Article about: An overlooked organisation. If you have pics of Stahlhelm members wearing soft headgear, please post here. (Public domain pics are fine) Prinz Eitel:
the spoked wheel is for Fuhrpark-Train, which is to describe as for trucks.
I can't remember when the special R badge was first mentioned, but it is
anyway described in the Stahlhelm-Handbuch, 1931-edition. The backing is
noted to be blue and the R in silvered embroidery. The edge should be in
the color for the piping for the shoulder-belt.
This text is also in the 1929 and 1931-edtion. In the 1927-edition the R and
steel-helmet were from white metal. The blue edge with your shown badge is
for the leader of a Kameradschaft.
It was not yet mentioned in the 1925-edition. Must have a look for its introduction!
I am sure I have photos where the oval is being worn, but I do not have any idea
where I put it? To show guys with a bicycle, a photo from volume 2 is being included,
as well as a close-up from guys wearing an R at the left upper arm. The photo is
from June 1 or 2, 1929 and shows a local group from Bavaria.
Thanks for clearing that up. So, it's a Radfahrer leader's badge. I imagine it's fairly scarce. If you ever find a photo of it being worn, I'd appreciate a copy for my records.
By the way, the chart you show is as mentioned from 1932 and NOT from 1925.
And that it is misidentified is not so strange. Most people have not ever seen
the regulations and that is a problem that always will remain. Someone shouts
and all others follow (parotting it is!!).
By the way, the chart you show is as mentioned from 1932 and NOT from 1925.
And that it is misidentified is not so strange. Most people have not ever seen
the regulations and that is a problem that always will remain. Someone shouts
and all others follow (parotting it is!!).
Thanks Wilhelm. I've corrected my records.
Brian
For those who have never seen the Stahlhelm specialist badges illustrated in the chart I posted, here are some examples.
I have numerous Stahlhelm-photos of all kinds. Enough to fill a book,
but this subject I cancelled, due to the loss of 850-900 negatives,
reproduced for this purpose.
Here you see an early photograph (Stahlhelm leading Jungstahlhelm),
women (with cuffband for leading females), miners (all being members
from the Bund. Note the various insignia for their headgear) and USA and such.
Here the 1925/1926 system of armbands:
The wearing of the rare cuffband "Industriegebiet":
And finally the Duke from the Kraftfahrstaffel and his cuffbands (the date and
signature are put by him on the original photograph, which is in the possession of
my Stahlhelm-friend and mentor for 40 years):
Last edited by Wilhelm Saris; 05-30-2017 at 02:17 PM.
During a research in my Stahlhelm-material I finally found
the date for the introduction of the "R" insignia for Radfahrer.
It was first mentioned in the Führer-Nachrichtenblatt nr. 32
where the order from September 20, 1926 was mentioned.
In answer of post 41 we know now the date of introduction!
The "K" was firstly announced in the newspaper "Der Stahlhelm",
nr. 25 from August 26, 1928 for drivers of cars and trucks.
It was also worn at the left upper arm! Since 1929 anyway these
members were authorized to wear the black cuff-band with red
indication "Kraftfahr-Staffel" (at the right lower arm).
I always licks my lips when I read about the development for
drivers and such. The Stahlhelm-organization was far ahead of
the section from the nazis, what would become the NSKK.
Due to great organizing of the vets-organization they managed
their drivers-section into the Kraftfahrstaffel. The nazis
just managed an "embryo"!
Last edited by Wilhelm Saris; 07-07-2017 at 03:42 PM.
There were more speciality indications for wearing.
In the 1931 Stahlhelm-Handbuch were anyway mentioned (exact dates
of introduction I have not found yet). Various were included in a price-list
from September 15, 1931:
a) a 3.0 cm wide black armband with in green "Nachrichten-Staffel". The price-list also
mentions an insignia for sewing onto the uniform (article-number 4019 from Der Stahlhof).
This was not mentioned in the handbook, but must have been this one (see image):
I do not have a photo where it is worn, as far as I know, but I know their highest leader did
wear this symbol as a collar-patch insignia;
b) Stahlhelmpfarrer: white armband with violett cross
This is article-number 4033. Crosses for wearing around the neck also do exist: for katholische Geistliche
as well as evangelische Geistliche, respectively the article-numbers 4032 and 4031;
c) Sanitäter: at the left upper arm a red Iron Cross upon a blue oval backing
The 1931 price-list also mentions an armband . The patch is article-number 4023 (see image);
Here some scans from a book. The negatives for many photos (about 750) got lost during a removal
from my old photographer. He never found them again.
d) Obersanitäter, as above but with a white piping. Also an armband is mentioned,
article-number 4025;
e) Krankenträger: crimson cross upon a blue backing.
Also an armband was included in the ptice-list with number 4020;
f) doctors in training (die ausbildenden Ärzte): aesculapis in metal upon a blue oval
backing with red piping to be worn at the right lower arm. There was also mentioned in
the price-list an arband, article-number 4026.
This insignia was also worn by advisors (ärztliche Sachberäter), but the shoulder-belt for
Begleiter: 2.0 cm with colored piping was worn by them.. I thought
it is the form as below (but I am not for 100% sure).
About the shoulder-belts with the various colored pipings and speciality insignia for leading persons
I could write a "book"!! Maybe I will start a thread about that, while it is so interesting. I am
working on it!
Last edited by Wilhelm Saris; 07-12-2017 at 05:34 PM.
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by Wilhelm Saris
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