BACKGROUND: The NSDAP, 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 Hitler 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 Hitler was to restructure it along para-military lines in a hierarchy of four levels. In November 1926 the brown shirt "Traditions" uniform was officially introduced and in 1933 a series of collar tabs were established to identify the rank/position of the wearer. The political leader's collar tabs were to under go four modifications between 1933 and 1939 with some overlapping patterns. These collar tabs are either a second pattern Blockleiter, (Block Leaders), tabs as introduced in 1934 and worn until 1936 or the third pattern Stellenleiter, (Department Leader), tabs as introduced in 1936 and utilized until 1938.

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: Light brown wool construction collar tabs feature a ribbed, "L" shaped gold tress bar with interwoven, repeating swastikas to its forward edges and light blue rayon piping. The light brown wool base and the blue piping indicate the Ortsgruppe, (Local Group), level of government, while the tress bar signifies the rank/position of Block or Department leader. The collar tabs are mounted on light tan buckram backings. Tabs have been removed from a tunic and show nice wear and use.