RAD Officer's Brocade Dress Belt
CATEGORY: Version
SKU: 80.GOR.02.01.02.02.001.000
Estimated market value:
Estimated market value:
The brocade dress belt is constructed of fine aluminum wire embroidery with three rows of brown embroidery on the upper, and with a brown wool sides, with matching underside. The matching aluminum receiving clip is secured by the belt where it wraps around the reverse and is stitched in place on the left end. The leather tab is beige-coloured, and is extremely smooth, with seven rows of two vertically oriented rows of holes for length adjustment. On the belt are two sliders with matching uppers and undersides. The belt is unmarked, measuring 112 cm x 4.8 cm; in near mint unissued condition.
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.
The brocade dress belt was worn by Officers or Generals with the dress uniform for formal occasions. It had to be privately purchased.
The backing is in brown wool or gabardine. The pattern of the obverse features 1mm of the brown backing at the top and bottom and is otherwise silver-coloured with three horizontal brown stripes. The silver portions measure 8mm, while the brown portions measure 4mms.
Comments
Sign in to comment and reply.
COMMUNITY
ACCOUNT
Scroll Top
