Description

The 13th SS Mountain Division was formed in March 1943 from Moslems from the Bosnia-Herzegovina region of Croatia with a core of German troops from the 7th SS-Freiwillingen-Gebirgs-Division Prinz Eugen. The distinctive collar insignia was introduced on April 30th 1943. Of Note: It is believed that SS-Obergruppenführer Gottlob Berger came up with the design of the collar tab and the name Handschar which refers to the scimitar carried for centuries by Turkish police in the Balkan region.