English: Colour plate showing uniforms of the Reich Labour Service (Reichsarbeitsdienst; RAD), a major organisation established in Nazi Germany as an agency to help mitigate the effects of unemployment on the German economy, militarise the workforce and indoctrinate it with Nazi ideology. The official state labour service was divided into separate sections for men and women. From 1935 onward, men aged between 18 and 25 may have served six months before their military service. During World War II compulsory service also included young women and the RAD developed to an auxiliary formation which provided support for the Wehrmacht armed forces.

• Ceremonial Dress (full dress or parade uniform) of a Reich Labour Service Arbeitsführer ("work leader", comparable to a Major in the Wehrmacht Heer):
  • Cloth cap with RAD emblem (RAD Tuchmütze, "Arsch mit Griff"). The distinctive service cap, symbolizing the traditional farmer's work cap, had a spade and corn-sheaves badge. The officer's cap had a silver flap and peak piping (gold for general officers).
  • Tunic (Waffenrock): single-breasted service jacket, with front closure, turned-down collar, two side pockets, two box-pleated patch breast pockets, exposed pocket buttons, high cuffs. The service dress for all ranks consisted of an earth-brown tunic with dark, or chocolate brown, collar (facing and piping). both colours having an obvious association with earth and soil.
  • Shoulder strap (epaulette) with cords etc. as rank insignia
  • Collar patches/tabs (Kragenspiegel) denoting class of rank. The system of rank insignia developed from the Volunteer Labour Service's (FAD) use of simple silver om black collar patches and shoulder straps, through the introduction in 1936 of the red and white design on black collar patches to the use in 1940 of new insignia; the shoulder straps remaining the same. By 1940 and again in 1943 this rank insignia had undergone another change. The appearance of the shoulder straps was more military, the collar patches were modified, and new branch colours were made use of, notably dark bottle green for RAD Administration personnel and cornflower blue for Medical troops.
  • RAD arm or sleeve shield with RAD 'spade head' and letters and numbers indicating the Arbeitsgau number, abteilungen and area. Worn on left upper arm. The universal use of the spadeshaped arm patch on the left sleeve with battalion and company numbers, first introduced whe the RAD was founded, continued in use right up to the end.
  • Nazi Party swastika armband/brassard (Kampfbinde, Hakenkreuzarmbinde) fitted around the left arm and tacked on with thread
  • Medals and decorations: Iron cross, etc.
  • Nazi Party membership badge
  • Brocade dress belt with circular belt buckle
  • Leader's hewer/officer's dagger) with scabbard and hanger. RAD motto Arbeit adelt ("Work Ennobles") inscription on blade.
  • Calf-length breeches, riding pants with extra width in the thigh area (Breecheshosen, Reit- bzw. Stiefelhosen)
  • Black high jackboots/riding boots (Schaftstiefeln)

etc.

• Informal ceremonial uniform / dress uniform for social occasions (kleiner Gesellschaftsanzug) of an Oberstfeldmeister (RAD rank roughly comparable to a Hauptmann)

etc.

• Service uniform (Dienstanzug) of an Arbeitsmann (the basic RAD rank, roughly comparable to a Schütze)
  • Cloth cap with RAD emblem
  • Tunic with collar tabs and shoulder straps showing rank. Earth brown jacket with chocolate brown collar.
  • Swastika armband
  • RAD Enlisted Ranks Sleeve Shield
  • Leather belt with RAD buckle (spade head and swastika)
  • Tall boots
  • Spade. Each rank and file RAD man was supplied with a spade and a bicycle.

etc.

A paramilitary RAD uniform was implemented in 1934; beside the swastika brassard, the RAD symbol, an arm badge in the shape of an upward pointing shovel blade, was displayed on the upper left shoulder of all uniforms and great-coats worn by all personnel. The official symbol of the corps for the men’s camps and section was popularly known as die Kaffeebohne ("The coffee bean"). The women’s symbol also had wheat sheaths, but with a swastika instead of a spade. Musicians in the RAD wore "swallows nests". A limited number of cuff-titles were worn in the RAD.

Cropped page copied from Organisationsbuch der NSDAP by Reichsorganisationsleiter Robert Ley (1890 – 1945) published 1943 ("Herausgeber: Robert Ley"; "7 Auflage: 301-400 Tausend"). Publisher : Zentralverlag der NSDAP, Franz Eher Nachf., München. 856 pages. 596 (ie 750) p: ill, maps, ports, plates; 22 cm; German language. Letters in Fraktur style typefaces.