Corps colours, or troop-function colours ( ge: "

Waffenfarbe In the German military, ''Waffenfarbe'' (German: "branch-of-service colors" or "corps colors") is a visual method that the armed forces use to distinguish between different corps or troop functions in its armed services. The ''Waffenfarbe'' it ...

(n)") were traditional worn in the German

Wehrmacht The ''Wehrmacht'' (, ) were the unified armed forces of Nazi Germany from 1935 to 1945. It consisted of the ''Heer'' (army), the '' Kriegsmarine'' (navy) and the ''Luftwaffe'' (air force). The designation "''Wehrmacht''" replaced the previo ...

from 1935 until 1945 as discrimination criteria between several branches, special services, corps, rank groups and appointments of the ministerial area, general staff, Oberkommando der Wehrmacht, up to the military branches Heer,

Luftwaffe The ''Luftwaffe'' () was the aerial-warfare branch of the German ''Wehrmacht'' before and during World War II. Germany's military air arms during World War I, the ''Luftstreitkräfte'' of the Imperial Army and the '' Marine-Fliegerabtei ...

and Kriegsmarine. With the formation of the

Waffen-SS The (, "Armed SS") was the combat branch of the Nazi Party's ''Schutzstaffel'' (SS) organisation. Its formations included men from Nazi Germany, along with Waffen-SS foreign volunteers and conscripts, volunteers and conscripts from both occup ...

(Armed Schutzstaffel) and so-called ''Gesamt-SA'' (Common Sturmabteilung) by simultaneous new-structuring in line with military principles, corps coloures were introduced to these organizations as well.

Corps colours of the SA

After incorporation of the ''SA-Obergruppe Ostmark'' to the main SA-organisation in March 1938, the formation of ''Gesamt-SA'' began in January 1939. The new sub-division structure was as follows: *Allgemeine SA (General SA) with ''Active SA-I'' (between 18 and 35 years) and ''Active SA-II'' (between 35 and 45 years) *''SA-Reserve'' (above 45 years), and *''SA-Wehrmannschaften'' (en: SA-Defence crews). However, two former SA branches converted to other paramilitary organizations. So the previous ''Motor-SA'' was transferred to the

National Socialist Motor Corps The National Socialist Motor Corps (german: Nationalsozialistisches Kraftfahrkorps, NSKK) was a paramilitary organization of the Nazi Party (NSDAP) that officially existed from May 1931 to 1945. The group was a successor organisation to the old ...

– NSMC (Nationalsozialistisches Kraftfahrerkorps – NSKK), and the ''Flieger-SA'' together with the ''Flieger-SS'' formed the new ''Nation Socialist Flyers Corps'' – NSFC (Nationalsozialistisches Fliegererkorps – NSFK). In line with new subdivision to branches and service areas corps colours were introduced. The former so-called ''SA-group colours'' were abolished. The systematic of corps colours was introduced to NSMC and NSFC as well. The new introduced SA-corps colours were almost identically to these of the Wehrmacht.

SA-Corps colours

The synoptic table below contains some corps colours and examples used by the SA from 1939–45."Schlag nach!, Bibliographisches Institut AG., Leipzig, 1938, Anhang; Quotation: "The

color Color (American English) or colour (British English) is the visual perceptual property deriving from the spectrum of light interacting with the photoreceptor cells of the eyes. Color categories and physical specifications of color are assoc ...

to the

Kragenspiegel Gorget patches (collar tabs, collar patches) are an insignia in the form of paired patches of cloth or metal on the collar of a uniform (gorget), used in the military and civil service in some countries. Collar tabs sign the military rank (group of ...

of the Sturmabteilung (SA) }) , carmine-red
(karmesin-rot), , align="center" style="background: #960018", , align="center",

, , SA-Obergruppenführer (OF-8)The abbreviation "OF" stands for de: ''"Offizier / en: officer / fr: officier / ru: офицер"'' , -2 , *SA-Chief of Staff (german: Chef des Stabes der SA) *SA-Group Staffs (german: SA-Gruppenstaebe) , scarlet
(hell-rot), , align="center" style="background:red" , , align="center", SpecialSAinsignia

, , SA rank insignias (SA Chief of Staff (

OF-9 A four-star rank is the rank of any four-star officer described by the NATO OF-9 code. Four-star officers are often the most senior commanders in the armed services, having ranks such as (full) admiral, (full) general, colonel general, army gen ...

