Signs of distinction of the Wehrmacht (1935-1945).

Military insignia are present on the uniform of servicemen and indicate a corresponding personal title, a certain membership of one of the armed forces (in this case the Wehrmacht), the army, department or service.

Interpretation of the concept "Wehrmacht"

This "defense force" in 1935 - 1945 gg. In other words, the Wehrmacht (pictured below) is nothing but the armed forces of fascist Germany. At the head - the Supreme High Command of the armed forces of the country, in charge of which were land forces, the Navy and the Air Force, SS troops. They were led by the main command (OKL, OKH, OKM) and commanders-in-chief of various types of aircraft (since 1940, also SS troops). The Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the Wehrmacht is the Reich Chancellor A. Hitler. Photo of Wehrmacht soldiers is shown below.

According to historical data, the word considered in the German-speaking states was the Armed Forces of any country. It acquired its usual meaning when the Nazis came to power.

On the eve of the Second World War, the Wehrmacht had about three million people, and its maximum number was 11 million people (as of December 1943).

Varieties of military signs

These include:

• Buttonholes;
• Shoulder straps;
• Epaulettes;
• Sleeves and breastplates (chevrons, patches);
• Signs on buttonholes, epaulettes, epaulettes, headdresses (emblems, cockades, asterisks);
• Lanterns and edges.

Form of clothing and insignia of the Wehrmacht

In the German army there were several varieties of uniforms and clothes. Each soldier had to independently monitor the condition of his weapons and uniforms. Their replacement was carried out in accordance with the established procedure or in the case of serious damage during the training process. The military form very quickly lost color because of washing and daily brushing.

A thorough examination of the shoes of soldiers (at all times bad boots were a serious problem).

Since the formation of the Reichswehr (the armed forces of Germany in the period 1919 - 1935), the military uniform has become uniform for all existing German states. Its color is "feldgrau" (translated as "field gray") - wormwood shade with a predominant green pigment.

The new form (the uniform of the Wehrmacht - the armed forces of Nazi Germany in the period 1935-1945) was introduced along with a new model of a steel helmet. Ammunition, uniforms and helmets did not look different from their predecessors (existing in the Kaiser era).

At the whim of the Fuhrer, the elegance of the servicemen was emphasized by a large number of various elements of heraldry (emblems, signs, patches, edgings, badges, etc.). Through the application of a black-and-white-red imperial cockade and a tricolor shield to the helmet on the right side, fidelity to national socialism was expressed. The appearance of the imperial tricolor is dated to the middle of March, 1933. In October 1935, an imperial eagle, holding a swastika, was added to its outfit. At this time, the Reichswehr was renamed the Wehrmacht (photo was demonstrated earlier).

This topic will be considered regarding the Land Forces and SS troops.

Signs of distinction of the Wehrmacht and specifically the SS troops

To begin with, it is necessary to clarify some points. First, the SS troops and the SS organization itself are not identical concepts. The latter is the combat component of the Nazi Party, formed by members of a public organization that conducts its profiling activity (working, shopkeeper, civil servant, etc.) parallel to the SS. They were allowed to wear black uniforms, which since 1938 have been replaced by a light gray shade with two Wehrmacht-style shoulder straps. The latter reflected the general state ranks.

As for the SS troops, it can be said that these are some sort of guard detachments ("reserve forces" - "connections of the" Dead Head "- Hitler's own troops), in which exclusively members of the SS were taken. They were equated with the Wehrmacht soldiers.

The difference in the titles of members of the SS organization by buttonholes existed until 1938. On the black uniform was placed the only shoulder strap (on the right shoulder), on which it was possible to ascertain only the category of a particular member of the SS (an ordinary or a non-commissioned officer, or a junior or senior officer, or a general). And after they introduced a light gray uniform (1938), one more distinctive feature was added: the shoulder straps of the Wehrmacht type.

Signs of distinction between SS and military personnel, and members of the organization - are the same. However, the former still wear a field uniform, which is an analogue of the Wehrmacht. She has two shoulder straps, apparently similar to the Wehrmacht, and the military insignia of the titles are identical.

The system of titles, and hence the insignia, has undergone many changes many times, the last of which occurred in May 1942 (they did not transform until May 1945).

The military ranks of the Wehrmacht were denoted by buttonholes, epaulettes, galloons and chevrons on the collar, and the last two signs of distinction also on the sleeves, and also with special armbands, mostly in camouflage military clothing, various stripes (lumens of contrasting color) on trousers, and the design of headdresses.

It was the SS field uniform that was finally established around 1938. If we consider it as a criterion for comparison, we can say that the uniform of the Wehrmacht (land forces) and the uniform of the SS were no different. The second color was slightly gray and lighter in color, the green tint was almost not visible.

Also, if we describe the insignia of the SS (specifically the patch), we can distinguish the following points: the imperial eagle was slightly above the middle of the segment from the shoulder to the elbow of the left sleeve, its pattern was different in the shape of the wings (often there were cases when the Wehrmacht eagle ).

