Gun colors (Waffen-SS)

By the Waffen-SS used weapons colors were traditionally in the armed forces used weapons colors inspired. They served as a criterion for differentiating between different branches of arms , branches of service , corps, services, ranks and uses, similar to those used in the armed forces of the army , air force and navy .

Origin of weapon colors

Before 1939, the forerunner organization of the Waffen SS , the SS Disposal Force , had no considerations or stipulations regarding the use of weapon colors. So far, piping has been limited to a peaked cap and long trousers and has been kept uniformly white. With the introduction of shoulder pieces based on the rank insignia of the Wehrmacht in December 1939, there was a need for action.

Basic regulations

The design of the shoulder pieces of the Waffen SS was largely based on the Wehrmacht. For the generality, “light gray” was chosen as a uniform base for the shoulder pieces. From SS-Oberführer upwards, aluminum piping was worn on the jacket, trousers and peaked cap. The following officer ranks up to SS-Untersturmführer began to equip themselves with peaked caps and long trousers, which were provided with piping in the respective weapon color. The backing of the shoulder pieces taken over by the Wehrmacht was in the same weapon color.

The piping of the SS visor cap for officers, NCOs and men was white.

Numerous orders were issued in the course of the war with regard to the way in which it was attached and how it was worn, as well as the color system used.

Special regulations

• From the rank of SS-Oberführer, aluminum piping was also worn on the officer's field cap. For the other ranks, the field cap piping was uniformly white.
• For teams and the corps of non-commissioned officers, as a rule, only the edge of the shoulder flaps and the piping of the field caps were designed in the relevant weapon color.
• The piping on the long field gray trousers was uniformly white.
• Articles that had become invalid by order could be worn until December 31, 1940.

Due to the lack of references regarding the exact color codes, it is difficult to reconstruct the weapon colors actually used. Therefore, the colors shown below only approximate the colors used in reality.

The overview below contains a selection of the weapon colors from 1935 to 1945.

Troop, association, use	Gun color		example	comment
Generals of the Waffen SS Officers i. G. Rod RFSS	Light gray ( RAL color 7035 )			Colonel Group Leader and Colonel General of the Waffen SS
infantry Panzergrenadier troop Motorized infantry	Signal white ( RAL color 9003 )			Flag SS-PzGrenRegt 40
				Oberführer of the Waffen SS Standartenführer of the Waffen SS
Artillery * Assault Guns * Flak	Bright red ( RAL color 3024 )			Artillery pole
				Obersturmbannführer of the Waffen SS
SS veterinary medicine	Carmine			Sturmbannführer of the Waffen SS
SS jurisdiction public prosecutor's office	Bordeaux red			no example
Defense geological service	Light pink			no example
Motor force	Salmon pink (light)			no example
Panzer troop tank destroyer	pink			Squad leader of the Waffen SS
* SS intelligence force * SS war correspondent * Propaganda units	Lemon yellow			Untersturmführer of the Waffen-SS of the intelligence troops (in the sense of telecommunications troops)
* Cavalry * Reconnaissance units (mot. 1942–1945) * Tank reconnaissance units * Units with a cavalry background	Golden yellow			Obersturmführer of the Waffen SS
SS field gendarmerie and special services	orange			Unterscharfuhrer of the Waffen SS
Enlightenment (1938–1942) Motorcyclists	Copper brown			Hauptsturmführer of the Waffen SS
* SS-Totenkopfverbände * Concentration camp guards	Light brown			SS-Hauptscharführer
Security Service (SD)	Poison green			SS Sturmscharführer
Mountain troop	Hunter green			Untersturmführer of the Waffen SS
Surrogate beings	Dark green			SS-Obersturmführer
Transport and supply troops * Field post	Rich light blue			Hauptsturmführer SS supply troop
SS administration	Deep blue			Hauptsturmführer administration of the Waffen SS
SS medical services	Cornflower blue			Standartenführer / Oberführer in the medical services of the Waffen SS (corresponding to the colonel in the army and air force)
SS pioneer troops * storm pioneers * construction pioneers	black			Oberscharfuhrer of the Waffen SS
Basic color for all collar tabs for enlisted men, subordinates, officers and generals				Example SS-Unterscharführer
Basic color uniform	Field gray			identical to the uniform color of the army

Annotation:

“The weapon colors of the collar tab are black for SS u. NSKK ., Vermilion for the bars of the upper motor groups and independent groups, crimson for the higher bars of the NSKK. "  

See also

• Illustration of the ranks and insignia of the Waffen SS
• SS uniforms

References and comments

1. ^ Quotation according to: "Schlag nach !, Bibliographisches Institut AG., Leipzig, 1938, p. 203".