Sturmabteilung / SA (NSDAP, Germany)

Assault Division

Last modified: 2002-02-01 by santiago dotor
Keywords: nationalsocialist | nsdap | sa | sturmabteilung | vexillum | swastika | cross: swastika (black) | disc (white) | text: german | deutschland erwache | panel (black) | panel (fimbriated) | canton (black) | flags: 2 |
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• Introduction
• SA Regimental Standard (Standarte der Sturmabteilung)
• SA Company Colour (SA-Sturmfahne)
• SA Cavalry Regiment Standard (SA-Reiterstandarte)
• SA Cavalry Company Pennant (Sturmfahne eines SA-Reitersturmes)
• SA Command Flags (Kommandostander)
• Naval- and Cavalry-SA Command Flags (Marine- und Reiter-SA Kommandostander)
• Unidentified SA Car Pennant (reverse?)

See also:

• Introduction to NSDAP Flags
• Third Reich 1933-1945
• Germany

Other sites:

• SturmAbteilung in the Third Reich Factbook by Marcus Wendel

SturmAbteilung (SA) was founded in 1921 under the name Schutz- und Sportabteilungen [Protection and Sport Division]. The SA was a paramilitary organization created to protect the Nazi meetings and disrupt the other parties. The SA grew rapidly in both numbers and power. When the Nazis came to power, [SA Chief] Ernst Röhm demanded that the SA should replace the Army. This demand frightened the Army and they demanded that Adolf Hitler solve the problem. Hitler did not want to act against his old friend Röhm but in 1934 the Nacht der langen Messer (night of the long knives) ended with Röhm and other SA leaders carried out by the SS which would take the SA's place as the leading Nazi organization.

Marcus Wendel, February 1999

Standarte der Sturmabteilung

5:6      5:6
SA Regiment Munich / SA-Standarte "München"
both by Jaume Ollé

A red vexillum. At the center a black upright swastika with a silver-black border in a white disk with a silver border. Above the disk the word Deutschland (Germany), below the word Erwache (awake!). Surrounded by a silver black-white-red fringe (except at top). Ratio 5:6. Connected by a black-white-red rope to a red rectangle with the name of the unit (earlier with the letters NSDAP). The top of the staff has an eagle grasping a swastika in a wreath.

Norman Martin, February 1998

The tops of the Deutschland Erwache standards are incorrectly drawn. The eagle has spread wings and not closed. This is also valid for the SS, NSKK and the NSFK standards. I have handled some ten different surviving ones in the process of making the book [England and Spronk 1997]. Most of the original photos in the book come from my personal collection.

Otto Spronk, co-author of England and Spronk 1997, 18 May 1999

SA-Sturmfahne

5:6
SA Company 11 of SA Regiment 107 / SA-Sturm 11 der SA-Standarte 107
by Jaume Ollé

5:6
SA Company 1 of the SA Bodyguard Regiment / SA-Sturm 1 der Leibstandarte
N.B.: this canton panel should be blue not black, according to the Organisationsbuch der NSDAP
by Jaume Ollé

I have no knowledge of Landesfarben being used by the Gaue. However there were some sort of Waffenfarben, in the sense of a single colour used in the facings, rank patches etc. of Sturmabteilung (SA) uniforms, as well as on the panel shown above SA standards and in the canton of company colours. As far as I know, however, its use in flags did not go beyond this, and actually the whole system of SA Waffenfarben was discontinued in the mid-1930s. Liliane and Fred Funcken's excellent Arms and Uniforms of the Second World War, volume I, shows most if not all of these colours.

Santiago Dotor, 7 March 2001

The only organization that had colored territorial insignia [in the NSDAP] were the Gruppen of the SA, whose Sturmfahnen had Spiegel ['mirror' — panel in the canton], as well as collar insignia, in the Gruppe colors. SA-Gruppen corresponded to one or more Gaue (average 1.5). Apparently very early on, many of the Gruppe colors had some historical significance, but I don't see any in the 1943 list.

Norman Martin, 7 March 2001

According to Brian Leigh Davis, Badges and Insignia of the Third Reich, SA territorial colours were discontinued in 1938-39.

Santiago Dotor, 8 March 2001

SA-Reiterstandarte

SA Cavalry Regiment 15 / SA-Reiterstandarte 15
by Jaume Ollé

A square red flag with the disk with swastika slightly above the center. Above the disk the letters "Nat.Soz.Deutsche Arbeiterpartei", below the letters "Sturmabteilung" and with small black rectangle in canton.The fringe along the fly and the bottom.

Norman Martin, February 1998

Sturmfahne eines SA-Reitersturmes

1:2
SA Cavalry Company 4 of SA Cavalry Regiment 41 / SA-Reitersturm 4 der SA-Reiterstandarte 41
by Jaume Ollé

by Jaume Ollé