Totenkopf - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

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https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Totenkopf

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Totenkopf (i.e. skull, literally dead's head) is the German word for the skull
and crossbones and death's head symbols. The Totenkopf symbol is an old
international symbol for death, the defiance of death, danger, or the dead, as
well as piracy. It consists usually of the human skull with or without the
mandible and often includes two crossed long-bones (femurs), most often
depicted with the crossbones being behind some part of the skull.
It is commonly associated with 19th- and 20th-century German military
use. Prominent use of the symbol by Nazi SS forces during World War II as
German Einsatzgruppen death squads undertook the Holocaust caused a
widespread decline in its use and a secondary association with political
extremism, although several groups and individuals continued using it
despite the linkage (or, in some cases, welcoming it).

1 Etymology
2 German military
2.1 Prussia
2.2 Weimar Republic
2.3 Third Reich
3 Non-German military
4 Commercial
5 See also
6 Bibliography
7 References

August von Mackensen, German

field marshal in hussar full dress
prior to 1914, with the Totenkopf
on his fur busby

Toten-Kopf translates literally to "dead's head", construed broadly as a "dead person's head". Semantically, it
refers to a skull, literally a Schdel. As a term, Totenkopf connotes the human skull as a symbol, typically one
with crossed thigh bones as part of a grouping.
Contemporary German language meaning of the word Totenkopf has not changed for at least two centuries. For
example, the German poet Clemens Brentano (b. 1778 d. 1842) wrote in the story "Baron Hpfenstich":
"Lauter Totenbeine und Totenkpfe, die standen oben herum ..."[1] (i.e. "A lot of bones and skulls, they were
placed above ...").
The common translation of "Totenkopf" as death's head is incorrect; it would be Todeskopf, but no such word is
in use. The English term death squad is called Todesschwadron, not Totenschwadron. It would be a logical
fallacy to conclude that usage varies only because of the German naming of the Death's-head Hawkmoth, which
is called Skull Hawkmoth (Totenkopfschwrmer) in German, in the same way that it would be a fallacy to

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conclude that the German word Nachtkerze (i.e. night candle) would mean Willowherb, just because the
Willowherb Hawkmoth is called Night Candle Hawkmoth (Nachtkerzenschwrmer) in German.

Prussia
Use of the Totenkopf as a military insignia began under Frederick the Great,
who formed a regiment of Hussar cavalry in the Prussian army commanded
by Colonel von Ruesch, the Husaren-Regiment Nr. 5 (von Ruesch). It
adopted a black uniform with a Totenkopf emblazoned on the front of its
mirlitons and wore it on the field in the War of Austrian Succession and in
the Seven Years' War.
The Totenkopf remained a part of the uniform when the regiment was
reformed into Leib-Husaren Regiments Nr.1 and Nr.2 in 1808. When
Frederick William, Duke of Brunswick-Wolfenbttel, was killed in battle
during the Napoleonic Wars, his troops changed their uniform colors to
black or apple green, 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.[2]

Hussar from Husaren-Regiment

Nr.5 (von Ruesch) in 1744 with
the Totenkopf on the mirliton (ger.
Flgelmtze)

The skull 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 skull badges.[3]

Weimar Republic
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.

Third Reich
In the early days of the NSDAP, Julius Schreck, the leader of the
Stabswache (Adolf Hitler's bodyguard unit), resurrected the use of the
Totenkopf as the unit's insignia. This unit grew into the Schutzstaffel (SS),
which continued to use the Totenkopf as insignia throughout its history.
According to a writing by Reichsfhrer-SS Heinrich Himmler the Totenkopf
had the following meaning:
The Skull is the reminder that you shall always be willing to
put your self at stake for the life of the whole community.[4]
The Totenkopf was also used as the unit insignia of the Panzer forces of the
German Heer (Army), and also by the Panzer units of the Luftwaffe,
including those of the elite Fallschirm-Panzer Division 1 Hermann

The second version of the

SS-Totenkopf; used from 1934 to
1945

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Gring.[5]
Both the 3rd SS Panzer Division of the Waffen-SS, and the World War II
era Luftwaffe's 54th Bomber Wing Kampfgeschwader 54 were given the
unit name "Totenkopf", and used a strikingly similar-looking graphic skullcrossbones insignia as the SS units of the same name. The 3rd SS Panzer
Division also had scull pathes on their uniform collars instead of the SS
sieg rune.
Junkers Ju 88 of
Kampfgeschwader 54 (KG 54) in
France, November 1940

