Schutztruppe Feldwebel Shoulder Insignia

Reproduction DSWA Feldwebel Shoulder Insignia

Here is a modern recreation of the shoulder insignia of a senior NCO in the Deutsch Südwestafrika Schutztruppe.  The feldwebel was the highest level NCO in Imperial Germany and functioned as Company Sergeant Major.  The triangular chevron with four metallic silver stripes (with blue cloth backing for DSWA) was worn by the feldwebel on the left shoulder as a detachable shoulder patch with hooks at the corners.  However, such chevrons were only worn with the tropical uniforms (either white or khaki (feldrock) and also the kord litewka.  The home and kord waffenrock uniforms, on the other hand, featured collar and cuff rank insignia instead. 

The diligent painter, therefore, should indicate NCO rank based on the appropriate style for the uniform. Senior NCOs (feldwebel or vice-feldwebel) also wore the closed sword knot without fringe (Portapee), as seen on the feldwebel in the image, below.