History

The RAD (Reichsarbeitsdienst = Reich Labour Service) was officially established on June 26, 1935 as the sole, and compulsory, labour service of Germany. Its purposes were to help the economy, curb unemployment, and indoctrinate its members with the NSDAP ideology, as well as play its part in militarising the German population.

The FAD (Freiwilliger Arbeitsdienst = Voluntary Labour Service) was the precursor of the RAD in the early 1930s. Official uniform regulations were first introduced on October 1, 1933, with modifications made in July 1934. It is also known as NSAD (Nationalsozialistischer Arbeitsdienst = National Socialist Labour Service).

The earliest uniforms were a not entirely successful attempt at standardisation. They gave way to a second wave of FAD uniforms that, when the RAD was established, experienced no significant changes.

The Tuchmütze (Cloth Cap) was introduced in 1934. It is arguably the most distinctive piece of clothing of the RAD, and was designed by Reicharbeitsführer Konstantin Hierl, the head of the RAD. It was nicknamed "Kaffeebohne" (coffee bean) by RAD members. Collectors often refer to it as a "Robin Hood" cap.

It was usually made of earth-brown stiffened cloth, often wool, with a characteristic deep crease in the center. It has a dark brown felt cap band at the front. There aren't any buttons or a chin strap. The piping on the visor and at the top edge of the turn-up is gold-coloured for General ranks, silver-coloured for Officer ranks, and black for NCO/EM (Non-Commissioned Officers/Enlisted Men) ranks. Post-1940 caps lack the black piping. On each side there are two metal grommet air vents.

A RAD emblem was worn on the front of the cap.