{"product_id":"original-german-wwii-nskk-rottenfuhrer-section-leader-service-tunic-from-sturm-24-motorstandarte-78","title":"Original German WWII NSKK Rottenführer Section Leader Service Tunic From Sturm 24 \/ Motorstandarte 78","description":"\u003cp\u003eOriginal Item: Only One Available. The National Socialist Motor Corps (NSKK) was a paramilitary organization of the NSDAP that officially existed from May 1931 to 1945. The group was a successor organization to the older National Socialist Automobile Corps (NSAK), which had existed since April 1930.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe NSKK served as a training organization, mainly instructing members in the operation and maintenance of high-performance motorcycles and automobiles. The NSKK was further used to transport NSDAP and SA officials\/members. The NSKK also served as a roadside assistance group in the mid-1930s, comparable to the modern-day American Automobile Association or the British Automobile Association. The outbreak of World War II in Europe caused the NSKK ranks to be recruited to serve in the transport corps of various German military branches. There was also a French section of the NSKK, which was organized after the German occupation of France began in 1940. The NSKK was the smallest of the NSDAP Party organizations.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOriginally part of the SA, members of the NSKK originally wore the same \"Brown Shirt\" tunics and uniforms of that organization. After becoming an independent organization, they began wearing the \u003cem\u003eNSKK.-Dienstrock\u003c\/em\u003e (service tunic), which were much more similar to the standard military uniform.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis lovely NSKK Service Tunic belonged to a \u003cem\u003eRottenführer\u003c\/em\u003e (Section Leader) with Sturm 24 of the Motorstandarte 78. It is made from olive brown wool, with a saddle brown collar and French cuffs on the end of the sleeves. It features a 4 button front closure and four pockets on the front with scalloped flaps. All of the pebbled buttons are magnetic with aluminized paint on the front, and are maker marked on the back. They are sewn directly to the fabric of the uniform. The interior of the tunic is lined with golden brown rayon around the body, and striped white rayon inside the sleeves.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe inner left breast pocket still bears its original embroidered fabric maker tag, indicating it was made by \u003cstrong\u003e\u003cem\u003eRudolf Lipps\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e of \u003cstrong\u003eFREIBURG i\/B\u003c\/strong\u003e (Freiburg im Breisgau), located in the Black Forest of Southwest Germany. This looks to be an early issue tunic, made before the RZM system was codified, and it looks to have seen a good amount of service.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe right shoulder of the tunic features a stitched in black and silver “checkered” EM\/NCO \u003cem\u003eschulterklappe\u003c\/em\u003e (shoulder strap), which is in very good service used condition, used with NSKK ranks Sturmmann to Obertruppführer. It features \u003cem\u003eStahlgrün\u003c\/em\u003e (Steel Green) piping around the exterior, with a black base and paper RZM tag. The NSKK retained the district colors from the SA, and \"Steel Green\" could be either the\u003cem\u003e Nordsee\u003c\/em\u003e Group (Western part of Province of Hanover, Oldenburg, and Bremen) or the \u003cem\u003eKurpfalz\u003c\/em\u003e Group (including parts of Hesse and Baden).\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe \u003cem\u003ekragenpatten\u003c\/em\u003e (collar tabs) remain fully stitched on with all devices still properly attached, and are the correct black color with silver \/ white insignia. After separating from the SA the NSKK did away with the district colors on the collar insignia. The right collar tab is the unit tab, and \u003cstrong\u003e24 \/ M78\u003c\/strong\u003e indicates the \u003cem\u003e24th Sturm\u003c\/em\u003e (company), \u003cem\u003e78th Motorstandarte\u003c\/em\u003e (Regiment). The left collar tab has two rank white\/black\/white stripes, for the Senior Enlisted rank of \u003cem\u003eNSKK-Rottenführer\u003c\/em\u003e (Section Leader), equivalent to a German Army \u003cem\u003eObergefreiter\u003c\/em\u003e (Corporal).\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe tunic has the correct insignia for a member of the NSKK, including a high end wool and rayon multi-piece NSDAP \/ SA \u003cem\u003earmelbinde\u003c\/em\u003e (armband) on the left sleeve, which is hand stitched in place with red thread. Lower down on the sleeve is a First Pattern NSKK \u003cem\u003eKraftfahrraute\u003c\/em\u003e (Driver's Diamond) insignia, made from a silvered stamped wheel insignia on a black background. The right sleeve features a Bevo aluminum bullion embroidered \u003cstrong\u003eNSKK\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003cem\u003e\u003cspan\u003eÄrmelabzeichen \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e(Sleeve Insignia), indicating pre-1939 issue, when this badge was moved to the left sleeve.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThere is also a very nice three award medal ribbon bar over the upper left breast pocket, which indicates the owner received the War Merit Cross Second Class KvKII, the NSDAP Long Service Award 3rd class (10 years), and the 1936 Berlin Summer Olympic Games Medal. These are exactly the type of awards we would expect to see on an early issued NSKK tunic.