Army weapon colors (1935–1945)

Weapons colors have traditionally been in the Army from 1935 to 1945 different as a distinguishing factor weapons genres , branches of service , corps and services, ranking groups and uses the ministerial area, General Staff of the Armed Forces High Command , to the armed services army , air force and navy used. The weapon colors were part of the piping of the shoulder pieces, uniform collars and trouser tucks, but also the basic color of the shoulder pieces, as well as some of the Larisch embroidery and lampasses of the generals and flag officers. They were also part of the troop flags and standards .

Arms colors of the army

In the army there was a fixed system of weapon colors that was used on the collar tabs , piping and shoulder pieces. It largely coincided with that used in the Reichswehr (1921 to approx. 1935).

Overview table with examples

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.

• 

  Heer collar
  tabs officers: 1 field marshal from 4/1941
  2 general and field marshal up to 4/1941
  3 officers OKW / OKH
  4 motorcyclists, armored
  infantry 5 light infantry for field suit, (only inner stripes in weapon color)

• 

  Army collar tab NCO
  6 NCO Artillery
  7 NCO (field suit)
  8 tanks

• 

  Wehrmacht shoulder pieces officer (underlay in weapon color )
  7 Colonel (Panzergrenadier)
  8 Oberfeldveterinär (Lieutenant Colonel veterinary)
  9 Major (Artillery)
  10 Captain (anti-tank defense )
  11 First Lieutenant (6th Infantry)
  12 Lieutenant (Pioneer).

• 

  Shoulder
  pieces NCOs: 13 Staff Sergeants (12th Artillery)
  14 Oberfeldwebel (Infantry)
  15 Sergeants (Panzer Lehr)
  16 Unterwachtmeister (Cavalry / Reconnaissance)
  17 Medical Sergeants

• 

  Wehrmacht shoulder
  pieces teams: A = 4. Kp./67. Artillery
  B = 20th Panzer
  C = Infantry Rgt. Greater Germany

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

Troop, association, use	Gun color		example		comment
Generals for fortress construction pioneers, weapons officers and fireworkers Artillery force Assault guns Heavy flak	Crimson ( # FF0000 )				General…
					Artillery pole
War Ministry (later OKW ) General Staff officers Veterinary	Crimson ( # 960018 )				Chief OKW until 1941 Officer i. G.  (High Command) Officer i. G. (other) Farriery teacher
Field chaplains	Violet ( # C154C1 )
Fog troop Officials at the Reich Court Martial	Bordeaux red ( # 800032 )				Ensign-NCO Stander
infantry Motorized infantry	White ( white )				lieutenant Troop stand
Panzer troop before Kraftfahrkampftruppe / Kraftfahrtruppen	Pink ( # FF99CC )				Panzer Badge Stander
News force	Lemon Yellow ( # FFEE00 )				First lieutenant Stander
	until 1937 light brown
cavalry	Golden yellow ( # F7B600 )				Captain Stander
Feldgendarmerie Defense substitute system	Orange ( # ff8000 )				Sergeant Company pennant
spotter Motorbike rifle troop	Copper brown ( # DA8A67 )				Colonel Stander
Panzergrenadier troop	Meadow green ( # 60c000 from 1943)				Colonel
Hunter troop Mountaineer	Hunter green ( # 008B00 )				lieutenant Stander
Army officials	Dark green ( # 00703E )				Staff Sergeant
Motor park troops Supply force	Blue ( # 00AEEF )				Major, sergeant major Stander
Medical service	Medical blue (darkblue)				Sub-doctor
Propaganda force	Light gray ( # e8e8e8 )
Pioneers	until 1942 light brown ( burlywood )				Collar tabs (officers, parade jacket) Stander
Pioneers	Black ( black )

Note:
Military Branches of the armed forces in accordance with the disposal of the High Command of the Armed Forces of 14 October 1942 only a selection.

See also

• Air Force weapon colors (1935–1945)
• Gun colors (Waffen-SS)

swell

• Handbook on German Army Identification 1943 ( United States Government Printing Office : 1943), pp. 34-43. (PDF; 5.7 MB), accessed April 8, 2013.
• Gun colors , accessed May 14, 2011.