UBB.threads Forums Uniform & Accessories SS & SA Uniform Forum NSDAP Collar Tabs

After doing the NSDAP section of the Armband Guide, I thought a guide of NSDAP Collar Tabs would be useful. After 1939, with only 2 exceptions, the armband identified position while the collar tabs indicated rank. Finding information on the 1st and 4th pattern collar tabs was easy. The 2nd and 3rd patterns were very confusing. Finally finding the rank charts in the Party Yearbooks for 1934 and 1937 provided the information I wanted. I have a test gallery HERE . Any comments and/or additional information on these tabs would be greatly appreciated

A worthwhile project for sure.
Other branches of service as well!!!

Would it be better to have them all in one gallery or split up by branch? Most are fairly simple but the SS and SA will take a little time

It looks like a few of them will take a little time as not much info available. Already have a couple of groups done. I see multiple galleries broken up like this:

NSDAP
SA
SS
Other Party Organizations (NSKK, RAD, DLV, NSFK, etc)

Military Branches

Police/Security Organizations

State Organizations (Red Cross, ReichsPost, ReichsBahn, Forestry, Org. Todt, Teno, etc)

If anyone has a better idea, please share

This gallery is for the State Organization Collar Tabs. The link is HERE .

Vern- looks great thanks

Glad you like them. Working on the SA tabs now

Well done, it's great to have a quick online reference like you are putting together. Thanks.

Hi Vern, a great understaking and a valueable reference tool which will only enhance the value of this site. Congrats and thanks, Ryan S

Thanks for the comments The SA tabs are ready to test. The link is HERE . SA guys, please take a look and let me know if you find any errors. Thanks in advance!

OK, these 3 have been loaded to the GDC Reference Library. Currently working on SS, NSKK, and NSFK. RAD is done but will be included in the Misc. Party reference.

NSKK tabs added to the SA Gallery.

Collar tabs for the NSKK, NSFK, RAD, and HJ added to a new "Collar Tabs - Misc Party Branches" Gallery. NSKK tabs removed from the SA Gallery.

SS collar tabs are in a gallery located HERE . Comments and corrections appreciated. Now for the military and police tabs

Military tab gallery is almost ready for tests.

Military collar tabs up for test, link is HERE .

Wow lots of work!!!!
Good job.
Shoulder board ref next?

Thanks! I thought shoulder boards might come up Just started putting the Police/fire tabs together.

Police organizations added to the "State Organization" Gallery. Unless we get photos from members, that's all the collar tab photos I have. I'm going to take a short breather before starting the next set of galleries.

A test gallery for the military including both collar tabs and shoulder boards. The link is HERE . Again, corrections and comments appreciated. The Wehrmachtbeamte and Sonderfuhrer sections are the best I could do in translating the regulations and matching them to the photos I have. If you see any errors, please let me know so we can correct the gallery.

Test for the SA including shoulder straps. Link is HERE .

The test SS Gallery for collar tabs and shoulder boards is ready to test. The link is HERE . Again, comments and suggestions are welcome

NSDAP shoulder boards added. The link is HERE .

Vern:

Just viewed the gallery. There are a couple of errors in regards to the high ranking tabs. The first Reichsleiter tab that is just a sideways eagle, is a fantasy piece. This first came to light with a chart by Brian Davis in the 1980's. The tab never existed. The reich level Dienstleiter tab that looks like a deputy gauleiter tab, also never existed. The NSKK Korpsfuhrer tab is definately a fake and never existed in this design. This tab was faked in the late 1970's. It came about because there is a 1938 NSKK chart that incorrectly showed what the Korpsfuhrer tab looked like. The fakers did not know that the chart was wrong. Hence they created a fake based on a incorrect drawing. John Angolia actually showed this fake tab in his book on the NSKK/NSFK. I know, because not only do I have one of these fakes, but I also have the incorrect drawing chart from 1938. I have posted a few articles at the Axis History Forum on Reichsleiter/Gauleiter collar tabs if you are intersted.
regards,

Mark Costa

Hi Mark, thanks for the information. I'll check into them. I'm using the Angolia and Davis books to organize the tabs. I would be interested in reading your articles. Do you have photos of the correct tabs for those positions? Thanks again, Vern

NSKK Korpsfuhrer updated. A nice member sent a photo of the tab along with a scanned photo of that design being worn. Did a mirror in Photoshop and we have a pair

Vern:

The tab you now show for the NSKK Korpsfuhrer is the second style tab worn by Huhnlein and later Erwin Kraus from 1938-45. Before that, Huhnlein wore what is known as the "half style tab". The wreath surrounding the oakleaves only went half way around the center leaves. Huhnlein wore these from 1935-1938. Once he was made Reichsleiter in 1938 he switched to the style that you show now. Also note that in 1938 both the Stabchef SA and the Korpsfuhrer NSKK changed their tabs to include the bow ribbon at the base of the oakleaves whereas Himmler and Axmann did not add this bow to their tabs.

Mark

Thanks for the information. I'll add it on the next update Test is up adding NSKK, NSFK, and RAD shoulder boards. Need the missing RAD rank boards if anyone has them. The test link is HERE .

Added the HJ straps and a section for the DLV to the above link. Again, comments and suggestions appreciated. Thanks!

Test version of the State Organizations with collar tabs and shoulder boards. Police will be a separate reference due to size. The link is HERE .

Thanks for adding an H.J. section Vern.

I see you need examples of post 1938 Landjahr, and Bann J Nurnberg, and red piped and lettered AHS straps for students as the white piped and numbered are for Anwarter of the AHS. There are photos on my blogsite of those straps and also photos of Oberbannfuhrer straps in gold for an Oberbannfuhrer serving as a Gebietsfuhrer and post 1938 Gebieststab straps there as well should you wish to include them.

Also the tan background straps with the matching colored numbers and piping at first reflected the Oberbann structure of 1 through 6: Red, Yellow, Green, Blue, White, and Black numbered and piped. Around the 1936-37 time period the colors began to reflect the specialty ie Flieger, Motor, Marine, Etc. This came about with the demise of the Oberbann structure in late 1935.

The Bann 80 Striefendienst may actually be for H.J. Freiwillege Feuerwehr (fire brigade) according to the Saris reference "Handbook of the Hitlerjugend", it's exact purpose is really unknown. True Striefendienst straps are piped and numbered in white.

A huge undertaking that you've got going there to build the database. I thank you and applaud your efforts to include so much diverse insignia for this reference. A real credit to this forum IMO. Thank you.

Wow, nice site and lots of information on the HJ! I'm working on getting a basic police/fire insignia gallery together (should be up this weekend). Then I intend to replace the collar tab galleries with Insignia galleries for each group that include tabs and straps/boards. As soon as that posts, I'll go thru your blog-site and add to/correct the HJ section. Thanks for the kind words and offer of photos! I think with a little help from knowledgeable members, we can use these galleries as a basis and create a very useful reference. We have already exceeded the number of examples in the Brian Davis book

Probably the most confusing group to put together, the Police Gallery. Link is HERE . Any clarifications and/or additions are welcome!

Added the DAF to the Other Party Organizations test gallery.

Updated the HJ section in "Insignia - Misc Party Branches". Hopefully, it's correct

Looking great! Well done.

Thanks for the comments and the assistance! If a few more collectors chime in, we can build a useful reference for everyone