Minifigure – a SS-Obersturmführer Lieutenant from the 29th Waffen-SS Italian Legion later period of World War II (LEGO Compatible)

This image displays a toy minifigure representing an SS-Obersturmführer (a rank equivalent to a Lieutenant) from the 29th Waffen-SS Italian Legion during the later period of World War II.

The figure is depicted in a standard German field grey (Feldgrau) officer’s uniform, which includes a tunic and grey trousers. He wears a grey SS officer’s peaked visor cap (Schirmmütze) with the Totenkopf (death’s head) and SS eagle insignia. The uniform is equipped with a brown leather belt and pistol holster.

The figure’s specific unit and rank are identified by several unique insignia:

• Italian Fasces Arm Shield: On his left sleeve is the distinctive shield of the Italian SS volunteers, which features the fasces (a bundle of rods with an axe), the symbol of Italian Fascism.
• Red Collar Tabs: Unlike the standard black SS collar tabs, this figure has red collar tabs. This was a unique distinction authorized for this Italian legion. The left tab shows the rank insignia for an SS-Obersturmführer. The right tab is correctly shown as blank, as was common for non-Germanic volunteer divisions instead of the SS Sig runes.

Historical Background: The 29th Waffen-SS Grenadier Division of the SS (1st Italian), also known as the Legione SS Italiana, was a Waffen-SS division formed by the Germans in late 1943 after Italy had surrendered to the Allies. The unit was composed of Italian fascist volunteers from Mussolini’s puppet state, the Italian Social Republic, who chose to continue fighting for the Axis. These soldiers were equipped with German uniforms and served under German command, fighting against the Allies in Italy, most notably at the Anzio beachhead.