# Corps colours of the German Army (1935–1945)

Corps colours, or Troop-function colours (German: Waffenfarben) were worn in the German Army (Heer) from 1935 until 1945 in order to distinguish between several branches, special services, corps, rank groups, and appointments of the ministerial area, the general staff, and the Oberkommando der Wehrmacht (OKW). The corps colours were part of the pipings, gorget patches, shoulder straps, as well as part of the arabesque and lampasse of any general officer and flag officer. It was also part of heraldic flags, colours, standards, and guidons.

## Corps colours of the Heer

In the Heer there was a strictly defined systematic of corps colours on collar patchs, uniform piping, and coloured edging around the shoulder boards or shoulder straps. The corps colours of the Reichswehr (1921 until ca. 1935) were almost identical to these of the Wehrmacht.

### Synoptic table and examples to military persons in uniform

The table below contains some corps colours and examples used by the German Army from 1935–45.
| Troops, unit, appointment | Caps colour | Example | Example | Remark |
| General officers (Festungsbaupioniere, Waffenoffiziere, and Feuerwerker) Artillery corps Assault guns (Sturmgeschütze) Heavy flak | Deep red (Hochrot) | | | General der Waffengattung (arabesque and shoulder strap) |
| General officers (Festungsbaupioniere, Waffenoffiziere, and Feuerwerker) Artillery corps Assault guns (Sturmgeschütze) Heavy flak | Deep red (Hochrot) | | | Standard of the artillery |
| Kriegsministerium (later Oberkommando der Wehrmacht) General staff corps officers Veterinary service | Crimson (Karmesinrot) | | | Chief of the OKW until 1941 General staff corps officers (Oberkommando) General staff corps officers (others) Hufbeschlaglehrmeister (Farrier master instructor) |
| Field chaplains | Purple (#C154C1) | N/A | | |
| Chemical troops Nebelwerfer Reichskriegsgericht | Bordeaux red (Bordo, bordeauxrot) | | | Unteroffizier (Fahnenjunker-Unterfeldwebel) Standard |
| Infantry Motorised infantry Local defence units (Landesschützen) Light Anti Aircraft (Fla) | White (White) | | | Oberstleutnant Standard of the infantry |
| Panzertruppe Motor maintenance troops (from 1942) | Rose-pink (Rosa) | | | Mannschaft Troops standard |
| Signals | Lemon-yellow (#FFEE00) | | | Oberleutnant Troops standard |
| Signals | Light-brown until 1937 | | | Oberleutnant Troops standard |
| Cavalry Armoured reconnaissance units with cavalry traditions Reconnaissance | Golden-yellow (#F7B600) | | | Rittmeister Troops standard |
| Feldgendarmerie Recruiting and replacement (Wehrersatzwesen) | Orange-yellow (#ff8000) | | | Leutnant Company pennant |
| Motorcycle infantry (Kradschützentruppe) | Copper-brown (#DA8A67) | | N/A | Oberleutnant |
| Panzergrenadiertroops | Meadow-green (#60c000 from 1943) | | N/A | Oberst |
| Jäger (light infantry troops [hunters]) Gebirgsjäger (mountain troops [mountain hunters]) Skijäger (ski troops [ski hunters]) | Light green (Hellgrün) | | | Leutnant Troops standard |
| Transportation troops (until 1942 (Fahrtruppen) Supply troops (from 1942) (Nachschubtruppen) | Blue (#00AEEF) | | | Major Oberfeldwebel Troops standard |
| Military medical service (Sanitätstruppe) | Medical-blue (dark-blue) | | | Feldunterarzt Arabesque for administrative generals (OF6 to OF7) |
| War correspondents Propaganda troops | Light-grey | | N/A | Leutnant |
| Construction troops (Bautruppen) | Light-brown until 1943 | | | Stabsfeldwebel Troops standard |
| (Combat engineers) (Pioniere) Assault engineers Armoured engineers Fortress engineers Railway engineers Construction engineers (from 1943) (Baupioniere) | Black | | | Stabsfeldwebel Troops standard |
| Main colour of the uniform | Field-grey | Equal uniform colour for the Waffen-SS and military administration | Equal uniform colour for the Waffen-SS and military administration | Equal uniform colour for the Waffen-SS and military administration |

## Corps colours of the Heeresverwaltung

During World War II, officials of the “Army administration” (Heeresverwaltung, short HV), regardless of those serving in the Wehrmacht, war economy, or in military education facilities, etc., wore military rank insignias similar to those of the Wehrmacht.

### Synoptic table and examples of Heer officials

Heer officials normally wore, in addition to their dark green main corps colour (Haupt-Waffenfarbe), a secondary colour (Nebenfarbe) denoting their branch. The Nebenfarbe was worn as piping surrounding the collar Litzen and underneath the shoulder boards on top of the dark green Waffenfarbe. In March 1940 distinct Nebenfarben were abolished and replaced with light grey.
The table below contains some corps colours and examples pertaining to military officials in uniform.
| Troops, assignment/appointment | Corps colour | Remark |
| Militärverwaltung (universally) | Dark-green (#00703E) | Main colour of the uniform gorget and collar patch background |
| Officials with general officer rank Officials of military districts (Wehrkreis) | Bright-red (Hochrot) (Red) | Army administration (OF8 to OF6) |
| Officials of the military judicial system | Corn flower blue (Kornblumenblau) | |
| Officials in headquarters or staff appointments/assignments Officials on duty with the OKW or OKH | Crimson (Karmesinrot) (#960018) | |
| Officials of the remount service | Gold-yellow (Goldgelb) (#F7B600) | |
| Officials of standard branches, e.g. paymaster service (Zahlmeisterwesen) | White (Weiß) (white) | |
| Army officials of pharmaceutics | Light-green (Hellgrün) | |
| Officials of the technical services (fortress engineers, geological service, ballistics, etc.) | Black (Schwarz) | |
| Army officials of recruiting and replacement (Wehrersatzwesen) | Orange-red (Orange) (#ff8000) | |
| Teaching staff (non-technical) at Heer academies (Lehrpersonal an Heeresschulen) | Light-brown (Hellbraun) | |
| Officials of the "Reich´s court-martial" (Reichskriegsgericht) | Bordeaux red (#800032) | |