Corps colours (Waffen-SS)

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Corps colours, or Troop-function colours (German: Waffenfarben) were worn in the Waffen-SS from 1938 until 1945 in order to distinguish between various branches of service, units, and functions. The corps colours were part of the pipings, gorget patches (collar patches), and shoulder boards. The colour scheme was similar to the corps colours of the German Army from 1935 to 1945. The colours appeared mainly on the piping around the shoulder boards showing a soldier's rank.

See also: Ranks and insignia of the Waffen-SS

Colours and examples[]

The table below contains the Waffen-SS corps colours, and examples for their use from 1938 to 1945.

Branch / unit / function Colour Example Rank / Explanation
silver-grey    
SS Oberstgruppenführer.jpg
 SS-Oberst-Gruppenführer and
General of the Waffen-SS
Infantry white SS Panzergrenadierregiment.svg Flag of SS-Panzergrenadier-
Regiment 40
WSS OF5 Staf-Oberf-Infantry.jpg
Artillery scarlet LSSAH Artillerie Wimpel.svg Artillery flag
HH-SS-Obersturmbannfuhrer-Shoulder Strap.png SS-Obersturmbannführer
Veterinary service carmine red HH-SS-Sturmbannfuhrer-Shoulder Strap(2).png SS-Sturmbannführer
Legal service bordeaux red no example
Geologists light pink no example
Transport salmon-pink no example
rose-pink
WMacht H OT5b Uffz Pz03 h.svg
 SS-Scharführer
lemon yellow
SS Untersturmführer Fm.png
 SS-Untersturmführer
  • Cavalry
  • Reconnaissance (1942–45)
  • Armored reconnaissance
 golden yellow
Shoulder-wss-ill-obersturmf.jpg
 SS-Obersturmführer
orange
SS-Unterscharführer (Feldgendarmerie) h.svg
SS Standartenjunker.jpg
 SS-Unterscharführer

SS-Standartenjunker
(officer candidate OR-6)
Reconnaissance (1938–42) copper-brown
SS Standartenführer (Oberführer).png
  • Standartenführer
  • Oberführer
Concentration camps light brown
SS-Hauptscharführer (Totenkopfverbände) h.svg
 SS-Hauptscharführer
Sicherheitsdienst (intelligence service) poison green
SS-Sturmscharführer (Sicherheitsdienst) h.svg
 SS-Sturmscharführer
Gebirgstruppe (mountain troops) Meadow green
Shoulder-wss-ill-untersturmf.jpg
 SS-Untersturmführer
  • Ersatzwesen (recruitment service)
  • SS-Sonderführer
  • SS reserve officers
 dark green
HH-SS-Obersturmfuhrer-Shoulder Strap.png
 SS-Obersturmführer
Supply light blue
WSS OF2 HSturmf-Supply.jpg
 SS-Hauptsturmführer
Administration bright blue
SS Hauptsturmführer (Verwaltung).jpg
 SS-Hauptsturmführer
Medical service cornflower blue
WSS Staf-Oberf-Medical.png
  • Standartenführer
  • Oberführer
Engineers corps
  • Assault engineers
  • Construction engineers
 black
SS Oberscharführer (Pioniere).jpg
 SS-Oberscharführer
main colour for collar patches
SS-Unterscharführer.svg
 SS-Unterscharführer
main colour for uniforms field-grey identical with Heer (regular
army) uniform colour

See also[]

References[]

  • Adolf Schlicht, John R. Angolia: Die deutsche Wehrmacht, Uniformierung und Ausrüstung 1933-1945
    Vol. 1: Das Heer (ISBN 3613013908), Motorbuch Verlag, Stuttgart 1992
    Vol. 3: Die Luftwaffe (ISBN 3-613-02001-7), Motorbuch Verlag, Stuttgart 1999
    (very detailed information and discussion but no coloured images)

External links[]

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