Nazi Party Uniforms

[Nila MadhaVa]

Hi, I was just wondering about the Nazi party uniforms. Were they all the double breasted brown jackets with black trousers? And also what sort of insignia and awards were worn on them? Also does anyone have any pics of the party uniform?



thanks
Nila

[WTW26]

No, there were many kinds of party uniform. Standard party uniform consisted of a brown peaked cap, brown shirt with a brown tie, brown single-breasted tunic, brown breeches and jackboots. The uniform you described was worn by high-ranked party officials on special occasions. There was also a uniform that consisted of a white single-breasted tunic and brown trousers. It could only be worn indoors, and the only decoration allowed on it was the Golden party badge (on other kinds of uniform all kinds of decorations could be worn). As rank insignia served the collar tabs and the arm band.
On the photo attached is Reichsleiter Dr.Ley wearing a white summer tunic and peaked cap. Behind him is Reichsleiter Bormann wearing a standard party uniform.

[Nila MadhaVa]

Thanks. Im also wondering what were the ranks and their coresponding insignia? Also what is this about arm bands denoting rank?

I must sound like a no hoper asking all these questions, but i really want to find out about this topic. thanks again.

[WTW26]

Rank insignia of the NSDAP was very complicated. There were two rank systems in the party: Dienstränge (ranks) and Dienststellungen (offices). The collar tabs denoted either the rank or the office (I don't know what defined the use of one or another kind of collar tabs; that's a thing I'd really like to find out).
The collar tabs, which denoted the rank, were of red color and had a golden Nazi eagle on them. The piping of these tabs could be blue (for the Ortsgruppe), black (for the Kreis), red (for the Gau) and golden (for the Reich). The ranks were denoted by combinations of stripes (Tresse), pips and oak leaves. They were as follows:
Hauptbefehlsleiter wore four oak leaves and two stripes
Oberbefehlsleiter wore four oak leaves and one stripe
Befehlsleiter wore four oak leaves
Hauptdienstleiter wore a triple oak leave and two stripes
Oberdienstleiter wore a triple oak leave and one stripe
Dienstleiter wore a triple oak leave
Hauptbereichsleiter wore a double oak leave and two stripes
Oberbereichsleiter wore a double oak leave and one stripe
Bereichsleiter wore a double oak leave
Hauptabschnittsleiter wore a single oak leave and two stripes
Oberabschnittsleiter wore a single oak leave and one stripe
Abschnittsleiter wore a single oak leave
Hauptgemeinschaftsleter wore four pips and two stripes
Obergemeinschaftsleiter wore four pips and one stripe
Gemeinschaftsleiter wore four pips and one stripe
Haupteinsatzleiter wore three pips and two stripes
Obereinsatzleiter wore three pips and one stripe
Einsatzleiter wore three pips
Hauptbereitschaftsleiter wore two pips and two stripes
Oberbereitschaftsleiter wore two pips and one stripe
Bereitschaftsleiter wore two pips
Hauptarbeitsleiter wore one pip and two stripes
Oberarbeitsleiter wore one pip and one stripe
Arbeitsleiter wore one pip
Oberhelfer wore one stripe
Helfer wore a blank tab

On the pic attached you can see the collar tabs denoting the offices. Note that this collar tabs system changed a lot of times; this chart corresponds to the early years of Nazi rule.
About the arm bands i don't know much. As far as I know they didn't denote the actual rank, but only the level of the owner in the party hierarchy.

[WTW26]

And here's a nice pic of a Gauoberbereichsleiter's uniform:

[Nila MadhaVa]

Thank you very much. That really does help.
If any one else out there also has pics of any form of party uniform pleas post them.

thanks again.

[WTW26]

I'm sorry, I've made a mistake. Rank collar tabs were red only for the Gau and Reich. For the Ortsgruppe they were light-brown and for the Kreis dark-brown.
here are some more pics:

[WTW26]

Here are pics of Gauleiter Wagner and Reichsleiter Fiehler and Ley.

[WTW26]

And here's a pic of Oberdienstleiter Saur.