Original Item: Only One Available. The Reich Labor Service (Reichsarbeitsdienst or RAD) was a major organization established in NSDAP Germany as an agency to help mitigate the effects of unemployment on the German economy, militarize the workforce and indoctrinate it with NSDAP ideology. It was the official state labor service, divided into separate sections for men and women.

From June 1935 onward, men aged between 18 and 25 may have served six months before their military service. During World War II compulsory service also included young women and the RAD developed into an auxiliary formation which provided support for the Wehrmacht armed forces.

This is a really phenomenal shield-shaped sign measuring 20 x 26”. The sign is painted white with a red border and has some overlapping painted words, but from what we can make out, it reads:

RES
9-10
Zeltreine 8 / 5
Zelt 27

This would indicate the sign was posted outside of Tent Shelter 8 and then 5 as it was painted over. There are two small (about 3" wide) included photographs which show a similar sign being hung outside of an RAD tent shelter with a very similar formatting, so we are confident that is what this sign is. They are pictured in the main photograph but are NOT to scale, as they are probably only as big as the number "10" on the sign.

This is a really phenomenal piece, and was certainly used by RAD during the war. Would make for a phenomenal display.

Comes ready for further research and display!

The basis of the RAD, Reichsarbeitsdienst, (National Labor Service), dates back, at least, to 1929 with the formation of the AAD (Anhalt Arbeitsdienst) and the FAD-B (Freiwillingen Arbeitsdienst-Bayern).  Shortly after AH’s appointment as Chancellor in Jan 1933, the NSDAP consolidated all labor organizations into the NSAD (Nationalsozialist Arbeitsdienst), a national labor service. It served as an agency to help mitigate the effects of unemployment on the German economy, militarize the workforce and indoctrinate it with NSDAP ideology. It was the official state labor service, divided into separate sections for men and women.

On June 26 1935 the NSAD was officially re-designated RAD, and from then onward, men aged between 18 and 25 may have served six months before their military service. During World War II compulsory service also included young women and the RAD developed to an auxiliary formation which provided support for the Wehrmacht armed forces. The RAD was divided into two major sections, one for men (Reichsarbeitsdienst Männer - RAD/M) and the voluntary, from 1939 compulsory, section for young women (Reichsarbeitsdienst der weiblichen Jugend - RAD/wJ).