History

The DAF (Deutsche Arbeitsfront = German Labour Front) was the result of a forced association of all German trade unions, established on May 10, 1933. Its purpose was the coordination and control of all aspects of German labour to serve the interests of the NSDAP. The DAF leader was Reichsleiter Robert Ley.

The Werkscharen (Factory Brigades) of the DAF were the “soldiers” of the organisation, formed in 1934. They were trained and organised as paramilitary, uniformed units, yet remained unarmed. Beginning in April 1937, active Werkschar units (Stoßtrupps) would wear silver-coloured insignia, while administrators wore gold-coloured insignia. Even though Werkscharen were not affiliated with the Reichsluftschutzbund (RLB, National Air Raid Protection League), during the war they often functioned as factory air raid protection auxiliaries.
Some companies, especially major corporations, used additional security personnel, which were dubbed Werkschutz (Factory Protection), and later Werksicherheitsdienst (Factory Security Service).

The DAF Eastern Nationality Insignia were meant as replacements for the discontinued DAF Foreign Workers Ost Insignia. They split up the Eastern Europeans into Russians, Belorussians, and Ukrainians. All insignia are oval with a symbol inside a ring of sunflowers.

The Russian insignia features a blue St. Andrew’s cross with red outline on white within a red oval with white sunflowers.
The Belorussian insignia features a red stylised sunflower on white within a red oval with white sunflowers.
The Ukrainian insignia features a blue trident on yellow within a blue oval with yellow sunflowers.