Miscellaneous NSDAP organizations Collar Tab and Shoulder Board Identification Guide

Nationalsozialistisches Kraftfahrkorps (NSKK) Regulation Collar Tabs

The NSKK was seperated from the SA in 1934. It retained the SA rank levels but used black or red for the tabs. Enlisted and NCO tabs were not piped except for staff assignments. Officer tabs were piped in silver (NSKK) or gold (NSKK Marine). Shoulder boards also retained the SA levels, using 6 shoulder boards to cover all ranks. NSKK Groups were identified by the shoulder board underlay.

NSKK-Korpsführer	Obergruppenführer	Gruppenführer	Brigadeführer
Oberführer	Standartenführer	Oberstaffelführer Staff, Motorstandarte 155	Staffelführer 5th Sturm, NSKK Marinestandarte 12
Hauptsturmführer Sturmbann 2, Motorstandarte 12	Obersturmführer 7th Signals Sturm, Motorstandarte 58	Sturmführer Staff, Motorstandarte 52	Haupttruppführer 13th Sturm, Motorstandarte 165
Obertruppführer 4th Sturm, Motorstandarte 65	Truppführer 3rd Sturm, Motorstandarte 25	Oberscharführer 10th Sturm, Motorstandarte 74	Scharführer 3rd Sturm, Motorstandarte 44
Rottenführer 12th Sturm, Motorstandarte 146	Obersturmmann 31st Sturm, Motorstandarte 53	Sturmmann 18th Sturm, Motorstandarte 157	Rottenführer Foreign Volunteers
Sturmmann SPEER Motorgruppe	Kraftwagen 1934-36	Oberstaffelführer Staff, Motorgruppe Alpen	Sturmführer 14th Strumm, Motorgruppe Westmark - Saar

NSKK-Korpsführer	Brigadeführer to Obergruppenführer	Oberführer	Staffelführer to Standartenführer	Sturmführer to Hauptsturmführer	Sturmmann to Obertruppführer

Luftsportverband (DLV) Collar Tabs and Shoulder Straps

The DLV was established in 1933 to provide pilot training for the future Luftwaffe. The DLV was replaced by the NSFK in 1937. Most DLV collar tabs are identical to the later Luftwaffe collar tabs. The DLV used 4 colors of underlay, blue for the Deutscher LuftsportVerbande, gold-yellow for the Deutsche Verkehrfliegerschule, black for the Reichluftfahrtministerium, and white for DLV Ministers. Enlisted and NCO personnel wore the same shoulder straps for all ranks. Three patterns of shoulder strape were worn by officers, rank being indicated by woven slides on the straps.

Minister	Fliegerchef	Fliegevizechef	Kommadore
Vizekommadore	Kommandant	Kapitan	Schwarmführer
Kettenführer	Oberflugmeister	Flugmeister	Unterflugmeister
Oberfliegerführer	Fliegerführer	Hiltsfliegerführer	Oberflieger
Flieger

Fliegervizechef-Minister (Minister shown)	Kommandant-Kommadore (Vizekommadore shown)	Kettenführer to Kapitan (Kettenführer shown)	Flieger to Oberflugmeister

Nationalsozialistisches Fliegerkorps (NSFK) Regulation Collar Tabs

The NSFK was organized in 1934 as a paramilitary organization. It retained the SA rank levels but used blue gray with yellow piping for the tabs. NCO and Officer tabs had a secondary pipping of silver. Shoulder boards also retained the SA levels, using 5 shoulder boards to cover all ranks.

NSFK-Korpsführer	NSFK-Ehrenführer	Obergruppenführer	Gruppenführer
Brigadeführer	Oberführer	Standarteführer Commander, 8th Standarte	Obersturmbannführer Korpsführer staff
Sturmbannführer NSFK Group 9 staff	Hauptsturmführer 15th Standarte staff	Obersturmführer 7th Sturm, 91st Standarte	SturmFührer 2nd Sturm, 102nd Standarte
Obertruppführer 6th Standarte staff	Truppführer 4th Sturm, 33th Standarte	Oberscharführer 6th Sturm, 16th Standarte	Scharführer NSFK Group 2 staff
Rottenführer 3rd Sturm, 9th Standarte	Sturmmann 2nd Sturm, 65th Standarte	NSFK-Mann 8th Sturm, 66th Standarte	Anwärter NSFK Candidate

NSFK-Korpsführer	Oberführer to Obergruppenführer	Staffelführer to Standartenführer	Sturmführer to Hauptsturmführer	NSFK-Mann to Obertruppführer

Deutsche Arbeitsfront (DAF) Regulation Shoulder Boards

The DAF was the National Socialist trade union organization which replaced the various trade unions of the Weimar Republic. Shoulder boards for the DAF indicated the organization level of the wearer. Rank was shown by sleeve emblems and chervons.

