2018.002.046 [Armband]

This is a German chaplain armband made of stitched dyed cloth. The red cross insignia is stitched with five squares with an X stitch in the center. The band along the lengthwise equator of the band was once colored a vibrant purple; the front of the band has sustained enough wear and tear for this coloration to fade away completely. The rear side of the band still maintains its purple coloration. There is some significant fraying of the fabric along the edges (both top and bottom) and along the sides where the armband was creased for storage. Two of the red squares that make up the cross insignia are almost completely worn away. There is a stamp printed on both the front and rear faces of the band. The front label reads, "GEISTLICHER DER 224 INF - DIV. (rest of the printing is lost)" The word "geistlicher" in German translates roughly to either priest, clergyman, or cleric (depending on the context). This indicates that the person who owned this armband was an army chaplain who served in the 224th Infantry Division of the German Army during the First World War. Chaplains could be distinguished from medical personnel by the purple band. The printing also features the image of an eagle: the insignia of the German Empire at the time. This could also possibly have belonged to a Jewish field rabbi who served with the Germany Army during the war. At the war's start, the enlistment of over 100,000 Jewish Germans into the armed forces pressured the Empire to open up the position of medical corps chaplains to rabbis. It is not clear whether this belonged to a field rabbi or not, but it is a distinct possibility. This content can be used with the following resources: SS.6.23: Compare Iowa to World This content can be used to educate students on the role of religion in warfare and the impact that religious and ethnic minority groups have had throughout history. This content can inspire students to compare the role that religious and ethnic minority groups have played in Iowa history to the roles that they have also played in world history. For any use other than instructional resources, please check with the organization that owns this item for any copyright restrictions.