History

The SS-Sicherheitsdienst was a counter-espionage service that was established in June 1931. The organisation was tasked with seeking out and destroying the internal enemies of the Nazi Regime. The powers of the SD were dramatically increased in 1936 when Adolf Hitler ordered the SS to take control of the German Police.

From the institution of the organisation until January of 1942, the SD wore the same insignia as the Allgemeine SS. After this date, a new style of shoulder board that was similar to the Police pattern was introduced. The new style of shoulder boards were produced with a distinctive green underlay to distinguish the SD from the other SS formations. Bronze pips were added to the shoulder boards to denote the ranks from SS-Obersturmführer up to and including SS-Oberführer, while aluminum pips were added to shoulder boards to denote the ranks from SS-Gruppenführer and above.

The boards for the ranks of SS-Sturmmann up to and including SS-Sturmscharführer have a black underlay. The boards for the ranks of SS-Untersturmführer up to and including SS-Oberführer have a primary black underlay, as well as a secondary green underlay. The ranks of SS-Brigadeführer up to and including SS-Obergruppenführer have a green underlay only.