German WW2 Original Unissued Aserbaidschan Sleeve Shield Patch

Description

German WW2 Original Unissued Aserbaidschan Sleeve Shield Patch. Shipped with USPS First Class.
With the German invasion of the Soviet Union on June 22
nd
,1941 the German army encountered large segments of the non-ethnic Russianpopulace that greeted them as liberators from Bolshevism.  Although Germany was suspicious of the ethnicmake-up and loyalty of these personnel the German commanders in the fieldquickly saw the advantage of utilizing these willing personnel in non-combatantroles.  As a result of manpower restrictions,the German army began employing non-ethnic Russian POWs and volunteers aslaborers and supply personnel in the rear areas as early as the summer of 1941against the express wishes of Germany’s high command.  In an attempt to convince the Turkistanis toally themselves with the German cause, German high command finally allowed theformation of a Turkistan Legion in November 1941 which was to be attached tothe German 162
nd
Infantry Division as a parent and trainingunit.  In December 1941 the German highcommand permitted three more foreign volunteer legions to be formed fromnon-ethnic Russian personnel including the Caucasian Moslem Legion.  In early 1942, with further expansions, theCaucasian Moslem Legion was divided in two creating the North Caucasian and theAserbaidschan legions.  As with otherforeign volunteer legions members of the Aserbaidschan Legion were allocated anidentifying sleeve shield insignia that was introduced in 1942.  In September 1943, the first pattern, (1942),identifying sleeve shield was altered by the addition of a crescent moon andstar creating a second pattern.
This is a first pattern sleeve shield, printed, (silkscreened), identifying sleeve shield consists of a scalloped topped, pointedbottom, shield shape base with three horizontal bars in blue, read and greenwith a narrow black outer border.
Thetop of the shield has an additional, black, horizontal bar with red script, “Aserbaidschan”.
The shield is still on its original, redcotton factory roll and is in overall excellent, unissued conditions.
Thank you for looking and good luck!