenkopf (Plural: Totenköpfe) is the German word for "skull" (literally "dead man's head") and is used to describe a military insigne featuring a skull superimposed upon crossed bones; when used in this context it is commonly known as a "death's head" in English. It is distinguished from the similar traditions of the skull and crossbones and the Jolly Roger by the positioning of the bones directly behind the skull. For a long time in use in several countries, its association with aspects of Nazi Germany has perhaps accelerated its decline as societies remove the most morbid symbols from their military uniforms.
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History
Origins
Use of the symbol as a military insignia began with the cavalry of the Prussian army under Frederick the Great. Frederick formed Husaren-Regiment Nr.5 (von Ruesch), a Hussar regiment commanded by Colonel von Ruesch. These Hussars adopted a black uniform with a Totenkopf emblazoned on the front of their Mirletons and wore it on the field in the War of Austrian Succession and in the Seven Years' War.
In 1808, when the regiment was reformed into Leib-Husaren Regiments Nr.1 and Nr.2, the Totenkopf remained a part of the uniform. During the Napoleonic Wars, when Frederick William, Duke of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel, was killed in battle, his troops changed the colour of their uniforms to black, with a Totenkopf on their Shakos in mourning their dead leader (Other sources claim that the "Black Brunswickers" were so equipped while Friedrich Wilhelm of Brunswick lived, as a sign of revenge on the French.[1]
20th Century
In Germany
The death's head continued to be used throughout the Prussian and Brunswick Armed forces until 1918, and some of the stormtroopers that led the last German offensives on the Western Front in 1918 used Death's Head badges.[2]
The Totenkopf was used in Germany throughout the inter-war period, most prominently by the Freikorps. In 1933, it was in use by the regimental staff and the 1st, 5th, and 11th squadrons of the Reichswehr's 5th Cavalry Regiment as a continuation of a tradition from the Kaiserreich.
The Totenkopf was also used as the unit insignia of the Panzer forces of the German Heer (Army) during the Third Reich era, and also by the Panzer units of the Luftwaffe, including those of the elite Fallschirm-Panzerdivision HG[3].
The WW II era Luftwaffe's 54th Bomber Wing (Kampfgeschwader 54 = KG 54) was given the unit name "Totenkopf" and used virtually the same graphic skull-crossbones insignia as the SS units of the same namecitation needed.
- SS usage
In the early days of the NSDAP, Julius Schreck, the leader of the Stabswache (Adolf Hitler's bodyguard unit), adopted the Totenkopf to his unit. This later grew into the Schutzstaffel (SS), which continued to use the Totenkopf as insignia throughout their brief history. As they had done with the Swastika, the Nazis simply adopted the Totenkopf from the historical tradition and used it for their own purposes, leaving it marked with a stigma that has continued to the present.
It is important to note that the SS 'Death's Head' symbol has some differences to the original German (Prussian) Totenkopf, the original being much more archaic in appearance (see images above), with the SS version appearing more realistic. Moreover, the Prussian Totenkopf could face left or right in half-profile, but usually it was shown en face. The SS Totenkopf on the other hand was always facing left in half-profile.
Outside Germany
- The British Army's Queen's Royal Lancers continue to use the skull and crossbones in their emblem, inherited from its use by the 17th Light Dragoons - a unit raised in 1759 following General Wolfe's death in Quebec, with an emblem of a death's head and the words 'Or Glory' chosen in commemoration of him.[4]
- The 41st Regiment New York Volunteer Infantry, Mustered in: June 6, 1861-Mustered out: December 9, 1865 wore the totenkopf insignia.
- The Portuguese Military Police, the lancers, of the Regimento de Lanceiros 2 use the totenkopf in their emblem, similar to the one used by the Queen's Royal Lancers.
- The Kingdom of Sweden's Hussar Regiments wore it in the Prussian Style on the front of the Mirleton.
- The White Russian Kornilov regiment adopted it in 1917.
- The Estonian Kuperjanov's Partisan Battalion used the skull and crossbones as their insignia.
- During 1943-1945 the Italian Black Brigades and numerous other forces fighting for the Italian Social Republic, wore various versions of skulls on their uniforms, berets and caps.
- Although not exactly a Totenkopf per se, the Chilean guerrilla leader, Manuel Rodriguez used the symbol on his elite forces called "Husares de la muerte" (Hussars of death).
In popular culture
- Laibach (band) during their 2003/2004 WAT tour used the SS Totenkopf with a bullet hole in the forehead. The defaced symbol is also on the cover of the CD single Tanz Mit Laibach.[5]
- Dr. Totenkopf is the name of the supervillain from the science fiction film Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow (2004), and was played by Sir Laurence Olivier posthumously, using archived footage and computer graphics.
See also
References
- ^ [1]
- ^ First World War - Willmott, H.P.; Dorling Kindersley, 2003, Page 252
- ^ Angolia, John R., and Adolf Schlicht, Uniforms and Traditions of the Luftwaffe Volume 2, R. James Bender Publishing, San Jose CA, 1997 ISBN 0-912138-71-8
- ^ [2]
- ^ [3]
