Summary
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 itself can take the form of the color of the collar patch, of the piping (embellishment) around the shoulder boards or shoulder marks, or—for enlisted ranks—of the piping around the collar and the garrison cap (Schiffchen). (In the latter places, NCOs[clarification needed] wear cords of dark gold, officers silver, and generals gold.)[1]
Present edit
Army edit
The Bundeswehr uses a Waffenfarben color scheme to indicate troop types; they appear on the collar patch and as piping around the shoulder boards or straps showing a soldier's rank.
Colored soldiers' berets are slightly less differentiated than the Waffenfarben; in fact, corps or troop function is indicated by a beret badge.
Heer (army) edit
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Logistics -
-
Military band -
Armoured forces -
Engineers -
Medical troops
Luftwaffe (air force) edit
The German Air Force uses a restricted color spectrum. While the air force normally uses golden yellow, officers "in the general staff service" (im Generalstabsdienst – there is no general staff as such in the Bundeswehr) wear wine-red, and generals bright red. The collar patches (Kragenspiegel) of generals and general staff service officers also differ from the normal air force design, as they are identical with the army ones.
edit
The German Navy uses various emblems above the rank stripes on the sleeves rather than function-specific colors to distinguish between corps. It traditionally did not use Waffenfarben.
History edit
Waffenfarben used by the Reichsheer (1921–1935) edit
| Regiment or Battalion type | Colors[2] |
|---|---|
| General Officers |
Scarlet (Hochrot) |
| Staff Corps of the Reichsheer Veterinary service |
Carmine (Karmesin) |
| Infantry | White |
| Motor transport | Rose-pink (Rosa) |
| Signals | Light brown |
| Cavalry | Golden yellow |
| Jäger (light infantry) | Dark green |
| Transport (horse-drawn) | Light blue |
| Medical service | Dark blue |
| Pioniere (Engineers) | Black |
Waffenfarben used by the Wehrmacht (1935–1945) edit
In the German Heer and Luftwaffe, there was a strictly defined systematic of Waffenfarben on collar patches, and as uniform piping around the shoulder boards or shoulder straps. The Waffenfarben of the Reichswehr (1921 until c. 1935) were almost identical to those of the Wehrmacht.
Waffenfarben used by the SS (1938–1945) edit
Waffenfarben worn by the National People's Army (1956–1990) edit
East German (DDR) Nationale Volksarmee uniforms initially wore the Waffenfarben as worn by the Wehrmacht. Between 1974 and 1979, along with the introduction of uniforms with open collar and tie, the patches of the ground force uniforms were unified with a dark gray base and a white filling, along with a white collar piping; the piping of the shoulder boards/shoulder straps remained the only part carrying a Waffenfarbe. However, air/air defense forces, paratroopers, and generals as well as the navy continued to wear their specially designed Waffenfarbe patches.[4]
The uniform of the Border Troops was distinguished from that of the NVA ground force and Air Force/Air Defense Force by a green armband with large silver letters identifying the wearer's affiliation, and a green cap band.
Similarities in other armies edit
The use of Waffenfarbe to distinguish between troop functions was not unique to the Wehrmacht during World War II. After 1942, the Soviet Army, too, used analogous shoulder boards to distinguish troop functions: ground forces general officers and infantry used crimson, cavalry used blue, artillery and tank troops used red, and the rest of the ground forces used black, while the air force and airborne troops used sky blue. Likewise the British Army utilized analogous strips of cloth on the sleeves to likewise identify troop functions.
Today, Waffenfarbe schemes are also used in Austria, Finland, France, Hungary, Italy, Japan, Poland, Romania, Somalia and Switzerland. For a full list of analogous troop function insignia currently in use of the US Army, see United States Army branch insignia.
See also edit
References edit
- ^ Official brochure on Bundeswehr uniforms (in German) Archived December 27, 2008, at the Wayback Machine (Waffenfarben of the army p. 14, of the air force p. 17)
- ^ In addition to the Waffenfarbe, monograms and symbols were used to denominate services or units.
- ^ The illustration erroneously depicts the NCO braid running around the lower edge of the collar, as on field uniforms. On actual dress uniforms the Tresse encircled the upper edge.
- ^ Klaus-Ulrich Keubke, Manfred Kunz: Uniformen der Nationalen Volksarmee der DDR 1956-1986. Brandenburgisches Verlagshaus, Berlin 1990, p. 159, 175
- Glossary of German military terms
- Adolf Schlicht, John R. Angolia: Die deutsche Wehrmacht, Uniformierung und Ausrüstung 1933-1945
Vol. 1: Das Heer (ISBN 3613013908), Motorbuch Verlag, Stuttgart 1992
Vol. 3: Die Luftwaffe (ISBN 3-613-02001-7), Motorbuch Verlag, Stuttgart 1999
(very detailed information and discussion, but not colorized)
External links edit
- German WWII Army & SS Rank & Insignia