)) worn by Ernst Rohm in 1933 * collar patches *

Shoulder mark A shoulder mark, also called rank slide, or slip-on, is a flat cloth sleeve worn on the shoulder strap of a uniform. It may bear rank or other insignia. A shoulder mark should not be confused with a ''shoulder board'' (which is an elaborate sh ...

, - 3 , SA-Signals (german: Nachrichten-SA) , lemon yellow
(zitronen-gelb) , align="center" style="background:#FFEE00", , align="center", SA OF2 Hstuf Kragenabzeichen 1945

SA-Hauptsturmführer The comparative ranks of Nazi Germany contrasts the Military rank, ranks of the Wehrmacht to a number of Nazi Party, national-socialist organisations in Nazi Germany from 1933 to 1945 in a synoptic table. Nazi organisations used a hierarchical stru ...

(OF-2)
identical corps colour to Heer and Waffen-SS , - 4 , Mounted-SA (german: Reiter-SA) , golden-yellow
(gold-gelb), , align="center" style="background:#Ffcf0f", , , identical corps colour to the Wehrmacht and Waffen-SS , -5 , SA-Hunters/SA-Infantry units
(german: SA-Jäger/SA-Schuetzen) , hunter-green
(jaeger-gruen), , align="center" style="background:#008B00", , align="center",

, SA-Haupttruppführer (OR-7)
, -6 , Medical-SA (german: Sanitaets-SA) , royal-blue
(königs-blau) , align="center" style="background:cornflowerblue;", , align="center", ,

SA-Obersturmbannführer The comparative ranks of Nazi Germany contrasts the Military rank, ranks of the Wehrmacht to a number of Nazi Party, national-socialist organisations in Nazi Germany from 1933 to 1945 in a synoptic table. Nazi organisations used a hierarchical stru ...

(

OF-4 Ranks and insignia of NATO are combined military insignia used by the member countries of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. The rank scale is used for specifying posts within NATO. Definitions NATO maintains a "standard rank scale" in ...

) , -7 , Navy-SA (german: Marine-SA) , navy-blue
(marin-blau) , align="center" style="background:#000080", , align="center" , , SA-Oberfuerer (

OF-5 Ranks and insignia of NATO are combined military insignia used by the member countries of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. The rank scale is used for specifying posts within NATO. Definitions NATO maintains a "standard rank scale" in ...

a) , -8 , SA-Foot standartes (german: SA-Fußstandarten) , grey
(grau) , align="center" style="background:#7C7F7E" , , align="center", , SA-Gruppenführer (

OF-7 An officer of two-star rank is a senior commander in many of the armed services holding a rank described by the NATO code of OF-7. The term is also used by some armed forces which are not NATO members. Typically, two-star officers hold the rank ...

) , -9 , Engineer-SA (german: SA-Pioniere) , black
(schwarz) , align="center" style="background: #0A0A0D", , align="center" , NSKK-Brigadeführer

, SA-Brigadeführer (

OF-6 An officer of one-star rank is a senior commander in many of the armed services holding a rank described by the NATO code of OF-6. The term is also used by some armed forces which are not NATO members. Typically, one-star officers hold the rank o ...

)
identical corps colour to Heer and Waffen-SS ; Remarks: Right collar patch contains the number and type of unit (ascending up to "Obersturmbannführer" (OF4) in SA and SS, and "Oberstaffelführer" (OF4) in NSMC): … Left collar patch contain the rank insignias (from ascending "Standartenführer" (OF5) both sides).

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Corps colours of the SA (1939-1945) German military uniforms Military insignia

Corps colours of the SA

SA-Corps colours

See also

References