BACKGROUND: On December 22ND 1920 the Reichsheer instituted a system of sleeve rank insignia for enlisted personnel. The Reichsheer system remained in effect until the newly formed Wehrmacht Heer introduced a new system on September 25TH 1936. 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 in April 1940 altered the base material of the standard issue insignia to field-grey wool while the 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. Of Note: The bright silver/aluminum tress was replaced with a subdued tress as per regulations of April 25TH 1940. This example is the 1936-45 pattern rank insignia for Obergefreiter’s with less than six years service.

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: The insignia consists of the early pattern, (circa 1936-1940), dual, "V" shaped, bright silver/aluminum, diamond patterned tress chevrons, mounted on an inverted triangular blue/green badge cloth base. Near mint and nice!