Reichwehr rank question

[usmedalman]

I have come across two pictures on the internet showing soldiers circa 1934. In both pictures, some of the NCOs are wearing sleeve chevrons on the lower portion of their sleeve (one presumable a Feldwebel of somesort) with three horizontal stripes above an inverted chevron, the an Obergefreiter, with three horizontal stripes. Since not all the gefreiters or feldwebels are wearing the patch, I tend to think it is not a rank insignia.

In addition, the photo of the Obergefreiter shows him wearing the 1921 pattern sleeve rank in addition to the unknown patch, which also makes me think these lower sleeve insignia may be something other than rank, but that is just a guess.

Any help would be appreciated. Pictures would be cool too.

Thanks.

[DaveG]

If I read my copy of The German Reichswehr by Adolf Schlicht and Jurgen Kraus then the horizontal stripes on the sleeves are marksmanship awards - one stripe first class, two stripes second class, etc. I highly recommend this book and ALL the books published by Verlag Militaria. They are not cheap but in my opinion they are unequaled in quality.

Dave