WWII German army cloth insignia

The German army originally adopted a slightly modified version of the NSDAP’s, national eagle by order on February 17TH 1934, with instructions to have it applied to all helmets, visor caps, and uniform tunics by May 1, 1934. Later amendments to the introductory order stipulated that the national eagle was also to be worn on all field caps, the sports uniform and the black panzer wrap. The eagle came in three distinct designs with two having slightly different out-stretched wings and the third with down-swept wings. Generally Officer’s ranks utilized hand or machine embroidered breast eagles while EM/NCO’s ranks utilized machine embroidered or machine woven breast eagles. During the war the breast eagles were manufactured in a variety of slightly different manufacturing techniques, patterns and colors.