BACKGROUND: The SA, Sturm Abteilung, (Storm/Assault Detachment), was originally formed in the August 1921 as a protective guard unit for the political leaders of the fledgling NSDAP, National Sozialistische Deutsche Arbeiter Partei, (National Socialist German Worker’s Party), and as with the NSDAP the SA was structure along para-military lines. The SA recruited most of its personnel from the ranks of the various Freikorps, (Free Corps), groups composed mainly of disgruntled, ex-WWI soldiers and was first utilized in it’s capacity as body guards of NSDAP politicians at a NSDAP meeting in Munich in November 1921. In November 1926 the NSDAP and the SA adopted the brown shirt "Traditions", uniform and a series of collar tabs were established to identify the unit and the rank/position of the wearer. By 1933 the collar tabs of the SA were relatively stabilized and underwent minor modifications in 1934, 1938/39 and 1940/41. The post-1933 modifications were mostly related to coloration alterations although a few rank alterations were also enacted. Generally the collar tabs for the ranks of SA-Sturmmann to SA-Obersturmbannführer denoted the wearer’s unit by a numeral and color combination on the left hand side and the individual’s rank by a series of pips and/or tress on the right hand side. Of Note: The RZM, Reich Zeug Meisterei, (National Equipment Quartermaster), was officially founded in June 1934 in Munich by the NSDAP as a Reich Hauptamt, (State Central Office), and was based on the earlier SA ,Quartermaster’s Department. The functions of the RZM were not only to procure and distribute items to Party formations, including the SA, but also to approve chosen designs and to act as a quality control supervisor to ensure items manufactured for the Party met required specification and were standardized.

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: The embroidered (right) collar tab has a capital "R3" followed by "133" The "R" indicates reserve status, the "3" the 3rd "Sturm," and the "133" the 133rd "Standarte". The combination of white, Arabic numerals on a dark green base, if considered "emerald," was used by groups "Sachsen" and "Nordmark" from 1933 onwards, and if considered "steel green," by group "Nordsee" from 1933 onwards, and group "Kurpfalz" from 1934 onwards. The embroidered, rather than chain stitched, numerals, and the solid piping establishes the tab as being the pattern used from 1939 until the piping for enlisted ranks was discontinued in 1942. Nice pair.