Diplomatic Corps Reich Minister Career Group Sleeve Insignia

SKU: 34.GOR.03.02.03.001

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    Germany

History


The Diplomatic Corps was made up of officials (civil servants) of the Foreign Ministry. This ministry was taken over in 1938 by newly appointed Foreign Minister Joachim von Ribbentrop who, for the first time, introduced specific Diplomatic Corps uniforms. Prior to 1938, there had been no defined uniforms for members of the Foreign Office.

Prior to the war, the Foreign Ministry was heavily involved in the annexation of Austria and the Sudetenland. During the war, some conquered territory, especially in Poland, was incorporated into the German Reich, while other territory was merely occupied. These countries, while officially still independent, were in reality administered by German officials of the Diplomatic Corps, and in some cases also German-approved puppet governments.

It is important to remember that the officials who served within the borders of the German Reich weren’t of course part of the Foreign Ministry, but rather of the Ministry of the Interior. However, the officials of both these ministries wore nearly identical uniforms.

Officials of the Diplomatic Corps were distinguished by rank as well as their educational level. The latter determined which kind of “Laufbahn” (career) an individual was able to choose. The “Höherer Dienst” (Higher Career) required a university degree, the “Gehobener Dienst” (Elevated Career) required a college degree, the “Mittlerer Dienst” (Middle Career) required a highschool degree, and the “Einfacher Dienst” (Lower Career) required a grade school education, to put it in a simplified way. Additionally, the Higher and Elevated Careers included several different pay groups.

Uniforms for the Diplomatic Corps were first introduced in 1938. They underwent near continuous modification between then and 1943.

The career group insignia for the Diplomatic Corps were introduced at an unknown date, but were worn as early as June 1938. They were worn on the lower left sleeve. Some have been found on the high French-style cuffs, but this was done against regulations. The cloth backing of the insignia is in the same colour as the uniform the insignia was intended for. They are hand-embroidered and silver-coloured, unless they were worn by Officials stationed outside of the German borders, in which case they were gold-coloured.

Higher Career Officials wore insignia featuring a horseshoe-shaped oak leaves wreath with a national eagle emblem superimposed over the top. The wreath is made of nine oak leaves on each side. The eagle’s head faces to the viewer’s left. Its wingspan measures approx. 92 to 95mm.

Additionally, Reich Ministers and their equivalent Department Chiefs had four four-sided stars inside the wreath, four in a horizontal line for Reich Ministers and three over one for Department Chiefs.
Members of pay group B3a had three stars in a line, those of pay groups B3b and 4 had two stars in a line, those of pay groups B5 and 6 had one star, and those of pay groups B7 through B9 had no stars.

Elevated Career Officials wore insignia of the same general design, but with only four oak leaves on each side and the eagle emblem measuring only 75mm. For the entire career grade there was only one insignia. No stars were used.

Medium Career Officials wore a design that is similar once more, but for this career group the oak leaves were replaced by three border stripes forming a shield shape, with the centre border stripe being thicker than the outer border stripes. The eagle’s wingspan measures approx. 90mm.

Additionally, members of pay group A1b had four stars in a horizontal line, those of pay groups A2a, A2b, and A2c1 had three stars, those of pay groups A2c2 and A2d had two stars, those of the pay group for Assessors and Governing Leaders had one star, and those of pay group A2e had no stars.

Lower Career Officials wore insignia of a design that is almost the same as that for Medium Career Officials, but with only two border stripes, a thicker inner one and a narrower outer one. Stars were mentioned in regulations to be introduced for certain pay groups, but no specifics have been found so far.

The horseshoe career group insignia were discontinued on November 27, 1942.

In 1939, a system of sleeve stars was introduced and sometimes worn in place of the horseshoe insignia. It is unknown which system was to be worn for which occasion. The sleeve star system replaced the horseshoe insignia after their discontinuation.

The sleeve stars were worn as follows:

Pay groups of Higher Career Officials:
A1a & A1b: three eight-pointed gold stars
A2a: two eight-pointed gold stars
A2b: four five-pointed gold stars
A2c: three five-pointed gold stars
A3: two five-pointed gold stars
A4a: four four-pointed gold stars
A4b: three four-pointed gold stars, except two four-pointed gold stars for Vice Consul
A5: two four-pointed gold stars

Pay groups of Elevated Career Officials:
B1a: three five-pointed silver stars
B1b: two five-pointed silver stars
B2a: three four-pointed silver stars
B2b: two four-pointed silver stars
B2c: no stars

Pay groups of Middle Career Officials:
Ca: three four-pointed silver stars, except no stars for Obersekretär
Cb: two four-pointed silver stars, except no stars for Assistent
Cd: no stars

Pay groups for Lower Career Officials
Da: three four-pointed silver stars
Db: two four-pointed silver stars, except no stars after 1942
Dc: no stars

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