Corps colours (Waffen-SS)

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.

Colours and examples

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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-Oberst-Gruppenführer and General of the Waffen-SS
Infantry White   Flag of SS-Panzergrenadier-Regiment 40
 
Artillery Scarlet   Artillery flag
  SS-Obersturmbannführer
Veterinary service Carmine red   SS-Sturmbannführer
Legal service Bordeaux red
Geologists Light pink
Transport Salmon-pink
Rose-pink
 
SS-Scharführer
Lemon yellow
 
SS-Untersturmführer
  • Cavalry
  • Reconnaissance (1942–45)
  • Armoured reconnaissance
Golden yellow
 
SS-Obersturmführer
Orange
 
 
Reconnaissance (1938–42) Copper-brown
 
  • Standartenführer
  • Oberführer
Concentration camps Light brown
 
SS-Hauptscharführer
Sicherheitsdienst (intelligence service) Poison green
 
SS-Sturmscharführer
Gebirgstruppe (mountain troops) Meadow green
 
SS-Untersturmführer
  • Ersatzwesen (recruitment service)
  • SS-Sonderführer
  • SS reserve officers
Dark green
 
SS-Obersturmführer
Supply Light blue
 
SS-Hauptsturmführer
Administration Bright blue
 
SS-Hauptsturmführer
Medical service Cornflower blue
 
  • Standartenführer
  • Oberführer
Engineers corps
  • Assault engineers
  • Construction engineers
Black
 
SS-Oberscharführer
Main colour for collar patches
 
SS-Unterscharführer
Main colour for uniforms Field-grey Identical with Heer (regular army) uniform colour

See also

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References

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  • 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)
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