Original Item: Only One Available. The NSDAP or Nationalsozialistische Deutsche ArbeiterPartei, (National Socialist German Worker’s Party), was originally founded in Munich as the DAP, Deutsche Arbeiterpartei, (German Worker’s Party), on January 5TH 1919. When Adolf AH joined the DAP in the autumn of 1919 he was to reform what was basically a debating society into an active political party. Appointed as the first chairman of the party on July 29TH 1921, AH was to restructure it along para-military lines in a hierarchy.

This new NSDAP structure consisted of four ascending levels of government: the Ortsgruppenleitung (Local group leadership), the Kreisleitung (District leadership), the Gauleitung (Regional District leadership), and the Reichsleitung (National leadership). Each group was distinguished by a specific color of piping on the collar tabs and visor cap. From 1936 to 1939 in this scheme, light blue was for the Ortsgruppe level, black for Kreis level, burgundy red for Gau level, and gold yellow for the Reich level. After that the Kreis level changed to white piping.

This is a very good used condition NSDAP Armband from the Gauleitung (Regional District leadership) level, with the correct burgundy red piping on the edge. The top and bottom edges of the armband are trimmed with a 10mm wide, machine woven horizontal strip of repeating golden yellow celeon oak-leaves, which has 2mm gold piping on either side. This indicates the party rank of Leiter einer Hauptstelle (Head Area Leader) due to the extra gold piping.

This lovely armband is constructed of a red wool/cotton blend cloth with a central black swas on a white rayon field, all bordered by yellow/gold thread. The golden oak leaf borders and piping are machine stitched to the band, and look great. Total length is 16 1/2” with a width of 5”. The armband is in very good used condition, with the colors still very vibrant. It does show some staining, and there also is light mothing and/or wear to the fuzzy "nap" of the fabric in areas. It has been machine stitched together at the rear, so this is an armband that was actually used, and not one that sat in a depot.

A very nice example of one of these highly decorative armbands! Gau level NSDAP armbands are not easy to find, and this is the first example of this rank that we have had! Comes ready to display!