Original German WWII Auxiliary & Security Polizei 'Sicherheits-u. hilfsdienst' Armband

Original German WWII Auxiliary & Security Polizei 'Sicherheits-u. hilfsdienst' Armband-With the invasion of the Soviet Union on June 22, 1941, the German Army rapidly occupied vast areas of territory, resulting in extended rear zones that required policing to maintain order among the civilian population and secure vital lines of communication and transport to the front. Initially, small auxiliary police units were established by the Army for these tasks, later supplemented by SS Einsatzgruppen. However, the sheer size of the occupied regions soon outstripped the capabilities of these limited forces.In response, the Germans began recruiting local anti-communist personnel in November 1941, formingSchuma(Schutzmannschaften, or 'Protection Troops') units. These personnel operated under the command of the regionalHöhere SS- und Polizeiführer(Higher SS and Police Leader). Schuma members wore a wide variety of uniforms and insignia, including surplus black Allgemeine-SS uniforms, as well as assorted field-grey and police green clothing.Schuma members serving in non-combatant, administrative roles fell under the jurisdiction of the SS-Sicherheitsdienst (SS Security Service) and Sicherheitspolizei (Security Police). Initially, these personnel were issued field-grey uniforms without insignia. To address this, a distinctive identifying armband was introduced on August 18, 1944, intended to be worn on the upper right sleeve of the tunic.This example is a cotton-rayon construction armband featuring machine-woven white text reading'Sicherheits-u. hilfsdienst'(Security and Emergency Services). It features chain-stitched top and bottom hems and a machine-stitched vertical seam to the reverse. The armband remains in excellent overall condition, showing only minor age and wear. A scarce, late-war introduced armband seldom encountered today.