BACKGROUND: On December 22ND 1920 the Reichsheer, (National Army), instituted a system of sleeve rank insignia for enlisted personnel. The Reichsheer system remained in effect until the newly formed Wehrmacht Heer, (Armed Forces, Army), introduced a new system on September 25TH 1936 that included the Oberschütze sleeve rank pip. Originally the base material of the standard issue rank insignia was in field-grey badge cloth until regulations of October 1935 altered the base material to a blue/green badge cloth. Further regulations on April 25TH 1940 altered the base material of the standard issue insignia to field-grey wool while the coloration of the base material for specialized uniforms such as the black panzer wrap or the olive/drab tropical tunic utilized the base color of the uniform.

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: The second pattern Oberschütze rank insignia, introduced in September 1936. A machine embroidered rank pip in silver/grey thread on a 55mm diameter off-white HBT base. The edges of the base are reinforced in a similarly-colored material.