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOverall condition is very good, particularly the exterior, which shows light wear but no major damage from use. We checked it for moth and other damage, and were not able to find any. The insignia and other components all show some light wear consistent with use in service. The lining shows more wear, with fraying, repairs, tears, and areas worn completely through. The rayon is not as resilient as the wool shell, so it gets damaged with much less wear. It was not uncommon at the time for tunics such as these to have the entire lining replaced at some point, but this is definitely original.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eReady to research and display!\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMeasurements:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eCollar to shoulder: 9\"\u003cbr\u003eShoulder to sleeve: 26”\u003cbr\u003eShoulder to shoulder: 15.5”\u003cbr\u003eChest width: 18\"\u003cbr\u003eWaist width: 18.5\"\u003cbr\u003eHip width: 22\"\u003cbr\u003eFront length: 33\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eHistory of the NSKK\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe National Socialist Motor Corps (NSKK) was a successor organization to the older National Socialist Automobile Corps (NSAK), which had existed since being formed on 1 April 1930. Legends about the actual emergence of the NSKK go back as far as 1922, when the publisher of the Völkischer Beobachter (People's Observer) and founding member of the German Workers' Party (DAP), Dietrich Eckart, allegedly purchased trucks so the SA could perform their missions and transport propaganda materials. Martin Bormann founded the NSAK, which itself was the successor to the SA Motor Squadrons (Kraftfahrstaffeln). AH made the NSAK an official NSDAP organization on 1 April 1930. The NSAK was responsible for coordinating the use of donated motor vehicles belonging to party members, and later expanded to training members in automotive skills. Adolf Hühnlein was appointed Korpsführer (Corps Leader) of the NSAK, which was to serve primarily as a motorized corps of the Sturmabteilung (SA). Hühnlein became the organization's \"nucleus\".\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe organization's name was changed to the National Socialist Motor Corps (Nationalsozialistisches Kraftfahrkorps; NSKK), becoming official on 1 May 1931. It was essentially a paramilitary organization with its own system of paramilitary ranks and the smallest of the NSDAP organizations. Despite its relatively smaller size, when the NSDAP celebrated Braunschweiger SA-day on 18 October 1931, the NSKK had upwards of 5,000 vehicles at its disposal to move men and materials.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe primary aim of the NSKK was to educate its members in motoring skills or what was called \"fitness in motoring skills\" (Motorische Ertüchtigung), but it also transported NSDAP and SA officials. In the mid-1930s, the NSKK also served as a roadside assistance group, comparable to the modern-day American Automobile Association or the British Automobile Association.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMembership in the NSKK did not require any prior knowledge of automobiles. It was thought that training in the NSKK would make up for any previous lack of knowledge. Under the guidance of the police, numerous NSKK men were stationed at traffic junctions and trained in traffic control.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOn 20 July 1934, weeks after the major purge of the SA in what became known as the Night of the Long Knives, the NSKK was separated and promoted into an independent NSDAP organization. From 1935 onward, the NSKK also provided training for Panzer crews and drivers of the Heer (German Army). The NSKK had two sub-branches within the organization known as the Motor-HJ (Motor-HJ Motor-HJ) and Naval NSKK (Marine-NSKK). The Motor-HJ branch was formed by Reichsjugendführer (HJ Leader) Baldur von Schirach after he became a member of the NSKK. It operated 350 of its own vehicles for educational and training purposes. The Naval NSKK trained men in the operation and maintenance of boats.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDuring the 1936 Olympics in Berlin, the NSKK assumed responsibility for a variety of transport tasks, proving themselves effective at political propaganda by transporting foreign visitors around on designated tours. By 1938, NSKK members were undergoing mechanical and operational training for both civilian and military type vehicles. Over time, the training at NSKK schools became primarily focused on military related tasks. For services to the NSKK and due in part to the general success of the NSKK, Hühnlein was promoted to the position of a Reichsleiter of the NSDAP in 1938. Hühnlein was NSKK Korpsführer from 1931 until he died in 1942, when Erwin Kraus took over.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Original Items","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":42727588626501,"sku":"ONJR25APNS117","price":1395.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1524\/1342\/files\/ONJR25APNS117__05.jpg?v=1746659437","url":"https:\/\/www.ima-usa.com\/products\/original-german-wwii-nskk-rottenfuhrer-section-leader-service-tunic-from-sturm-24-motorstandarte-78","provider":"International Military Antiques","version":"1.0","type":"link"}