13th Waffen Mountain Division "Handschar"

The 13th Waffen Mountain Division of the SS "Handschar" (1st Croatian) was the first non-Germanic Waffen-SS division, composed primarily of Bosnian Muslims, with some Catholic Croats. Formed in 1943, it was named after the "Handschar," a traditional curved sword symbolizing Bosnian heritage. The division was deployed in the Balkans, primarily conducting anti-partisan operations in eastern Bosnia and later Hungary. Troops wore the SS runes on the right collar tab, while the left collar tab featured a distinctive Handschar emblem — a scimitar crossed with a swastika. The cuff title read "Handschar" in Gothic script. While initially seen as an elite political project of Himmler to mobilize Muslim support, the division suffered from desertions and morale issues, yet still played a significant role in Axis counter-insurgency campaigns in Yugoslavia.