Wehrner Von Braun Uniform

[Hans Knospler]

Now, while Wehrner Von Braun worked under the eyes of the Third Reich on his numurous rocket programs, he was probably issued a uniform. And..his uniform probably had shoulder boards on it.

These are the only colors I know for Third Reich Shoulder Boards:

White = Infantry
Red = Artillery
Green = Mountain Troops (Gebirgsjäger)
Gold = Recon (Aufklärungs)
Orange = Military Police (Feldgendarmerie )
Black = Sappers (Pioneer)
Light Blue = Medical
Pink = Armor (Panzer)
Dark Orange (Not sure) = KZ Guards (Concentration Camp Guards)

So what shoulder boards would Braun wear? Was there some sort of auxiliary shoulder boards?

Thanks
Hans

[Paulus II]

Hi Hans,

This is typically one of those questions that I have no prior knowledge about but that do get me interested.
More than a provisionary answer is all I can do since I'm limited to internet sources on this one.
Someone on this forum will defintitely know more about this and correct me if I'm wrong.
As far as I've been able to find out von Braun joined the NSDAP in December 1932 (not in 1937/8 as is frequently said!) and the SS in 1940.
Presumably he joined the Allgemeine SS but I am not entirely sure of this.
Apparently he never was in the Army and therefore never was issued a uniform. The only uniform that he had (and hardly ever wore) was his SS uniform. It seems that there is only one picture of him in this uniform taken on a visit from Himmler when von Bran was required to wear it. That picture only shows his left shoulder and that doesn't have a shoulderboard on it. The right shoulder (that would have a shoulderboard) is invisible but since it is a (Allgemeine) SS uniform it would not have any form of Waffenfarbe on it.

Now I'll just sit back and wait for the Flak

Cheers,

Paul

[Hans Knospler]

Ok, thankyou very much for the info. I was just wondering, because my grandfather worked personally with him.

[AJAB]

I also heard he was a member of the SS and given the honorary rank of major, but never really wore a military uniform.

[Hans Knospler]

There is only one recorded photo of him wearing the M32 SS Uniform of a Haupsturmfuhrer at Hitler's Eagle nest. Though Ernst Stuhlinger's novel says that he never wore it, other sources say otherwise.