It has been a real experience - and great pleasure - to read through the first 166 pages of this thread on the TN!
I had no idea there was such enthusiasm to learn more about this interesting organization from what is surely an elite group of collectors and thank all those who have contributed to it.
Scrutiny of this thread comes at a crucial time for me, as I am completing the last chapter of Volume 2 in my series of books with Jack Angolia for Roger Bender on the Police, and that chapter is on the TN! I've learnt much from this Forum and hope it can help me resolve a few outstanding questions on the TN, and so improve the accuracy of what I write.
This input comes after absorbing all the late David Littlejohn put into his chapter on the TN in "Defending the Reich" (Bender, 2007). As I understand it, David in fact died before he could complete that chapter, and one of the world's great experts stepped in to complete it and did a wonderful job.
Anyway, I'll test your patience no more and just explain what I thought might be a good idea: to post questions over uniforms/insignia that have come to mind when writing this chapter.
If this is well received, I'll do more. But for now here's the first:
THE FAD CUFFBAND
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David illustrates an orange band with black lettering "Freiw.Arb.Dienst" (credited to Phillipe Gillain).
But the tiny illustration in Knoetel's Tafel 41 ("Uniformfibel", December 1933 - reproduced on page 475 of "Defending the Reich") clearly shows the word "Freiwillige" in full, suggesting the band in fact read "Freiwillige Arbeitsdienst".
So which was worn?
Was Knoetel guilty of artistic license or inaccuracy (that would not be the first time)?
Thanks for any help on this - also if other questions would be welcome.
hpt
