SS Wiking question

TPMM · Post by **TPMM** » Fri Mar 02, 2007 4:05 am

Hi.
I've got a question about 5. Waffen-Panzer Division der SS 'Wiking'.
Has it's emblem any own name? Is this emblem derived from Scandinavian (or German) culture or it is just a curved swastika?

Tom Houlihan · Post by **Tom Houlihan** » Fri Mar 02, 2007 4:15 am

That would be the Sonnenrad or Sun wheel, which was an old Germanic rune. The 4-armed version used by SS-Wiking as a divisional emblem, and the 3-armed version was used for the same purpose by SS-Nordland.

dnl-panzerschreck · Post by **dnl-panzerschreck** » Fri Mar 02, 2007 3:02 pm

The 4-armed version was also used by Nordland, but with a circle around. The 3-armed by Langemarck (27th).

Langemarck - Wiking - Nordland

A knocked-out half-track from division "Nordland" in Berlin 1945. See the encircled sun wheel.

/Henrik

Tom Houlihan · Post by **Tom Houlihan** » Fri Mar 02, 2007 3:45 pm

I stand corrected, Henrik!

TPMM · Post by **TPMM** » Sat Mar 03, 2007 7:15 am

Sonnenrad, thanks.

btw: what is the difference between these emblems:

1)

2)

3)

Last one does not display correctly, see it here: http://nacismus.mysteria.cz/ss-rad/emblem-ss.php

Tom Houlihan · Post by **Tom Houlihan** » Sat Mar 03, 2007 8:01 am

Nothing, really. While technically, all divisional emblems were supposed to be the same, there were a lot of changes in the field.

One of the most obvious was the application. Was it put on with a stencil, or drawn free-hand? How much attention to detail was the man showing?
Time factored in there as well. If the emblem was being applied in the rear, more care could be taken than if someone just needed to show 'ownership' real quickly.

Another factor was visibility. Some of the outlined emblems provided the marking, but were low-visibility. Background color was another factor. If your vehicle was whitewashed, why put a white emblem on it?

Confused yet?

TPMM · Post by **TPMM** » Sat Mar 03, 2007 8:26 am

Thanks, Tom. I was a bit confused, I admit. But now I know that all non-encircled four-armed Sonnenrads are Wiking's.

dnl-panzerschreck · Post by **dnl-panzerschreck** » Sat Mar 03, 2007 8:43 am

Btw, here's a propaganda poster(?) with the Sonnenrad, used by Germanske SS Norge ("Germanic SS Norway"):

Richard F · Post by **Richard F** » Sat Apr 07, 2007 10:25 pm

Tom Houlihan wrote:which was an old Germanic rune

First the sunwheel is not a rune.

Second it is scandinavian as well as german ( or simply germanic to include boath ) it has proboly been used all over europe.