Original Item: Only One Available. A Gauleiter was a regional leader of the NSDAP Party who served as the head of a Gau or Reichsgau. Gauleiter was the third-highest rank in the political leadership, subordinate only to Reichsleiter and to the Führer himself.

The positional title immediately subordinate to the Gauleiter was the Stellvertreter-Gauleiter (Deputy Gau Leader). Between 1933 and 1939, this position was an actual rank, annotated by a single oak leaf collar patch, in contrast to the two used for the Gauleiter. Due to the infighting of NSDAP party politics, regulations had been introduced by 1935 to prevent a Deputy Gauleiter from succeeding his own superior, thus discouraging acts of discrediting a Gauleiter in the hopes that the Deputy would take his place.

The World War II era NSDAP ranks incorporated the Stellvertreter-Gauleiter rank as a positional title, paired with a corresponding NSDAP Party paramilitary rank and doing away with the previous single leaf insignia and the actual rank of Deputy Gauleiter. Accordingly, with the single leaf political insignia discontinued, the insignia of Gauleiter displayed two leaves although a single leaf insignia no longer existed.

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 cotton thread. To the center is a band of gold bullion wire oak leaves with the top and bottom bordered by a single narrow band of gold bullion wire threads, the outer edges also bear narrow bands of gold bullion wire threads. Burgundy piping completes the outer edges, pinned into the center of the swas was a single brass pip with a NSDAP style German national eagle, but is no longer present. Total length is 21” with a width of 5”. The armband is in worn condition with extensive moth nips.

This lovely armband would look very nice framed over a red felt backing! Comes ready to display.