A skull and crossbones has often been a symbol of pirates, especially

in the form of the Jolly Roger, but usually having the crossbones
beneath the skull rather than behind it, as used by pirate Samuel
Bellamy in one example.
The Italian elite storm-troopers of the Arditi used a skull with a
dagger between its teeth as a symbol during World War 1. Various
versions of skulls were also later used by the Italian Fascists.
The British Army's Royal Lancers continue to use the skull and
crossbones in their emblem, inherited from its use by the 17th
Lancers, a unit raised in 1759 following General Wolfe's death in
Quebec. The emblem contains an image of a death's head, and the
German Panzer totenkopf
words 'Or Glory', chosen in commemoration of Wolfe.[6]
In 1792, a regiment of Hussards de la mort (Death Hussars) was
formed to defend the young French Republic from the Austrian
attempt to invade France.[7]
South Korea's 3rd Infantry Division () have a skulland-crossbones in their emblem.
The primarily Prussian 41st Regiment New York Volunteer Infantry,
Mustered in: June 6, 1861-Mustered out: December 9, 1865 wore a
skull insignia.[8]
The Portuguese Army Police 2nd Lancers Regiment use a skullA French Hussard de la mort
and-crossbones image in their emblem, similar to the one used by the
(1792)
Queen's Royal Lancers.
The Kingdom of Sweden's Hussar Regiments wore a death's head
emblem in the Prussian Style on the front of the mirleton.
Ramn Cabrera's regiment adopted in 1838 a skull with crossbones
flanked by an olive branch and a sword on a black flag during the
Spanish Carlist Wars.
The White Russian Kornilov regiment adopted a death's head emblem
in 1917.
The Estonian Kuperjanov's Partisan Battalion used the skulland-crossbones as their insignia (since 1918); the Kuperjanov
Spanish Carlist flag (1838)
Infantry Battalion continues to use the skull and crossbones as their
insignia today.
Two Polish small cavalry units used death's head emblem during PolishUkrainian War and Polish
Soviet War - Dywizjon Jazdy Ochotniczej (also known as Huzarw mierci i.e. Death Hussars) and

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Poznaski Ochotniczy Batalion mierci.

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 Rodrguez used the symbol on his elite forces called
"Husares de la muerte" ("Hussars of death"). It is still used by the
Chilean Army's 3rd Cavalry Regiment.
The United States Marine Corps Reconnaissance Battalions use the
skull-and-crossbones symbol in their emblem.
The No. 100 Squadron RAF (Royal Air Force) continue to use a flag
depicting a skull and crossbones supposedly in reference to a flag
stolen from a French brothel in 1918.
The Batalho de Operaes Policiais Especiais, a special unit within
the military police of Rio de Janeiro state, Brazil, uses the skull
emblem to differentiate their team from the regular units.
Many United States Cavalry reconnaissance troops or squadrons
utilize a skull insignia, often wearing the traditional Stetson hat, and
backed by either crossed cavalry sabers, crossed rifles, or some other
variation, as an unofficial unit logo. These logos are incorporated in
to troop T-shirts, challenge coins, or other items designed to enhance
morale and esprit de corps.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Totenkopf

The "death's head" was the

insignia of Polish Death Hussar
Divisions, 1920 (PolishSoviet
War)

Craft International logo, military training company founded by Chris

Kyle [9][10]

3rd SS Division Totenkopf

Fascist symbolism
Human skull symbolism
Kampfgeschwader 54
Jolly Roger
Kuperjanov Battalion
Memento Mori
Skull and crossbones (poison)
Skull and Bones
SS-Totenkopfverbnde

Stylized Totenkopf on shoulder

sleeve insignia of the United
States Air Force 400th Missile
Squadron uniform sometime
between 1995 and 2005

Klaus D. Patzwall: Der SS-Totenkopfring. 5th edition: Patzwall, Melbeck 2010, ISBN
978-3-931533-07-6.
Joost Hlscher (Author, Illustrator): Death's Head, The History of the Military Skull & Crossbones Badge

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(The History of Uniform). 1st edition: ditions Chamerelle 2013, ISBN 978-90-820326-0-4

1. Clemens Brentano: Baron Hpfenstich - Chapter 2 (http://gutenberg.spiegel.de/buch/-357/2) (Projekt Gutenberg-DE)

2. Osprey Publishing - The Black Brunswickers (http://www.ospreypublishing.com/title_detail.php
/title=Q1469~ser=MAA)
3. First World War - Willmott, H. P.; Dorling Kindersley, 2003, Page 252
4. Heinrich Himmler: "Der Totenkopf ist die Mahnung, jederzeit bereit zu sein, das Leben unseres Ichs einzusetzen fr
das Leben der Gesamtheit."
5. 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.
6. QRL Regimental Association (http://www.qrl.uk.com/h_home.html)
7. (French) http://pagesperso-orange.fr/minismodels/figurines/hussards_de_la_mort/hussards_de_la_mort.htm
8. New York Military State Military Museum (http://dmna.ny.gov/historic/mil-hist.htm)
9. http://www.thecraft.com/craft_skull.html
10. https://www.google.com/search?q=craft+internationallogo&espv=2&biw=1430&bih=746&tbm=isch&tbo=u&
source=univ&sa=X&ei=Zx_kVK-PPMbloATdi4KYDQ&ved=0CDUQ7Ak

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Categories: Symbols Military insignia
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