Original Item: Only One Available. The NSDAP or Nationalsozialistische Deutsche ArbeiterPartei, (National Socialist German Worker’s Party), was originally founded in Munich as the DAP, Deutsche Arbeiterpartei, (German Worker’s Party), on January 5TH 1919. When Adolf AH joined the DAP in the autumn of 1919 he was to reform what was basically a debating society into an active political party. Appointed as the first chairman of the party on July 29TH 1921, AH was to restructure it along para-military lines in a hierarchy.

This new NSDAP structure consisted of four ascending levels of government: the Ortsgruppenleitung (Local group leadership), the Kreisleitung (District leadership), the Gauleitung (Regional District leadership), and the Reichsleitung (National leadership). Each group was distinguished by a specific color of piping on the collar tabs and visor cap. From 1936 to 1939 in this scheme, light blue was for the Ortsgruppe level, black for Kreis level, burgundy red for Gau level, and gold yellow for the Reich level. After that the Kreis level changed to white piping.

Ortsgruppenleiter (Local Group Leader) was a NSDAP Party political rank and title which existed between 1930 and 1945. The term first came into being during the German elections of 1930, and was held by the head NSDAP member of a town or city, or in larger cities, of a neighborhood, for the purposes of election district organization. After 1933, through the process of Gleichschaltung, the position of Ortsgruppenleiter evolved into the NSDAP leader of a large town or city or of a city district.

This lovely armband is constructed of a red wool/cotton blend cloth with a central black swas on a white rayon field, all bordered by yellow/gold cotton thread. To the center is a band of gold bullion wire oak leaves with the top and bottom bordered by two narrow bands of gold bullion wire threads, the outer edges also bear narrow bands of gold bullion wire threads. Light blue piping completes the outer edges, pinned into the center of the swas is a single brass pip with an NSDAP style German national eagle embossed in the center. Total length is 19 1/4” with a width of 5 1/8”. The armband is in very good, lightly worn condition, showing some staining in areas, and a few moth mips. There also is a bit of fraying on the bullion, especially near the ends.

The inner side still features the original RZM tag which is a complete example. The tag has a correct “J” tax code and features a RZM logo. The ink stamped numerical designation of the hersteller (manufacturer) is A4/343 and has the lot No. 117925 beneath it.

This lovely armband would pair nicely with a uniform or a dagger! Comes ready to display.

Orts Role in Municipal Government
After the founding of NSDAP Germany, the political rank of Ortsgruppenleiter was held by the chief NSDAP member in a municipal area. In many situations, town and city administration overlapped with the NSDAP political system, meaning that the traditional local government was overshadowed, if not entirely replaced, by NSDAP leadership. Traditional government titles did continue to exist, such as Bürgermeister; however, if these positions were not already held by a corresponding NSDAP official, city government was little more than a rubber stamp to NSDAP designs.

During World War II, the position of Ortsgruppenleiter encompassed a large amount of responsibility and power as it was these NSDAP officials who typically ran the city civil defense systems as well as the allocation of war rations and civil relief efforts. As Germany was invaded and defeat became imminent, NSDAP leaders in major towns and cities also became ad hoc military commanders in charge of mixed-unit German forces and Volksturm units.

Between 1930 and 1932, the political rank of Ortsgruppenleiter was denoted by a braided shoulder cord and a white collar bar worn on a NSDAP Party brown shirt. After 1933, the rank was denoted by two light yellow collar bars. The actual rank of Ortsgruppenleiter was phased out of the Party in 1939, replaced by a large number of expanded paramilitary political titles. The position of Ortsgruppenleiter was after this time typically held by a Party Member with the rank of Abschnittsleiter, paired as well with a political armband denoting the specific position of Ortsgruppenleiter.