BACKGROUND: The basis of the RAD, Reichsarbeitsdienst, (National Labor Service), dates back, at least, to 1929 with the formation of the AAD (Anhalt Arbeitsdienst) and the FAD-B (Freiwillingen Arbeitsdienst-Bayern), Shortly after Hitler's appointment as Chancellor, (January 1933) the NSDAP consolidated these, and other labor organizations into the NSAD (Nationalsozialist Arbeitsdienst), a national labor service. On June 26TH 1935 the NSAD was re-designated RAD. Originally personnel serving with RAD wore a variety of earlier FAD/NSAD belt buckles until February 15TH 1936 when new pattern belt buckles for Officer's and EM/NCO's were introduced to provided uniformity in dress.

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: Early, injection molded, natural aluminum box buckle with a pebbled base field and a circular, embossed central motif. The central motif features five, high relief embossed sheaves of wheat encompassing an embossed, inverted, smooth, spade head with an embossed, canted, pebbled, swastika on a subtlety textured, domed, circular central field. The buckle shows light chafe wear which has resulted in a minor loss of detailing. The reverse of the buckle is a mirror image of obverse. The reverse has an integral, raised, slotted buckle catch and separate prong bar and prongs all intact. Maker marked and dated for 1936.