Allgemaine-SD shoulderboard question

[L'Artista]

Here's a tough one, I think.

When wearing the gray 1937-8 open-collar uniform, would an Allgemeine-SS officer who is a member of SD have two Allgemeine-type shoulder boards with SD-giftgrün backing on the black SS underlay?

[C. Betz]

Tough One

Briefly, no. In Angolia's Cloth Insignia of the SS, 2nd Edition, 1989, Pages 221-222; he states that green shoulder strap farben for the SD came into existence in January, 1942.

Charles Betz

[L'Artista]

Thanks for your answer! To be clear, are you saying that the gray 1937-8 open-collar SS uniform was not worn in 1942 and after?

[C. Betz]

Question

No I'm not.

[SiPo]

What Charles is saying is that the green underlay was not used on Allgemeine SS boards. Maybe you are confusing the Allgemeine boards with the Polizei style?

When the SD/SiPo started wearing the open collar field grey tunics around 1938 the insignia first used was the B&W piped Allgemeine SS type. In 1940, the SD/SiPo were authorized to wear the Wehrmacht style boards with green (Police) piping. A further change was authorised by the RSHA in 1941, where black underlay was added to the green piping.

After the SS complained to Himmler about the SiPo using their style of boards they were quickly changed (beginning of 1942) to the Police style. A further change was that the Polizei style boards to be used by the SiPo were executed in black whereas those worn by the Polizei were executed in brown.

However, you do see a mix of styles being worn throughout the war.

[L'Artista]

SiPo, thanks for saving me from Charles; I'm afraid he thought I was an idiot, but it was because he misunderstood my question. I wasn't talking about the time period 1937-8, but just asking if an A-SS officer who is also SD would wear Police green shoulderboard underlay or not, and if so, would his shoulder boards be A-SS or W-SS style. You have clarified the issue for me perfectly: No A-SS style shoulderboards with green underlay. Thanks again.