The Strangest Waffen-SS Uniform Piece EVER Created: the Nazi Fez
July 9, 2026
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1:09Now PlayingThe Strangest Waffen-SS Uniform Piece EVER Created: the Nazi Fez
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as posted by the channelIn 1943 the Axis forces formed perhaps the most bizarre unit ever: the Bosnian-Muslim Waffen-SS “Handschar”. A lot of attention was paid for the appearance. A special collar patch was made which included a hand holding a curved scimitar (the proverbial handschar itself) together with a swastika. Permission was given to wear a fez instead of the field cap. Authorized by Hitler in 1943, the fez featured the SS eagle and Totenkopf (death's head) insignia. It was worn in two colors: field gray for combat and maroon/red for dress. The adoption of the fez was a pragmatic move by Heinrich Himmler to respect the Islamic heritage of the recruits. It is the only known instance where the Waffen-SS allowed a non-standard headdress instead of the traditional German M43 cap. As you can see different shapes existed too. There existed other Muslim units as well that served the Axis powers. Some of them came from the Soviet Union and ended up in German units. Click on the link below to learn more on that.
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