For the Foreign Office, these
four would be Group III officials of Junior Executive level (silver insignia on black).
- a) Minsterialdirektor
b) Verwaltungsekretar
c) Assistent
Pay grades for each number of stars, zero to four, is not given by Halcomb (page 66). But she lists those for the similar group and insignia as worn by Reich Ministry officials.
=================================
The
one insignia is a Group II official of Senior Executive level (silver-wire embroidered, lesser oakwreath).
Group 1
- a) Amtsrat, Kanzler I Klasse
b) Amtsmann, Kanzler II Klasse
Group 2
- a) Oberinspektor, Konsulatsekretar I Klasse
b) Inspektor, Konsulatsekretar II Klasse
c) Konsulatspraklikant
The complexities of Third Reich civil and diplomatic service ranks, titles, pay classes, and other distinctions (over time) might best be shown in actual tables and charts. Halcomb's book does not do that, but I don't know if Angolia's does -- or if it is difficult to do.
=================================
For all these insignia, I am curious myself about some basic things.
- Did German diplomats ever wear any uniforms before the Third Reich? Unlike many of the Nazi Party organizations, the diplomatic corps was a long-established service. But it would not have had traditions to base these uniform or insignia traditions upon.
- So these would have had to be made up almost in their entirety? What then did they draw upon?
Was there any correspondence between pay classes of civil officials and diplomats?
Did foreign diplomats ever need to know this complex system of German diplomatic ranks and titles? It seems that in diplomacy you deal with personages, key figures, and their offices and positions -- so that the German uniforms would have relatively little meaning for foreign counterparts.
-- Alan