Also, a distinctive feature, for example, on the SS tank uniform, was that the buttonholes, just like the Wehrmacht tankmen, were in a pink edging. The signs of the Wehrmacht's distinction in this case are represented by the presence of a "dead head" in both buttonholes. SS tankmen in the left buttonhole could have badges of rank, and on the right - either a "dead head" or SS runes (in some cases there might not be signs in it, or, for example, in some divisions there was a tanker's emblem - Skull with crossbones). Even collar tabs were placed on the collar, the size of which was 45x45 mm.

Also, the Wehrmacht's insignia include how the uniforms of the battalion number or mouth were squeezed out on buttons, which was not done in the case of the SS military uniform.

The emblem of the epaulettes though was identical to the Wehrmacht, but it was rare enough (except for the first tank division, where the monogram on shoulder straps was worn regularly).

Another difference in the system that accumulates the insignia of the SS is the way the soldiers, who were candidates for the SS navigator, wore a cord of the same color as the edge of the shoulder in the bottom of the shoulder strap. This title is an analogue of the Hephraiter in the Wehrmacht. And the candidates for SS Unterscharfuhrers also wore a gallon (silver braid) nine millimeters wide at the bottom of the shoulder strap. This title is an analog of a non-commissioned officer in the Wehrmacht.

As for the ranks of the rank and file, the difference there was in the buttonholes and shoulder patches, which were above the elbow, but below the imperial eagle in the center of the left sleeve.

If we consider camouflage clothing (where there are no buttonholes and shoulder straps), we can say that the SS men never had any distinction in rank, but they preferred to put collars with their buttonholes on top of this camouflage clothing .

In general, the discipline of wearing uniforms in the Wehrmacht was significantly higher than in the SS troops , whose soldiers allowed themselves a large number of liberties about this issue, and their generals and officers did not seek to curb this kind of violation, on the contrary, they often admitted similar ones. And this is only a small part of the distinctive features of the Wehrmacht outfit and SS troops.

If we sum up all of the above, we can conclude that the signs of the Wehrmacht are much wiser not only SS but also Soviet.

Land Forces

They were represented by the following:

• Ordinary;
• Non-commissioned officers without harnesses (a lace or belt bandage for wearing a taska, a cold, and later a firearm);
• Non-commissioned officers with harnesses;
• Lieutenants;
• Captains;
• Staff officers;
• Generals.

The military ranks also extended to military officials of various departments and offices. The military administration was divided into categories from the youngest non-commissioned officers to noble generals.

Army colors of the land forces of the Wehrmacht

In Germany, the arms tradition has traditionally been designated by the appropriate colors of fringing and buttonholes, headgear and uniforms and so on. They changed often enough. During the beginning of the Second World War, the following distinction was made according to the colors:

1. White - infantry and border guards, financiers and treasurers.
2. Scarlet - field, mounted and self-propelled artillery, as well as general's edging, buttonholes and lanterns.
3. Crimson or carmine-red - non-commissioned officers of the veterinary service, as well as buttonholes, lanterns and shoulder straps of the Main Apartment and the General Staff of the High Command of the Wehrmacht and the Army.
4. Pink - anti-tank self-propelled artillery; Edging the details of the tank uniform; Lumens and selection of the buttonholes of the official officers' tunics, gray-green jackets of non-commissioned officers and soldiers.
5. Golden-yellow - cavalry, reconnaissance units of tank units and samokatchikov.
6. Lemon yellow is the communication force.
7. Bordoviy - military chemists and courts; Smoke mills and multi-barreled reactive "chemical" mortars.
8. Black - engineer troops (engineering, railway, training units), technical service. Sappers of tank units have black and white edging.
9. Cornflower blue - medical staff (except generals).
10. Light blue - edges of vehicles.
11. Light green - military pharmacists, yegeri and mountain parts.
12. Herbal green - a regiment of motorized infantry, motorcycle parts.
13. Gray - Army propagandists and officers of the Landwehr and Reserve (edging on shoulder straps of military colors).
14. Gray-blue - the registration service, the officials of the American administration, the officers-specialists.
15. Orange - the military police and officers of the engineering academy, the recruitment service (the color of the piping).
16. Purple - military priests
17. Dark green is military officials.
18. Light red - intendants.
19. Blue - military lawyers.
20. Yellow is the service of horse-drawn food.
21. Lemon - feldpochta.
22. Light brown - the service of training recruits.

Wrist in military uniform of Germany

They had a dual purpose: as a means of determining rank and as carriers of a unitary function (fastening on the shoulder of all kinds of equipment).

The Wehrmacht's runners (rank-and-file) were made of plain cloth, but with a piping that had a certain color, corresponding to the kind of troops. If we take into consideration the shoulder straps of the non-commissioned officer, we can note the presence of an additional cant consisting of braids (width - nine millimeters).

Until 1938 there was a special army shoulder strap solely for field uniforms worn by all officers below the officer. It was entirely dark blue-green with a slightly narrowed to the button end. It did not fix the edge corresponding to the color of the army. Soldiers of the Wehrmacht, to highlight the color of the arms of the troops, embroidered on them insignia (numbers, letters, emblems).

