History

The RAD (Reichsarbeitsdienst = Reich Labour Service) was officially established on June 26, 1935 as the sole, and compulsory, labour service of Germany. Its purposes were to help the economy, curb unemployment, and indoctrinate its members with the NSDAP ideology, as well as play its part in militarising the German population.

The FAD (Freiwilliger Arbeitsdienst = Voluntary Labour Service) was the precursor of the RAD in the early 1930s. Official uniform regulations were first introduced on October 1, 1933, with modifications made in July 1934. It is also known as NSAD (Nationalsozialistischer Arbeitsdienst = National Socialist Labour Service).

The earliest uniforms were a not entirely successful attempt at standardisation. They gave way to a second wave of FAD uniforms that, when the RAD was established, experienced no significant changes.

Members of Enlisted Ranks wore trousers, while Leaders wore either breeches or trousers. The trousers are usually made from the same colour and material as the tunic. Officers wore a dark brown stripe down the outer seams. Oberarbeitsführer had a dark brown stripe on each side of the seam piping. General ranks, that is Generalarbeitsführer and above, wore black side stripes.