Original Item: One-of-a-kind. Brown was to become the official color of the N.S.D.A.P. and S.A. by circumstance rather than design. A large stockpile of discounted, surplus WWI tropical brown shirts and fabric, intended for wear in East Africa, were located in Austria in 1924 and purchased by the NSDAP as a temporary measure to bring uniformity of dress to their party members. In November of 1926 the brown shirt was officially introduced, and retained, as the basic uniform item for the N.S.D.A.P. and S.A., and was eventually adopted by other political organizations such as the H.J., D.A.F., and the N.S.K.K..
This is a very nice example of a German WWII SA "Brown Shirt" uniform tunic, complete with an original armband. The tunic shows some great period wear, and is outfitted with some lovely insignia, which are totally correct. It still has an original tag on the collar (worn and illegible), with one beneath that has a large (BP) logo, next to:
Das vorſchriftsmäßige
SA DIENSTHEMD
D.R.G.M. 106-0077
This translates to "The Regulation SA service Shirt", and we assume that BP was the maker or the issuing authority. There is also a (BP) 37 48 ink stamp on the inside of the collar. The tunic features a 5 button front closure, with three silver buttons in the middle, and plastic waist and collar buttons. It has two pleated chest pockets with scalloped flaps, also retained by silver buttons. The interior is unlined except for the rear shoulder area, which has some white cotton lining.
The shirt has all the correct insignia for the period, including a multi-piece NSDAP / SA armelbinde (armband) on the left sleeve, which is pinned in place. The kragenpatten (collar tabs) have Gelb Orange (Yellow Orange) backgrounds, which with the silver buttons and "pips" indicates they were a member of SA Gruppe Südwest (SA group Southwest), a district in far South West Germany. It is made up of Württemberg and greater part of Baden, with the principal city being Stuttgart. The right collar tab is the unit tab, and 13 / 120 indicates the 13th Sturm (company), 120th Standarte (Regiment). The left collar tab has a two "pips" with a single row of white piping with a black stripe, indicating the rank of SA-Obertruppführer (SA-Senior troop leader), who would lead platoon-sized units.
The right shoulder has a very nice NCO Schulterstück (shoulderboard), which has the correct two rows of brown / copper double piping with silver bullion chevrons in a loop around the button. It has the correct two rank "pips" for an NCO, though it looks like the rank strap much have been lost at some point. The bottom shows a faded Grau (gray) color, the SA Waffenfarbe (corps color) for SA-Fußstandarten (SA-Foot standards / regiments). the standard rank and file on foot. There are also two rows of silver piping around the bottom of the sleeves, which probably has to do with this being an NCO tunic, as we have seen this on other SA NCO "brown shirt" tunics.
The inner side of the armband still features the original paper RZM tag, which is a complete example, with the correct blue print with black particulars. The tag has a correct “B” tax code and features a ((RZM)) logo. The ink stamped numerical designation of the Hersteller (manufacturer) is A4 189 and has the lot No. 340544 beneath it.
Overall condition of the tunic is very nice, showing light wear from service, especially around the collar area of the shirt. There is also a black grease or paint stain on the left sleeve, with some having gotten onto the armband.
A very nice example of an SA "Brown Shirt" NCO uniform tunic with some lovely insignia and an original armband. Ready to research and display!
Approx. Measurements:
The S.A.-
TheSturmabteilung, literally Storm Detachment, was the NSDAP Party's original paramilitary. It played a significant role in Adolf AH's rise to power in the 1920s and 1930s. Its primary purposes were providing protection for NSDAP rallies and assemblies, disrupting the meetings of opposing parties, fighting against the paramilitary units of the opposing parties, especially the Red Front Fighters League (Rotfrontkämpferbund) of the Communist Party of Germany (KPD), and intimidating Romani, trade unionists, and, especially, Jews – for instance, during the NSDAP boycott of Jewish businesses.
The SA were also called the "Brownshirts" (Braunhemden) from the color of their uniform shirts, similar to Benito Mussolini's blackshirts. The SA developed pseudo-military titles for its members, with ranks that were later adopted by several other NSDAP Party groups, chief amongst them the Schutzstaffel (SS), which originated as a branch of the SA before being separated. Brown-colored shirts were chosen as the SA uniform because a large number of them were cheaply available after World War I, having originally been ordered during the war for colonial troops posted to Germany's former African colonies.
The SA became disempowered after Adolf AH ordered the "blood purge" of 1934. This event became known as the Night of the Long Knives (die Nacht der langen Messer). The SA continued to exist, but was effectively superseded by the SS, although it was not formally dissolved until after NSDAP Germany's final capitulation to the Allies in 1945.