OberstWerksScharführer	GauWerksScharführer	KreisWerksScharführer	HauptWerksScharführer or WerksScharführer

Freiwilliger Arbeitsdienst (FAD)/Reichsarbeitsdienst (RAD) Regulation Collar Tabs and Shoulder Boards

The Freiwilliger Arbeitsdienst was a voluntary organisation established in 1931 as an agency to help mitigate the effects of mass unemployment on German economy, militarise the workforce, and indoctrinate it with Nazi ideology. It was renamed Reichsarbeitsdienst in 1934. For most of the RAD ranks, each collar tab can to worn by 2 or 3 grades. The individual grades are identified by the shoulder strap.

FAD - Staatssekretar/Arbeitsdienst Inspekteur	FAD - Oberarbeitsführer/Arbeitsführer	FAD - Oberstfeldmeister/Oberfeldmeister	FAD - Feldmeister/Obertruppfuhrer
FAD - Truppfuhrer	FAD - Obervormann	FAD - Vormann	ReichsArbeitsFüherer - GeneralArbeitsFüherer
Oberstarbeitsführer - Arbeitsführer	OberstFeldmeister - Unterfeldmeister (1942-44)	OberstFeldmeister - Unterfeldmeister (1942-44 - manufacturer's variation)	OberstFeldmeister - Unterfeldmeister (1944-1945)
Obertruppführer - Truppführer (1942-44)	Untertruppführer - Vormann (1942-44)	Obertruppführer - Vormann (1944-45)	Arbeitsmann

FAD - Staatssekretar	FAD - Arbeitsdienst Inspekteur	FAD - Oberarbeitsfüherer	FAD - Arbeitsfüherer	FAD - Oberstfeldmeister	FAD - Oberfeldmeister	FAD - Feldmeister	FAD - Unterfeldmeister
Reichsarbeitsführer	Obergeneralarbeitsführer	Generalarbeitsfüherer	Oberstarbeitsführer	Oberarbeitsfüherer	Arbeitsfüherer	Oberstfeldmeister	Oberfeldmeister
Feldmeister	Unterfeldmeister	Obertruppführer	Truppführer	Untertruppführer	Obervormann	Vormann	Arbeitsmann
Volunteer Arbeitsmann			FAD - Obermusikmeister	FAD - Musikmeister		Obermusikführer	Musikführer

Reichsarbeitsdienst (RAD) 1940 Fatigue Dress enlisted chevrons. Worn on the upper left sleeve

Obertruppfuhrer	Truppfuhrer	Untertruppfuhrer	Hauptvormann
Obervormann	Vormann

Reichsarbeitsdienst (RAD) arm badges displaying an emblem of a shovel blade were worn by all personnel and idenified the unit or school assignment of the individual. All badges were BeVo woven and worn on the left upper sleeve.

Typical Bevo - unissued	Typical Bevo

Worn by the 3 most Senior Ranks	Worn by Labor Gau Leader	Worn by Reich Leader staff Officer ranks	Worn by Reich Leader staff Enlisted ranks
Worn by Gau staff Officer ranks	Worn by Group 280 Staff	Worn by Group 324 Detachment 2 Officer Ranks	Worn by Group 285 Detachment 5 Enlisted Ranks
Reichsschule Staff	Reichsschule Students	Bezirksschule Staff	Feldmeisterschule Staff
Truppenfuhrerschule Staff	Truppenfuhrerschule Students	RAD Head Communications Staff	No reference found but may be Gaurd (Wache) Staff Officers
No reference found but may be Gaurd (Wache) Staff Enlisted	No reference found but may be Lager Administration Staff	No reference found but may be Lager Services Staff	No reference found

Reichsarbeitsdienst der Weiblichen Jugend (RADwJ) arm badges were worn by all personnel and idenified the Gau or school assignment of the individual. All badges were BeVo woven and worn on the left upper sleeve.

Worn by the 2 most Senior Ranks	Worn by the 2 Officer Ranks	Worn by the 3 Junior Ranks	Worn by Lagerschule Staff

Hitlerjugend (HJ) Regulation Collar Tabs and Shoulder Straps

Only 1 collar tab was authorized for the HJ, and that was for the Reichs Youth Leader. All other ranks used shoulder boards.

Reichsjugendführer

Pre-1934 regulation shoulder straps.

Prior to 1934, the HJ was part of the SA. Shoulder straps were piped with the SA Gau colors. A few examples are shown.

Gau Nord (Bremen) Bann 86	Gau Mitt	Gau Baden	Gau Weser-Ems (Oldenburg) Bann 5

1934 to 1936 regulation shoulder straps.

