Nazi Party Political Leader Armband

Historical Significance

This is a Second World War armband used by a Political Leader of the National Socialist German Workers' Party (NSDAP). These armbands were strictly political and paramilitary identifiers, specifically worn on the left sleeve of formal uniforms such as the service tunic or the brown shirts. Orchestrated by Robert Ley (the Reich Organisation Leader of the NSDAP), the uniforms of the Nazi Party were completely overhauled, and this made significant changes to the armband system. This new system introduced complex, standardised tiers which helped to display rank, organisational level and operational duties. This armband was regulated by the Reichszeugmeisterei (the RZM) which was the National Equipment Quartermaster. 

The foundation of the armband is a red fabric, suspected to be twill-weave cotton, and features a central white circle with a distinct, canted black swastika stitched over it. The armband features gold borders running along the top and bottom edges, which designate this armband as that of a Political Leader. Regular party members were given plain armbands, whereas SS personnel wore a similar style, but with black borders instead. These gold borders signify an administrative or command official. The reason the gold borders seem more of a silver colour is because the gold tress were typically woven from a celluloid-based synthetic wire, called Cello, or cotton/rayon threads dyed gold rather than pure artificial silk. Over the past 80 years, it has been exposed to UV light, sweat and moisture, which causes these celluloid materials to fade, tarnish and oxidise, resulting in the silver-champagne tone seen on this example. 

The reverse side of the armband has been machine stitched up to join the two ends of the armband, which likely would have only been one piece originally, together to form the loop. This divide can be seen in the clean cut through the gold stripes at the top and bottom of the armband. Unfortunately, the RZM quality control tag is missing and no glue remnant is visible, however it is believed that there was one attached at the time of production. 

It is suspected that this armband was worn at the Ortsgruppe level, which likely meant a local municipal or neighbourhood branch. The person was likely a Politischer Leiter Anwärter, which we can gather based on the lack of adornment (usually a gold/yellow border) on the central white roundel. 

Select References & Further Reading:

• Orginisationbuch der NSDAP (1943 Edition)

• Reichszeugmeisterei Manufacturaing Regulations. Handbuch der Reichszeugmeisterei.

• Angolia, John R. Cloth Insignia of the NSDAP and SA. R. James Bender Publishing.

• Clark, Jeff. Uniforms of the NSDAP: Uniforms - Headgear - Insignia of the Nazi Party. Schiffer Publishing.

• Caplan, Jane. Government Without Administration: State and Party in the Third Reich. Oxford University Press.

Header image: American troops approaching Omaha Beach on Normandy Beach, D-Day. Photographer Unknown; 1944. Image sourced via Public Domain.