Germany. A Schuma Nco’s M43 Cap Insignia

Constructed of of high quality silvery and black BeVo-style machine embroidery; on a black rayon backer; measuring 53 mm x 49 mm; mint and unissued condition.

Footnote: The Ukrainische Hilfspolizei or the Ukrainian Auxiliary Police (Ukrainian: Українська поліція допоміжна, Ukrains’ka politsiia dopomizhna) was the official title of the local police force established by Nazi Germany during World War II on the Nazi-occupied portion of the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic; shortly after the German conquest in Operation Barbarossa, it was renamed Reichskommissariat Ukraine. The Ukrainian Auxiliary Police was created by Heinrich Himmler in mid-August 1941 under the control of German Ordnungspolizei in General Government. The actual Reichskommissariat Ukraine was formed officially on 20 August 1941. The uniformed force was composed in large part of the former members of the Ukrainian People's Militia created by OUN in June. There were two categories of German-controlled Ukrainian armed organizations. The first comprised mobile police units most often called Schutzmannschaft, or Schuma, organized on the battalion level and which engaged in anti-Jewish and anti-partisan operations in most areas of Ukraine. It was subordinated directly to the German Commander of the Order Police for the area. The second category was the local police force (approximately, a constabulary), called simply the Ukrainian Police (UP) by the German administration, which the SS raised most successfully in the District of Galicia (formed 1 August 1941) extending south-east from the General Government. Notably, the District of Galicia – although considered by some to be part of the occupied Ukraine of today – was a separate administrative unit from the actual Reichskommissariat Ukraine. They were not connected with each other politically.