History

The RAD (Reichsarbeitsdienst = Reich Labour Service) was officially established on June 26, 1935 as the sole, and compulsory, labour service of Germany. Its purposes were to help the economy, curb unemployment, and indoctrinate its members with the NSDAP ideology, as well as play its part in militarising the German population.

The FAD (Freiwilliger Arbeitsdienst = Voluntary Labour Service) was the precursor of the RAD in the early 1930s. Official uniform regulations were first introduced on October 1, 1933, with modifications made in July 1934. It is also known as NSAD (Nationalsozialistischer Arbeitsdienst = National Socialist Labour Service).

The earliest uniforms were a not entirely successful attempt at standardisation. They gave way to a second wave of FAD uniforms that, when the RAD was established, experienced no significant changes.

Car Pennants were only used on a vehicle when the person to which it referred was riding in the car.

The Car Pennant for Officers at Arbeitsgau Level (Dienststelle der Arbeitsgauleitung), Group Staffs (Gruppenstäbe), and Training Schools Staffs (Schulstäbe) is of triangular shape and features a brown field. In the centre is the RAD emblem, a black swastika with white borders with a superimposed circle of eight wheat ears and a spade and two wheat ears inside. To the upper left is a national eagle emblem. Members of an Arbeitsgau have the Gau number in Roman numerals to the right of the emblem, members of a Gruppe have the Group’s number in Arabic numerals, School Staff members have the Training School letters. Officers of Feldmeister rank and above with no ties to either of the above have no numbers or letters whatsoever.