Totenkopf is the German word for the skull and crossbones and death's head
symbols. The Totenkopf symbol is an old international symbol for death, the
defiance of death, danger, or the dead, as well as piracy. It consists usually
of the human skull with or without the mandible and often includes two crossed
long-bones, most often depicted with the crossbones being behind some part of the
skull. It is commonly associated with 19th- and
20th-century German military use. Prominent use of the symbol by Nazi SS
forces during World War II as German Einsatzgruppen death squads undertook
the Holocaust caused a widespread decline in its use and a secondary
association with political extremism, although several groups and individuals
continued using it despite the linkage. Etymology
Toten-Kopf translates literally to "dead's head", construed broadly as a
"dead person's head". Semantically, it refers to a skull, literally a Schädel.
As a term, Totenkopf connotes the human skull as a symbol, typically one with
crossed thigh bones as part of a grouping.
Contemporary German language meaning of the word Totenkopf has not changed for
at least two centuries. For example, the German poet Clemens Brentano wrote in
the story "Baron Hüpfenstich": "Lauter Totenbeine und Totenköpfe, die
standen oben herum ...". The common translation of "Totenkopf" as
death's head is incorrect; it would be Todeskopf, but no such word is in use.
The English term death squad is called Todesschwadron, not Totenschwadron. It
would be a logical fallacy to conclude that usage varies only because of the
German naming of the Death's-head Hawkmoth, which is called Skull Hawkmoth
in German, in the same way that it would be a fallacy to conclude that the German
word Nachtkerze would mean Willowherb, just because the Willowherb Hawkmoth is
called Night Candle Hawkmoth in German. German military
= Prussia= Use of the Totenkopf as a military
insignia began under Frederick the Great, who formed a regiment of Hussar
cavalry in the Prussian army commanded by Colonel von Ruesch, the
Husaren-Regiment Nr. 5. It adopted a black uniform with a Totenkopf
emblazoned on the front of its mirlitons and wore it on the field in the War of
Austrian Succession and in the Seven Years' War.
The Totenkopf remained a part of the uniform when the regiment was reformed
into Leib-Husaren Regiments Nr.1 and Nr.2 in 1808. When Frederick William,
Duke of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel, was killed in battle during the Napoleonic
Wars, his troops changed their uniform colors to black or apple green, with a
Totenkopf on their shakos in mourning their dead leader. Other sources claim
that the "Black Brunswickers" were so equipped while Friedrich Wilhelm of
Brunswick lived, as a sign of revenge on the French.
The skull continued to be used throughout the Prussian and Brunswick
Armed forces until 1918, and some of the stormtroopers that led the last German
offensives on the Western Front in 1918 used skull badges.
= Weimar Republic= The Totenkopf was used in Germany
throughout the inter-war period, most prominently by the Freikorps. In 1933,
it was in use by the regimental staff and the 1st, 5th, and 11th squadrons of
the Reichswehr‍ '​s 5th Cavalry Regiment as a continuation of a tradition from
the Kaiserreich. = Third Reich=
In the early days of the NSDAP, Julius Schreck, the leader of the Stabswache,
resurrected the use of the Totenkopf as the unit's insignia. This unit grew into
the Schutzstaffel, which continued to use the Totenkopf as insignia throughout
its history. According to a writing by Reichsführer-SS Heinrich Himmler the
Totenkopf had the following meaning: The Skull is the reminder that you shall
always be willing to put your self at stake for the life of the whole
community. The Totenkopf was also used as the unit
insignia of the Panzer forces of the German Heer, and also by the Panzer
units of the Luftwaffe, including those of the elite Fallschirm-Panzer Division
1 Hermann Göring. Both the 3rd SS Panzer Division of the
Waffen-SS, and the World War II era Luftwaffe's 54th Bomber Wing
Kampfgeschwader 54 were given the unit name "Totenkopf", and used a strikingly
similar-looking graphic skull-crossbones insignia as the SS units of the same
name. Non-German military
A skull and crossbones has often been a symbol of pirates, especially in the
form of the Jolly Roger, but usually having the crossbones beneath the skull
rather than behind it, as used by pirate Samuel Bellamy in one example.
The Italian elite storm-troopers of the Arditi used a skull with a dagger
between its teeth as a symbol during World War 1. Various versions of skulls
were also later used by the Italian Fascists.
The British Army's Royal Lancers continue to use the skull and crossbones
in their emblem, inherited from its use by the 17th Lancers, a unit raised in
1759 following General Wolfe's death in Quebec. The emblem contains an image of
a death's head, and the words 'Or Glory', chosen in commemoration of
Wolfe. In 1792, a regiment of Hussards de la
mort was formed to defend the young French Republic from the Austrian
attempt to invade France. South Korea's 3rd Infantry Division have
a skull-and-crossbones in their emblem. The primarily Prussian 41st Regiment New
York Volunteer Infantry, Mustered in: June 6, 1861-Mustered out: December 9,
1865 wore a skull insignia. The Portuguese Army Police 2nd Lancers
Regiment use a skull-and-crossbones image in their emblem, similar to the
one used by the Queen's Royal Lancers. The Kingdom of Sweden's Hussar Regiments
wore a death's head emblem in the Prussian Style on the front of the
mirleton. Ramón Cabrera's regiment adopted in 1838
a skull with crossbones flanked by an olive branch and a sword on a black flag
during the Spanish Carlist Wars. The White Russian Kornilov regiment
adopted a death's head emblem in 1917. The Estonian Kuperjanov's Partisan
Battalion used the skull-and-crossbones as their insignia; the Kuperjanov
Infantry Battalion continues to use the skull and crossbones as their insignia
today. Two Polish small cavalry units used
death's head emblem during Polish–Ukrainian War and Polish–Soviet
War - Dywizjon Jazdy Ochotniczej and Poznański Ochotniczy Batalion Śmierci.
During 1943-1945 the Italian Black Brigades and numerous other forces
fighting for the Italian Social Republic, wore various versions of
skulls on their uniforms, berets, and caps.
Although not exactly a Totenkopf per se, the Chilean guerrilla leader Manuel
Rodríguez used the symbol on his elite forces called "Husares de la muerte".
The United States Marine Corps Reconnaissance Battalions use the
skull-and-crossbones symbol in their emblem.
The No. 100 Squadron RAF continue to use a flag depicting a skull and crossbones
supposedly in reference to a flag stolen from a French brothel in 1918.
The Batalhão de Operações Policiais Especiais, a special unit within the
military police of Rio de Janeiro state, Brazil, uses the skull emblem to
differentiate their team from the regular units.
Many United States Cavalry reconnaissance troops or squadrons
utilize a skull insignia, often wearing the traditional Stetson hat, and backed
by either crossed cavalry sabers, crossed rifles, or some other variation,
as an unofficial unit logo. These logos are incorporated in to troop t-shirts,
challenge coins, or other items designed to enhance morale and esprit de corps.
Commercial Craft International logo, military
training company founded by Chris Kyle See also
3rd SS Division Totenkopf Fascist symbolism
Human skull symbolism Kampfgeschwader 54
Jolly Roger Kuperjanov Battalion
Memento Mori Skull and crossbones
Skull and Bones SS-Totenkopfverbände
Bibliography Klaus D. Patzwall: Der SS-Totenkopfring.
5th edition: Patzwall, Melbeck 2010, ISBN 978-3-931533-07-6.
Joost Hølscher: Death's Head, The History of the Military Skull &
Crossbones Badge. 1st edition: Éditions Chamerelle 2013, ISBN 978-90-820326-0-4
References