Attractive - and presumably German-produced - example of a colourful, Norwegian (and neatly 'BeVo'-woven!) arm-patch as was intended for usage by members of the 'Hirden'

This is an attractive - and presumably German-produced - example of the attractive and with certainty scarcely encountered, neatly 'BeVo'-woven arm-patch (ie. Ärmelabzeichen) as was specifically intended for usage by members of the Norwegian, WWII-period: 'Hirden' and that comes in an overall very nice- (ie. simply never used- nor worn- ie. still 'virtually mint- ie. unissued'-, condition. The 'Hirden' (ie. Norwegian for “The Shepherds”) was the paramilitary-organization of the Norwegian fascist-party named: 'Nasjonal Samling' under Vidkun Quisling. Following the German invasion of Norway on April 9, 1940, the 'Nasjonal Samling' established itself as a collaborationist-government. The 'Hirden' was founded in 1941 as the Norwegian counterpart to the German SS and developed into the armed executive force of the Quisling regime. This organization assumed police functions, conducted arrests and participated in the persecution of resistance fighters and the Jewish population. At its peak, the 'Hirden' comprised of approximately 8,500 members and was organised into several units, including the State Police and various guard-battalions. Their uniforms closely followed German models while incorporating Norwegian elements such as runes and specific insignia. The arm-patch was an essential component of the uniform, identifying the wearer as a member of this collaborating-force. Following the liberation of Norway in May 1945, the Hirden was dissolved and its members faced criminal prosecution. Many uniform items and badges were destroyed or hidden, making surviving examples historical rarities today. This cap badge thus documents a dark chapter in Norwegian history and serves as a sobering testament to collaboration during the German occupation period. It should be noted that these neatly woven, 'Hirden'-arm-badges can easily be considered 'very scarce'. I deem that this is the version that was specifically intended for EM- ie. NCO-usage. Simply a nice occasion to acquire a 100% guaranteed original, Norwegian WWII-related 'Hirden-Ärmelshild' for a justified price!