Quite often in cultural works, primarily films about the Second World War, one can note that some Nazi soldiers and officers wear a skull symbol with crossed bones. What does it mean and was this designation really invented and first used by the Nazis. As is very often the case, everything is far from what it seems at first glance.
What is this symbol and what is its meaning
Let's go with the trump cards - the Nazis were far from the first to use the symbol of a skull with two crossed bones on a military uniform. This designation has several names. Most often (when it comes to the military environment) he is called "Adam's Head" or "Dead Head". Having plunged headlong into the history of military uniforms of modern and modern times, it will be difficult to find an army where this symbol would not be used. There is nothing supernatural, terrible and forbidden in "Adam's Head". Suffice it to say that the skull with bones symbolizes only death, as an inevitable phenomenon of our nature and the natural end of all life. In a military environment, "Death's Head" also means a person's contempt for death, fearlessness in front of its terrible face.
The history of this symbol has more than one hundred, or even a thousand years. Even before the appearance of "Adam's Head", the skull in various cultures of the world was a symbol of death and frailty of human existence. It was most widely used by the ancient Romans. In a recognizable form, "Death's Head" appeared already in the Christian era.
So in the Holy Tradition it is said that when the crucifixion of Jesus Christ took place on Calvary, his blood washed the ashes of Adam - his bones and skull, which (according to legend) rested under that very Calvary. Thus, in the Christian sense, "Adam's head" means not only the inevitability of a person's death, but also liberation from it - salvation.
How the symbol ended up on the soldiers' uniform
In general, this should be fairly obvious. For many centuries, religion, including Christian, occupied a fairly large place in people's lives. Even despite the beginning of the secularization of public and state life in the 16th century in Europe, religious beliefs have not gone anywhere. Warriors, and later soldiers, are those people who, due to their professional specifics, regularly face death. Therefore, there is nothing strange in the fact that the "Adam's head", as a symbol of salvation (which may be achieved only when striving for a higher goal or sacrifice) and the inevitability of death fell on a soldier shape.
Although the Nazis were not the first to use the "Dead Head" on the uniform, with a high degree of probability, the first in history were still the Germans (Prussians). Somewhere in the middle of the 18th century, "Totenkopfhusaren" - shock hussar regiments of the army of Frederick the Great appeared in Prussia. It was the riders who wore black mylithon hats with a skull with two crossed bones. Since then, the popularity of the symbol among the troops has only grown.
Where else used the "Dead Head"
In Russia, in the Imperial Army, "Adam's head" was first used during the Patriotic War of 1812. It was worn on uniforms and headdresses by the cavalry regiments of the Petersburg militia, which they called the "Deadly". Subsequently, the skull with bones began to be used in other domestic cavalry regiments. Already during the First World War, the "Dead Head" began to be used in Russian aviation, as well as successful infantry units.
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The skull and bones were also widely used during the Revolutions of 1917, as well as the Civil War that followed. Most often, the "Death's Head" was used by white units, primarily the Kornilovites. In 1918, the same symbol was used by German tankers, and in Italy fighters of elite assault units adorned themselves with it.
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Now, as for the ill-fated Nazis. They also used the "Adam's head". First of all, the skull and bones were worn by the soldiers of the 3rd SS Panzer Division "Totenkopf". In addition, the "Dead Head" was used by all German tankers, regardless of whether their units were part of the SS or not.
The "Adam's head" is still used today. Most often, this symbol is applied to the uniform by mercenaries and PMC soldiers.
Do you want to know even more interesting things? Then read about what did the soldiers of the Third Reich take during the blitzkrieg in Poland in order not to sleep for two days during the war.
A source: https://novate.ru/blogs/151019/52080/