Cut Off M40 Heer Breast Eagle

Product Description: This M40 Heer Breast Eagle is a unique and very attractive piece. The Army breast eagle is of the pattern introduced in 1940 (and used until the end of the war). It’s Bevo, machine woven construction, with a mouse gray German Army eagle and swastika emblem, on a field gray rayon backing. This eagle has been neatly folded and zig-zag machine sewn to a piece of typical wartime Feldgrau (field gray) wool. The wool has been very neatly trimmed around the edge of the insignia, leaving wool visible all the way around. It’s possible that this was an eagle that was factory applied to a tunic, and then very neatly cut off; the folding and stitching style are correct for wartime factory application on enlisted issue tunics. The reverse of this interesting piece shows the bobbin thread from the zig-zag attachment stitching. There is one moth nip to the wool backing on the left side of the wreath, and some extremely slight soiling to the eagle’s right wing, but no major issues. The condition of this M40 Heer Breast Eagle is excellent.

Historical Description: The German Armed Forces (Wehrmacht), as formed in 1935, and as they existed until the end of World War 2, consisted of the Army (Heer), the Air Force (Luftwaffe) and the Navy (Kriegsmarine). The Waffen-SS fell under the command of the Wehrmacht during the war. Each of these branches of service had a unique eagle design that was worn on both the formal dress and parade uniforms, and the field uniforms, of the members of that branch. These eagles were worn on soft headgear, including service and field caps, as well as on the uniform jacket. In the Heer, the Luftwaffe, and the Kriegsmarine, this eagle was worn on the chest of the tunic; collectors have termed these “breast eagles.” The Heer and the Luftwaffe generally used the same eagle style, though variations in color of the eagle or the backing distinguish between the two. The Luftwaffe used their own flying eagle emblem. The Waffen-SS sleeve eagle (and cap eagle) had wings that came to a distinctive tapered point. The cap, breast and sleeve eagles used by the various military branches were manufactured in many variations. There were machine-woven and machine embroidered versions, usually used by officers and NCOs. Hand-embroidered bullion wire eagles were typically for officers. There were metal eagles, for caps, or for uniforms that were intended to have detachable insignia. There were even eagles embroidered on camouflage fabric, intended for use on special field uniforms. There were also eagles in specific colors for use on tropical uniforms. Some of these eagles were mass-produced and are still common today. Others were, and are, very rare.

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