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At first the Germans ordered the Legionnaires to wear a simple black left collar patch with no insignia. However, insignia began to evolve over time. Some units were ordered to wear a fire-cross1 aka swastika, as does one of the most decorated Legionnaires, Captain Žanis Butkus, above. The designs below were also considered as alternatives. For a period of time some units wore the Latvian traditional emblem of the rising sun (right-most).
The Germans' use of the "SS" insignia came late in the war, and its origin is unclear.
| 1 | The fire cross (ugunskrusts) was an ancient symbol of Baltic and Finnic culture long before being hijacked by Hitler and the Nazis. The fire-cross was a symbol of the Latvian military and air force in WWI and continues to be in use today in Finland. |
- Latvian Legion — A uniform is not an automatic badge of guilt. Legionnaires wore their loyalty under their uniform—a folded up Latvian flag.
- Hitler's Order — Images of Hitler's 1943 order establishing the Latvian SS-(so-called) "Voluntary" Legion and of a subsequent conscription order.
- Legionnaires Cleared of SS Status — Collection of correspondence between Chargé d’Affaires of Latvia Jūlijs Feldmanis and U.S. officials, including the final directive confirming that the Latvian Legion was not an enemy of the U.S. or of its form of government.
- Evolution of Insignia — The Legion had its own insignia. The use of the SS symbol came late and its origin is unclear.