I Need Some Help On This Unusual Pair Of S A Collar Tabs. The Yellow Base With Gold Pips Would Indicate Something From Gruppe Sachsen. However, The Size Is Slightly Larger Than Normal S A Tabs And It Is Unusual To See Metal Devices On S A Tabs. They Were Identified To Me Many Years Ago By An Advanced S A Insignia Collector That They Were Very Early And The Gothic "S" Stood For "Sicherheits." These Have Puzzled Me For Years And I Am Looking For Help From The Members. They Are Definitely Not Something Made Up.
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I've seen this pair in the past in photos, but have never seen any SA insignia like these.
ErichFestina lente!Comment
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Tabs
Assuming the collar tabs are 1933 or later, they are from gruppe Franken. Prior to that, various different Gausturmes wore yellow tabs. To say they are unusual is an understatement. Can you post clearer closeup photos of both the front and back? The unit tab is really bizarre since it's not even a parallelogram. It's actually a rectangle. The use of litzen to separate the designations is certainly odd, as is the "S" designation. It's either a VERY rare early tab, or a VERY rare fantasy tab.Comment
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I can't make anything either. Number 44 don't match with the back-color. All the Gausturm/Untergruppe that used the yellow color never had a unit number 44.
And then the purpose!? I really don't know, but the construction looks solid and authentic though.Comment
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Oops!
Hmmm . . .
The "S" is identical to the pattern used on East German school shoulder boards. The gilt color would indicate a NVA Naval School.
MfG,
DianeComment
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The Tabs Are Definitely Old. Possibly, They Are For A Paramilitary Group As They Are Known To Have Used Rank Insignia Similar To That Adopted By The S A.Comment
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didn't some of the weimer period rightist kampfgruppen - bridage ehrhardt or similar -
wear roughly rectangular tabs on their M15 tunics?
as to the "really old" appearance, recall that per diane who cites DDR origins, an early, obscure DDR unit might have used old stock...
well, here's another reason to pine for Mr. Abenheim's return tho I suspect constable lumsden or other experts can speak to this...
anyhow, baffling that's for sure.Comment
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Tabs
I disagree that the gold insignia on the tabs would necessarily indicate "Naval" use. It may, but many SA units used gold. As mentioned, it may be from one of these early pre-SA groups.Comment
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The NVA Stylized "S" cipher . . . .
. . . . was a pattern designed for us by the East German NVA in 1956. This particular "S" was not used prior to 1945.
The East Germans did not use this style of rank insignia, ever.
The east DDR Police followed a style similar to that used by the Weimar Republic Dark blue / black uniforms with Green collar tabs and shoulder boards and a police star cap badge.
The early KVP a Soviet style uniform & cap with blank collar tabs and German style shoulder boards.
The NVA actually adopted a modified M-36 style tunic in the early years. The similarity is astounding.
A gilt stylized "S" cipher like the one on tha collar tab would have been used by the NVA Naval Medical Academy.
I hope this helps a little.
DianeComment
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I Wish To Thank All For Their Opinions On These Tabs I Got So Many Years Ago. I Was Never Confident With Their Association With The S A. However, The Buckram Style And Aging Of The Yellow Cloth Around The Metal Insignia, Indicates To Me Pre
W W 2 Construction. What They Are We May Never Know. I Still Consider That They Likely Have Some Relationship With A Paramilitary Group.Comment
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bob - I'd say yr. instinct's prob'ly right. anyhow, try to find someone who has Schiffer's:
German Uniforms, Insignia & Equipment 1918-1923
Charles Woolley
Freikorps, Reichswehr, Vehicles, Weapons
maybe somethin's in there. keep us posted on these most interesting insignia.Comment
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