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The German army has a tradition dating back many years of using the Skull and sometimes the cross-bones as an insignia for their special forces. In Austria during the Napoleonic Wars, there was a Hussar unit that had the skull and cross-bones on their hats. Before this their hat actually had a reclining skeleton. Even then and later with the Nazi SS, the skull stood for "Death before Dishonor" which means they would rather die fighting than to surrender.

The slogan for the SS was also "Death Before Dishonor". The Germans also had an award for fighting partisans that included a skull(but was not an SS award). One of the SS panzer divisions had a skull as their insignia that was worn on the collar.

There are many other military units that used the skull symbol. During WW1, the special German troops that operated flame throwers wore a skull and crossbones on their left sleeve. The Italian Fascists had a fighting unit that was a skull with a dagger clenched in its teeth. The British 17th Lancers dating back from its origin displayed a skull and crossbones on their cap and later as their cap badge. There are several US Air Force and Navy squadrons that have a skull or skeleton as part of their insiginia. Some are skeletons flying on bombs and such. One Navy unit is called the Jolly Rodgers and use the old Pirate flag as their symbol.

CommentThe motto of the SS is 'My honour is loyalty', NOT 'Death Before Dishonour'.
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Q: Why did the SS use a skull and crossbones?
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