2018.002.007 [Strap, Shoulder]

This is a shoulder strap from a German soldier who served in the First World War. It is made of green cloth stitching, with a faded gold embroidery around its edges. Stitched in red on the front face is the number 70. This indicates that the soldier who wore this strap belonged to the 70th Infantry Regiment of the XVI Army Corps of the German Army during the war. The 70th Infantry Regiment was established in 1860 and was garrisoned in Saarbrucken, Germany; Saarbrucken is also the capital of the state of Saarland. Shoulder straps of this kind were common in the German Army during World War I, as they helped to distinguish the rank and designation of soldiers within their regiments. After the war, this piece was collected by Brigadier General H. A. Allen of the United States Army and brought back to Cedar Rapids, Iowa. It is now a part of the permanent World War I collection of the Iowa Masonic Library and Museum. This content can be used with the following resources: SS-WH.9-12.26: Iowans Influence World History This content can be used to educate students on Iowa's involvement in the First World War and how pieces of heritage from that war made their way back to Iowa. The journey of this shoulder strap from the uniform of a German soldier to the collection of the Masonic Library can inform students about the impact that world events have on Iowa and vice versa. For any use other than instructional resources, please check with the organization that owns this item for any copyright restrictions.