Germany // National Labor Service / 1938-1945
This field cap is from the Reichsarbeitsdienst (or RAD, Reich Labour Service). The The RAD symbol, an arm badge in the shape of a downward pointing shovel blade, was displayed on the hats, caps and on the upper left shoulder of all uniforms and great coats worn by all personnel
Reichsarbeitsdienst (RAD) was the official labour service of the Third Reich. Its history actually began in 1931 when the voluntary Freiwilliger Arbeitsdienst (FAD) was founded. When Hitler came to power it was renamed Nationalsozialist-Arbeitsdienst (NSAD) and in 1934 it was renamed RAD and a six month service was made compulsory.
The RAD was used for various tasks, mainly for reclaiming land for farming, helping with the harvests and construction roads, but also for various emergency relief projects.
The RAD was divided into two major sections, the Reichsarbeitsdienst Mnner (RAD/M) for men and the Reichsarbeitdienst der weiblichen Jugend (RAD/wJ) for women.
The RAD was set up into 40 districts each called an Arbeitsgau (lit. Divisional Work Districts). Each of these districts was headed by an Officer with Headquarters staff and a Wachkompanie (Guard Company). Under each district were between six and eight Arbeitsgruppen,(Workers Groups) battalion sized formations of 1200-1800 men. These groups were finally divided into six company sized formations referred to as a RAD-Abteilung. Each rank and file RAD man was supplied with a spade and a bicycle.
It should be noted that the RAD never was a part of the NSDAP, though of course it was loyal to the nazi ideology.
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