BACKGROUND: Although military ranks and rank designations can be traced back to the mercenary armies of the 17TH century it wasn’t until the creation of standing armies in the early 18TH century that distinguishing insignia of rank began to be developed. Originally the shoulder straps were functional items designed to secure the saber and ammunition shoulder cross straps and the larger, metal trimmed epaulettes were a throw back to the protective shoulder pieces worn on medieval armor. By 1800 the epaulettes had lost their protective function and were retained as a badge of rank. Generally military shoulder straps would indicate the rank, branch of service and the unit of the wearer. The first pattern shoulder straps utilized by EM/NCO’s during the Third Reich period were a carry over from the Weimar Reichswehr, (National Defence Force, Circa 1919-1933), era and consisted of a pointed tip strap with no waffenfarben, (Branch of Service Color), piping. Originally the first pattern straps were constructed in basic field-grey wool until regulations of December 10TH 1934 altered the material to field-grey badge cloth. Regulations of September 10TH 1935 altered the construction of the field-grey badge cloth straps to a blue/green badge cloth. The first pattern straps were to be replaced with the introduction of the second pattern, rounded tip, shoulder straps with waffenfarbe piping on November 26TH 1938 and production of the first pattern was discontinued in March 1939. The German armed forces utilized a wide variety of shoulder strap cyphers that indicated numerous specific, assorted trades, careers, functions and/or unit designations. Regulations decreed that the shoulder strap cyphers were embroidered in the appropriate branch of service color for EM’s and Junior NCO’s and in silvered metal for Senior NCO’s. Of Note: Due to the lack of the waffenfarbe piping on the first pattern shoulder straps the particular branch of service can not be determined unless the straps have had the unit designation embroidered in the appropriate branch of service color. (EM and Junior NCO’s only). Also Of Note: Enlisted Infantry personnel’s shoulder straps signify the ranks of Schütze, Oberschütze, Gefreiter, Obergefreiter and Stabsgefreiter inclusively.

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: First pattern, (Circa September 1935-March 1939), blue/green badge cloth construction slip on shoulder strap with a pointed tip and no waffenfarbe piping. The shoulder strap features, the chain stitched, embroidered, numerical regimental designation, "63", in white cotton threads. White was the branch of service color allocated to Infantry so the white, numeral indicates service with the 63rd Infantry Regiment.