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Summer 2022 Militaria Auction
Lot 282:
RAD Medical Personnel’s Sleeve Badge (Armspiegel)
The basis of the RAD, "Reichs Arbeitsdienst" (National Labor-service), dates back, at least, to 1929 with the formation of the AAD, "
Anhalt Arbeitsdienst" (Anhalt Labor-service), and the FAD-B, "
Freiwillingen Arbeitsdienst-Bayern" (Volunteer Labor-service [of]-Bavaria).
Shortly after Hitler’s appointment as Chancellor, on January 30th, 1933, the NSDAP consolidated these, and other labor organizations, into the NSAD, "
Nationalsozialist Arbeitsdienst" (National-socialist Labor-service) – a national labor service.
In June of 1935 the NSAD was re-designated RAD. In July of the same year RAD service became compulsory, with all German citizens between 19 and 25 years of age required to enlist for a six month term. This law also decreed that all military conscripts serve a nine month term.
Section of field green rayon, upon which is machine woven an dark green shield (a roughly 4,8cm x 4,3cm), within which is a golden "
Lebensrune" (Life-rune).
This specialty insignia, worn on the lower left sleeve of the RAD uniform, signified that the wearer was a member of the health service (in this case a high official), and had replaced, in 1937, the earlier caduceus.
Above the shield (in the back) is machine woven, in silver, "
RADJ" within an inverted triangle, with "
Ges." and "Gesch., " for "
Gesetzlich Geschützt" (By-law Protected), to either side of it, and "
G.&.W." beneath it. The latter is an abbreviation of the manufacturer of the patch:
Gunther & Windrath GmbH, Wuppertal-Unterbarmen.
A rare variation of a National Labor Service patch.
The listing is for the patch only. The photo is illustrative.
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