page_title: Ranks and insignia of the German Army (1935–1945)
section_title: Collar patch (Kragenpatte, Kragenspiegel)
hierarchical_section_title: Ranks and insignia of the German Army (1935–1945) / Insignia / Collar patch (Kragenpatte, Kragenspiegel)
caption_attribution_description: Museum Humpisquartier, Ravensburg Ausgehuniform bzw. Paradeuniform des Württembergischen Ulanen-Regiments 19, nach 1900; Besitzer: Alfons Jehle (Ravensburg), 5. Eskadron des Ulanen-Regiments 19 in Ulm; Schenkung S. Jehle, Karlsruhe Humpis-Quartier &#160;&#160;Native nameMuseum Humpis-QuartierLocationRavensburg, GermanyCoordinates47°&#160;46′&#160;49.8″&#160;N, 9°&#160;36′&#160;57.24″&#160;E &#160;Established2009Web pagehttp://www.museum-humpis-quartier.de/Authority control : Q1637298 VIAF:&#8201;128828875 LCCN:&#8201;nb2007020847 GND:&#8201;4565586-8 WorldCat institution QS:P195,Q1637298
context_page_description: The Heer as the German army and part of the Wehrmacht inherited its uniforms and rank structure from the Reichsheer of the Weimar Republic. There were few alterations and adjustments made as the army grew from a limited peacetime defense force of 100,000 men to a war-fighting force of several million men.
  These ranks and insignia were specific to the Heer and in special cases to senior Wehrmacht officers in the independent services; the uniforms and rank systems of the other branches of the Wehrmacht, the Luftwaffe and Kriegsmarine, were different, as were those of the SS which was a Party organization outside the Wehrmacht. The Nazi Party also had its own series of paramilitary uniforms and insignia.
context_section_description: In 19th century German armies, Guard and other elite regiments wore lengths of double braid (Doppellitze) encircling all or most of the collar as a mark of distinction. By the middle of World War I these ornate collars had been reduced to an embroidered representation of short lengths of braid joined at the ends, sewn to patches worn at the front of the collar. When the Reichsheer was established in 1921 as Germany's first national army Litzen were prescribed as the universal collar device for all personnel other than generals, and the Third Reich continued the practice.
  However, for clarification it has to be distinguished between "collar patch" (German: Kragenpatte or Kragenspiegel), and NCO braid (Unteroffizierslitze or Kragenlitze) – the status symbol of all German NCO ranks – encircling the collar of the uniform tunic. An NCO wore both, collar patches, and the collar encircling braid. Commissioned officers wore only collar patches.
caption: Doppellitze, ca. 1900
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