Officers (lieutenants, captains) had narrower shoulder straps that looked like two interlocking strands made of flat silvery "Russian braid" (the strand was woven in such a way that more subtle threads could be seen). All the strands were sewn on the valve of the color of the army kind, which is the basis of this epaulet. A special bend (U-shaped) of the braid in the place of the button hole helped create the illusion of eight of its strands, when in reality there were only two of them.

The Wehrmacht's waggons (staff officers) were also executed by means of "Russian braid", but in such a way as to demonstrate a series consisting of five separate loops located on both sides of the shoulder strap, in addition to a loop around the button at its upper part.

The general's shoulder straps had a distinctive feature - "Russian braid". It was made of two separate gold strands, twisted on both sides with one silver thread "in the hem". The method of weaving implied the visibility of the three knots in the middle and four loops on each side of it, in addition to one loop around the button at the top of the shoulder strap.

Officials of the Wehrmacht had, as a rule, the same shoulder straps as those of the active army. However, they were nevertheless distinguished by the easy introduction of a string of dark green tape and various emblems.

It is not superfluous to recall once again that the shoulder straps are the signs of the Wehrmacht.

The buttonholes and shoulder straps of generals

As already mentioned earlier, the Wehrmacht generals wore epaulettes, for the weaving of which two thickened golden-metallic bands were used and a silver suture between them.

They also had demountable epaulettes, having (as in the case of land forces) a scarlet from scarlet cloth with a special figured neckline passing along the circumference of the bundles (their lower edge). And folding and sewn epaulettes differed in straight lines.

The generals of the Wehrmacht wore silver stars on their shoulder straps, but there was some difference: the major general had no stars, the lieutenant-general-one, the general of a certain kind of troops (infantry, tank troops, cavalry, etc.) -the two Oberst General- Three (two nearby stars in the bottom of the shoulder strap and one slightly higher than them). Previously, there was such a rank as Colonel-General in the post of Field Marshal General, who was not used by the beginning of the war. Running this rank had two stars, which were located in its upper and lower parts. To distinguish the general-field marshal could be by crossed silvery staffs along the shoulder strap.

Exceptional moments were also present. Thus, for example, Gerd von Rundstedt (Field Marshal General, who was removed from the command because of the defeat at Rostov, the chief of the 18th Infantry Regiment) wore regimental numbers on the shoulder straps of the regimental staff, and also on the collar the white-silvery ceremonial buttons of the officer of the infantry Troops in return for relying generals richly ornamented gold embroidered on the cloth valve scarlet (size 40x90 mm) buttonholes. Their figure was encountered even in the days of the Kaiser's army and the Reichswehr, with the formation of the GDR and the FRG, it arose among the generals.

From the beginning of April 1941 for field marshals were introduced long buttonholes, which had three (instead of the previous two) ornamental elements and shoulder straps of golden thickened bundles.

Another sign of the general worth is the lamp.

The field marshal also could carry in his hand a natural staff, which was made of wood of especially valuable breeds, individually decorated, generously encrusted with silver and gold and decorated with reliefs.

Personal identification plate

It had the appearance of an oval aluminum token with three longitudinal slots serving to at some point (the hour of death) it could be broken into two halves (the first where two holes were left on the body of the deceased, and the other half with one hole was given in headquarters).

The soldiers of the Wehrmacht wore this identification mark, as a rule, on a chain or on a cords cord. Each stick was stamped with the following: blood type, number of the sign, battalion number, regiment, where the given mark was issued for the first time. This information was to accompany the soldier during the entire service life, if necessary supplemented with similar data of other units, troops.

The image of German soldiers can be seen on the photo "The Soldier of the Wehrmacht", shown above.

The find in Besh-Kungei

According to official data, in April 2014 a citizen of D. Lukichev in the village of Besh-Kungei (Kyrgyzstan) found a treasure from the era of World War II. When digging out the cesspool, he stumbled upon a metal army box locker of the Third Reich. Its contents are baggage items from 1944 to 1945. (Age is more than 60 years), which was not affected by moisture due to tight insulation through the rubber liner of the lid of the box.

It included:

• A light case with the inscription "Mastenbrille", containing glasses;
• Folded vanity case with pockets filled with toiletries;
• Mittens, changeable collars, socks with make-up, a dressing brush, sweater, suspenders and dust protectors;
• A bundle tied with string, with a stock of leather and fabric for repair;
• Granules of some remedy (presumably from moths);
• Almost a new tunic worn by an officer of the Wehrmacht, with a spare sutured emblem of the clan troop and a metal token;
• Headgear (winter hat and cap) with signs of difference;
• Military passes through front-line checkpoints;
• A denomination in five Reichsmark;
• A couple of rum bottles;
• A box of cigars.

Dmitry thought about how to hand over most of the uniforms to the museum. As for the bottles of rum, a box of cigars and a tunic worn by an officer of the Wehrmacht, he wants to leave them to himself as a legitimate 25% set by the state in finding historical value.