Heer Wehrmachtbeamte-Heer

[Glenn J]

2 hours ago, Meyszner said:

And they didn't wear the alt-Preußische style of the Generalstaboffiziere? Who did then?

 

If I understand you correctly, you mean this: (From Laurence):

 

 

According to the regulations of 22 December 1920, officials of the Reichswehr Ministry with the equivalent ranks of Hauptmann to Oberst wore the above pattern. As we know, in 1930 the single Kolbenstickerei was introduced for all officials of the higher career including those of the Reichswehr Ministry and replaced by a double barred version in 1935. I very much get the impression that the above pattern was phased out in the early thirties and replaced by the golden Doppellitzen we see worn by Ministerialregistrator Bahlk above for those permanent officials of the elevated and medium career in the Ministry (Later OKW/OKH).

 

Described in the Heeresverwaltungstaschenbuch as glatte hellgoldene (smooth light gold colour). The following illustration is taken from Adolf Schlicht and Jürgen Kraus' DIe Uniformierung und Ausrüstung des deutschen Reichsheeres 1919-1932 from a sales catalogue from the early thirties. Described as "Officials of the Reichswehrministerium, light gold".

 

 

Regards

Glenn

[Glenn J]

This is an interesting shot of another Wehrmacht archivist; the later Oberheeresarchivrat Friedrich Hof on the establishment of the army archives in Vienna. He wears the rank insignia of a Major and the collar patches of an official of the elevated career.

 

 

Some background: When the Heeresarchiv Wien was incorporated into the German army following the Anschluß, it employees became Wehrmachbeamten – Heer. Unfortunately for them, many were incorporated at a lower level than their former Austrian civil service rank and in some cases two down.

 

Herr Hof was a case in point, the former Austro-Hungarian Major (commissioned 1 November 1902 into the 76. Ungarisches Infanterieregiment) and Austrian Regierungsrat was appointed a Regierungs-Oberinspektor (elevated career with captains’ rank).

 

The situation with the former Austrian officials was rectified and those affected were restored to the higher career effective 1 October 1939 and he became a Heeresarchivrat. The retention of the elevated collar patches is unexplained as the rank of Heeresarchivrat was in the higher career group. He was still wearing them at least until June 1940 when assigned as the chief of the Army archives outpost in Brussels (which he led until 1944). He was promoted to Heeresoberarchivrat on 1 February 1942.

 

Regards

Glenn

 

[Glenn J]

The Order of 10 April 1940 introduced a new pattern of collar patch Litzen for officials with officers' rank in the medium career as follows:

 

"The officials in the medium career in officers' rank wear instead of the former collar patch, one in the width of about 3.3.cm (including piping) with hand embroidered double Litzen, each 1.1.cm wide of a special pattern."

 

Although photographs do show the pattern in wear, I get the impression that even though officially ordered, in reality there was not much take up of actually wearing it. In practice, it seems likely that officials of the medium career, for the most part continued to wear the previous pattern as their colleagues in the elevated career.

 

This portrait appeared in the classic 1971 edition of Brian L Davis' "German Army Uniforms and Insignia 1933-1945". The caption describes him as an Oberinspektor. I think Brian erred in the rank description of this official. The collar patches appear to be the narrow version introduced per the 10 April 1940 order. 

 

As the Oberinspektor ranks classed as officials of the elevated career with captain's rank and that title was not utilized by officials of the medium career, given the white Nebenfarbe, I would suggest he is an Obersekretär or Inspektor of the medium non technical administrative service career.
 

 

Regards

Glenn

[Glenn J]

 

Sonderführer, although not Wehrmachtbeamte (they were actually soldiers within the framework of German military law) are it seems, often confused with wartime officials because of a similarity in insignia at different time periods of the war.

 

Above is a clear portrait of a Sonderführer (K) wearing the late 1942 ordered insignia when the narrower shoulder cords were re-introduced to replace the commissioned officer pattern worn since 1940. Introduced per order of 7 December 1942, it was stipulated that the new insignia should be in use no later than 31 March 1943. Sonderführer (K) Arro wears the two gold slides of his rank on the aluminium shoulder cords.

 

Regards

Glenn