Description
The “Ustaše” was a Ultra nationalist and Fascist organization that was founded in Croatia in 1929. The Ustaše harbored many of the same opinions regarding race as the Nazis did, only with a Croatian and radical Roman Catholic/Islamic spin. The Ustaše was relatively quiet in the Interwar period, but at the advent of war for Yugoslavia in 1941, and the subsequent occupation by German and Italian forces, the Ustaše unleashed all of its Evil upon the innocents of Yugoslavia for 4 whole years. The Ustaše worked hand in hand with the occupying Forces, especially the Germans, earning the hatred and distrust of virtually every other faction and ethnicity in Yugoslavia, and that doesn’t even factor in the hatred for the Ustase because of the atrocities they so frequently committed. The Ustaše targeted Serbs, Jews, Romani, and Orthodox Christians especially, along with fellow Croatians who had betrayed “their blood brothers” by resisting the German occupation.
This is a textbook example of the larger insignia they wore on their caps. Typically when we encounter these, they are ground dug relics with very poor detail. This example is as nice as they come! A very hard to come by piece of Third Reich related insignia from the 2nd World War.
An interesting aspect of the Ustaše, was how they were viewed by there German allies. Many Germans were disgusted and horrified at the atrocities committed. Major Walter Kleinenberger, officer with the 714th division, complained that Ustaše brutality “was in defiance of all laws of civilization. The Ustaše murder without exception men, women and children.” The Ustaše’s reign of terror would end in 1945