The HJ was subdivided into 6 OberBanns. Shoulder straps were piped with the OberBann color, red - 1st, yellow - 2nd, green - 3rd, blue - 4th, white - 5th, and black - 6th.

1st OberBann, Bann 243, Unterbann 5	2nd OberBann, Bann 64, Unterbann 3	3rd OberBann, Bann B35, Unterbann 2	4th OberBann, Bann 138, Unterbann 3	5th OberBann, Bann 183, Unterbann 4	6th OberBann, Bann 263, Unterbann 1

Pre-1938 regulation shoulder straps.

Tan shoulder straps piped with the assignment color, red - General HJ, pink - Motor HJ, yellow - Signals HJ, blue - Flieger HJ, white - Stiefendienst, and carmine or silver - Gebiets Stab.

Bann 342, Gefolgschaft 11	Gebeitstab for Gebiet 9	1st Pattern Landjahr	2nd Pattern Landjahr	HJ Flieger Bann	HJ Motor Bann

1938 regulation shoulder straps - adult ranks.

Gebietsführer	Hauptbannfuhrer	Oberbannfuhrer	Bannfuhrer		Oberbannfuhrer - Fuhrer eines Gebietes

1938 regulation shoulder straps - youth ranks.

Black shoulder straps piped with the assignment color, red - General HJ, pink - Motor HJ, yellow - Signals HJ, blue - Flieger HJ, white - Stiefendienst, and carmine or silver - Gebiets Stab. Marine HJ were blue straps piped yellow.

Oberstammfuhrer	Stammfuhrer	Hauptgefolgschaftsfuhrer Striefendienst	Obergefolgschaftsfuhrer Motor Bann	Gefolgschaftsfuhrer	Oberscharfuhrer	Scharfuhrer Marine	Oberkameradschaftsfuhrer
Kameradschaftsfuhrer Signals	Oberrottenfuhrer Flieger	Rottenfuhrer	Hitlerjunge

1938 regulation shoulder straps - special assignments.

Bandsman	Medical Service	German Youth - Bann 1	Liebstandarte Munich	Bann J - Nurnberg	Adolph Hitler School - Anwarter	Adolph Hitler School - Student	Lehrerinnen Bildungs Anstalt
NPEA	Reichsfinazschule	Landjahr	Gebiet 12 - Oberstammfuhrer	Gebiet 24 - Gelfolgschaftsfuhrer	Gebiet 31 - Oberrottenfuhrer Gebietstab

Deutsche Jungvolk (DJ) Regulation Shoulder Straps

Only 1 shoulder strap was worn on the DJ uniform, on the right shoulder.

Early Strap for Bann 39	Strap for Bann 83	Strap for Bann 183	Blank Strap

Bund Deutscher Mädel (BDM) Regulation Rank Patches

Authorized in 1936, rank patches were worn on the left breast pocket. The ranks were reorganized in 1943.

Reichreferentin (1943-1945)	Reichreferentin (1936-1943) Gebietmadelfuhrerin (1943-1945)	Obergaufuhrerin (1936-1943)	Gaufuhrerin on Staff (1936-1943)
Untergaufuhrerin on Staff (1936-1943)	Gaufuhrerin (1936-1943) Hauptmadelfuhrerin (1943-1945)	Bannmadelfuhrerin (1943-1945)	Untergaufuhrerin (1936-1943) Ringfuhrerin (1943-1945)
Ringfuhrerin (1936-1943) Hauptgruppenfuhrerin (1943-1945)	Gruppenfuhrerin (1936-1945)

Hitlerjugend (HJ), Deutsche Jungvolk (DJ), and Bund Deutscher Mädel (BDM) triangle badges idenified the region and locality or assignment of the individual. All badges were BeVo woven and worn on the left upper sleeve. Units in existance before 1933 are known as Tradition Units and can wear a braided bar under the triangle.

HJ/DJ Typical Bevo	BDM Typical Bevo

Niedersachsen of region Nord with Tradition Bar	Franken of region Sud	Sudetenland of region Ost	Dusseldorf of region West
Steiermark of region Sudost	Sachsen of region Mitte	Assigned to region Ost - Generalgouvernement	Jungen units outside Germany
Assigned to Reichs Youth Leader Staff	Assigned to Reichs Youth Leader Specialists Staff	Assigned to Radio station - Munchen	Assigned to Adolf Hitler Schule at Waldbrol
Assigned to NPEA Schule at Naumburg	Assigned to HJ Akadenie	Assigned to Landjahr units

Nordsee of region Nord with Tradition Bar	Wurttemberg of region Sud	Berlin of region Ost	Ruhr-Niederrhein of region West
Wien of region Sudost	Sachsen of region Mitte	Assigned to region Ost - Generalgouvernement	Jungen units outside Germany
Assigned to Radio station - Munchen	Assigned to Landjahr units