Original Item: Only One Available. Gorgets hold an interesting place in history, as they are a throw-back to the days of medieval knights, when suits of armor included a neck protection device called a Gorget. They have been used since then to identify membership or function in various military and law enforcement organizations, and Gorgets were thoroughly used throughout the Third Reich.

This is an excellent example of a German Streifendienst (Patrol Duty) gorget for the Reichsarbeitsdienst (National Labor Service or RAD). This was a major paramilitary organization established in NSDAP Germany as an agency to help mitigate the effects of unemployment on the German economy, militarize the workforce and indoctrinate it with National Socialist ideology. It was the official state labor service, divided into separate sections for men and women.

The Streifendienst was an element of the Feldgendarmerie, the German military police from WWII. They were responsible for providing security at RAD sites, such as railway stations across Germany and German-occupied territories during World War II. Their purpose was to maintain order and discipline, ensure rapid movements of troops and equipment, and advise and direct soldiers traveling through the train stations.

This piece is a 1936 model RAD uniform gorget. It was worn by patrol leaders which had a high rank in the German military police. It is a half moon shaped aluminum shield which still retains its bright polish. It has a swas with a shovel in the middle of the gorget, with the text Streifendienst in a banner across the top, which loosely translates as “patrol duty”. Overall condition is excellent with light wear on the front of the plate and chain. The back of the gorget is in beautiful condition and retains almost all of the felt backing, with just a bit of mothing.

We have only had one of these before, and they are definitely one of the rarer gorgets from NSDAP Germany. Ready to display!

The basis of the RAD, Reichsarbeitsdienst, (National Labor Service), dates back, at least, to 1929 with the formation of the AAD (Anhalt Arbeitsdienst) and the FAD-B (Freiwillingen Arbeitsdienst-Bayern). Shortly after AH’s appointment as Chancellor in Jan 1933, the NSDAP consolidated all labor organizations into the NSAD (Nationalsozialist Arbeitsdienst), a national labor service, under the control of Reichsarbeitsführer Konstatin Hierl. It served as an agency to help mitigate the effects of unemployment on the German economy, militarize the workforce and indoctrinate it with NSDAP ideology. It was the official state labor service, divided into separate sections for men and women.

On June 26 1935 the NSAD was officially re-designated RAD, and from then onward, men aged between 18 and 25 may have served six months before their military service. During World War II compulsory service also included young women and the RAD developed to an auxiliary formation which provided support for the Wehrmacht armed forces.

In April 1934 Hierl had developed a uniform, including the distinctive "Robin Hood" style service cap. The design of the cap was based on a cross between a traditional style peasant cap and the traditional hunters cap. Originally the caps were issued with rank distinction piping with black piping for the EM/NCO ranks of Arbeitsmann to Truppführer, silver piping for company and field grade Officer’s ranks of Obertruppführer to Oberstarbeitsführer and gold piping for General Officer’s ranks of Generalarbeitsführer to Reichsarbeitsführer. In 1940 the use of the black piping for the EM/NCO ranks was discontinued but the silver and gold Officer’s piping remained in use until the end of the war.