history

[jacko50]

hi can anyone help me?i have studied the 2nd world war for years but there is one thing that i can never get an answer to and that is ,what does the white chevron that you see on german officers right sleeve  signify,it is about four inches above the elbow and looks like a lance corperals stripe ,of course it isn't that because they are officers ,i am not sure if they are only worn by the ss. i was once told it was worn to show that the person had been wounded in battle but this was never confirmed .thanks lol. 

[Saint Nick]

Hi Jack,

this link might help, I am sure you can post them your query:

http://www.feldgrau.com/

St Nick

[jacko50]

thanks nick i have been there before but will try again,

[Clanad]

Most likely the SS (Schutzstaffel) enlisted rank of Rottenfuher (sorry, can't do the umlauts) which was a Section Leader if the chevron was two stripes or if only one stripe it would have been the Sturmmann (Storm Trooper).  These were worn form 1938 to 1945... This was accompanied by a collar insignia of one or two stripes, as apporpriate...

[jacko50]

hi clanad ,thanks for that ,the stripe i mean is worn by quite high ranking officers not nco's ,for instance  there are photo's of himmler and heidrich(sorry about spelling) and they are both wearing it on there right sleeve of there black ss uniforms .cheers jacko.

[Octavius]

The Alte k�mpfer (Old Fighters) Chevron was given to the so called old fighters who were early members of the NSDAP (Nazi Party) and were worn on the black Allegemeine SS uniform.  These were the same as the one worn by Himmler. (and shown on his picture below)

Perhaps this:
http://www.angelfire.com/sk2/germanuniforms/wehrmacht39_42.html

and this:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Himmler

might help.

[Octavius]

Here is a picture of the chevron.

http://www.bcx-iii.com/I56.html

[Octavius]

and a little bit more....

"The chevron was worn on the upper right arm of SA tunics, jackets and greatcoats. Members of the NSDAP prior to 1933 were the only awardees of this chevron. Non SA party members could wear it on their uniforms on the left forearm above the cuff."

[jacko50]

thanks octavius that has cleared up something that has bugged me for twenty years or more ,much obliged jacko.

[Scylax]

The chevron indicates membership of the NSDAP

(Nazi) party before Jan.1933, ie. the year of Hitler's chancellorship.  Later joiners were labelled 'April Violets'