SA Pair of Buttons for the Standard Field Cap of the SA Wehrmannschaften

The buttons for the SA-Wehrmannschaften field cap described here represent a specific element of the uniform equipment of a paramilitary organization that played a significant, albeit controversial, role in the history of National Socialism.

The Sturmabteilung (SA), also known as the “Brownshirts,” was founded in 1921 as the order-keeping force of the NSDAP. Under the leadership of Ernst Röhm, the SA developed into a mass organization that counted several million members by 1934. The SA-Wehrmannschaften represented a special formation within the SA structure, conceived after 1933 as a type of pre-military training unit.

After the seizure of power in 1933, the SA underwent organizational restructuring. The Wehrmannschaften were established as paramilitary units intended to serve as a bridge between civilian SA activities and military training. These units wore special uniform elements that distinguished them from regular SA units.

The field cap (Einheitsfeldmütze) was an important component of the uniforms of these Wehrmannschaften. Unlike the typical SA peaked cap, the field cap represented field-service headgear that was more practical and less formal. The standardization of such uniform parts was accomplished through the Reichszeugmeisterei system (RZM), which from 1929 assumed central control over the manufacture and distribution of NS uniforms and insignia.

The RZM system was introduced to ensure the quality and authenticity of Party equipment while simultaneously exercising economic control over manufacturing. Manufacturers had to register with the RZM and received manufacturer numbers that were affixed to the products. The buttons described here, with a diameter of approximately 16 mm, bear such RZM markings, with the manufacturers not being identical – an indication that the buttons were possibly procured at different times or as replacements.

SA uniforming was subject to strict regulations set forth in various service regulations and orders. The SA service regulations detailed precisely which uniform parts were to be worn and how they were to appear. Buttons, though seemingly insignificant, were important elements of this uniforming and had to conform to prescribed standards.

After the events of the “Röhm Affair” or “Night of the Long Knives” from June 30 to July 2, 1934, when the SA leadership was liquidated on Hitler's orders, the SA lost considerable political significance. The Wehrmacht increasingly assumed the role of military training, and the SA was restricted to representative and propagandistic tasks. The Wehrmannschaften continued to exist, however, albeit with reduced importance.

The button size of approximately 16 mm corresponds to typical measurements for field cap buttons of this period. These were smaller than buttons for uniform jackets but large enough to bear the necessary markings and symbols. SA symbolism on such buttons typically included the SA emblem or corresponding identifications.

From a historical perspective, such objects document the meticulous regimentation and standardization characteristic of National Socialist organization. The fact that even simple buttons were subject to central control and manufacturing regulations illustrates the totalitarian claim of the regime to control all aspects of public and organizational life.

Today, such objects are subjects of military-historical research and collecting. They serve as material witnesses to a dark period of German history and help historians understand the organizational structures and everyday reality of NS paramilitary organizations. The preservation condition of such objects varies greatly, with the condition noted here as “2-” indicating well-preserved but used condition.

Academic engagement with such objects always requires critical contextualization to understand their role within a criminal system without glorifying them. They remain important research objects for understanding the mechanisms of totalitarian rule and paramilitary organization.