Insignia, Sleeve, Administrative, Kriegsmarine

On entering Kriegsmarine service all personnel were assigned and trained for a specific career. These careers consisted of a wide variety of specialty trades and functions with some of the careers restricted to certain rank groups. On successful completion of the appropriate training, personnel were issued distinctive career insignia to be worn on the upper left sleeve of the uniforms. In all the Kriegsmarine utilized no fewer then twenty-five assorted trade badges with most being carried over from the Weimar, Reichsmarine, (National Navy Circa 1919-1933), era. For EM/NCO’s the career insignia could be worn combined with the rank insignia or as separate insignia. Enlisted ranks of Matrose up to and including Hauptgefreiter career insignia were generally embroidered on small, round, bases while NCO ranks of Maat up to and including Oberdeckoffizier career insignia were on larger, vertically oval bases and could come in embroidered or stamped alloy versions. Regulations dictated that the base color of the insignia was to match the color of the uniform it was worn on. Original enlisted administrative personnel utilized a Latin "V", sleeve insignia, indicating Verwaltungs, (Administration), until regulations of 1935 introduced a new sleeve insignia that was utilized for the duration of the war.