Handbook On German Army Identification

This handbook was prepared at the Military Intelligence Training Center, Camp Ritchie, Maryland, and is designed to provide a ready reference manual for intelligence personnel in combat operations. The need for such a manual was so pressing that some errors and omissions are anticipated in the current edition. Any suggestions as to additions, or errors noted, should be reported directly to the Commandant, Military Intelligence Training Center, for correction in later editions.

War department, Washington, Apeil 9, 1943.

Section I. General. Paragraph Identification of German military and semimilitary organizations - 1 II. German Order of Battle.

Iii. The German Army (Das Deutsche Heer).

German Army identifications of specialists 5 Colors of arms of service (Waff enf arbe) 6 Enlisted men (Mannschaften) 7 Noncommissioned officers (Unteroffiziere) 8 German identification tag (Erkennungsmarke) 10 "Wehrmacht" officials (Wehrmachtbeamte) 11 IV. The German Air Force (Luftwaffe).

Colors of arm of service (Waff enf arben) 15 Special uniforms and insignia- 16 Insignia of rank — flying uniform ■„ 17 Insignia of flying personnel of German Luftwaffe and Army. 18 Corps of Navigational Experts 20 V. The German Navy (Die Deutsche Kriegsmarine).

Insignia of rank of Navy (Dienstgradabzeichen Section VI. Police, semimilitary and political organizations (Deutsche Polizei, Halbmilitarische und Politische Verbande).

German police (Deutsche Polizei) 25 Semimilitary and political organizations 26 Uniforms of armed SS (Waff en SS) 27 Insignia of rank of the National Labor Service (Dienstgradabzeichen des Reichsar- beitsdienstes R. A. D.) 28 National Socialist Organizations (National- sozialistische Organisationen): 29 Insignia of rank of SA, SS, and of the NSKK (Dienstgradabzeichen der SA, SS, und der Insignia on uniform of the German police (Uni- ' form-Abzeichen der Deutschen Polizei) 31 Command post flags (Kommandoflaggen) 32 Field insignia and flags of the National Socialist German Labor Party (Feldzeichen Insignia of rank of Hitler Youth (Dienstgradabzeichen der Hitler jugend) 34 Rank insignia of the political leaders (Dienstgradabzeichen der Politischen Leiter) 35 Appendix. Traffic signs (Verkehrszeichen) 67 Identification of German military and semimilitary organizations.

1. Identification of German military and semimilitary organizations. — a. It is second nature to make comparisons. This tendency may well be used in associating German insignia of rank with our own; however, the student will find that direct equivalents, while existing in some instances, are not the rule. It is well to approach the subject with this fact in mind. The outline presented is as nearly accurate and complete as available sources permit (up to January 1, 1943).

b. The student must possess sufficient adaptability to make corrections and adjustments if and when the need for them arises. The German Army and German semimilitary organizations are very flexible in their structure. Uniforms, equipment, and insignia are often changed, for a multitude of reasons, without advance notice to the enemy.

2. Definition.— a. By the term "Order of Battle," is meant all known information of the enemy army.

b. Order of Battle information is generally divided into two parts: Order of Battle — Strength, and Order of Battle — Location.

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