Minifigure – a member or leader of the Reichsarbeitsdienst (RAD), the Reich Labour Service, an official state organization in Nazi Germany (LEGO Compatible)

This image displays a toy minifigure representing a member or leader of the Reichsarbeitsdienst (RAD), the Reich Labour Service, an official state organization in Nazi Germany.

The figure is dressed in the grey service uniform of the RAD. While the filename associates it with the Hitler Youth, the specific insignia is unique to the Labour Service. His headwear is a grey M43-style field cap which features a stylized version of the RAD’s spade head emblem.

The most definitive features are the insignia on the uniform itself. The collar tabs (Kragenspiegel) and shoulder straps are piped in the distinctive red and white on black pattern of the Reich Labour Service. A regional sleeve shield is also visible on the upper left arm. The medal ribbon bar on his chest indicates a decorated individual.

Historical Background: The Reichsarbeitsdienst (RAD) was a major Nazi organization established to combat unemployment and indoctrinate the youth. From 1935, service in the RAD was compulsory for all young German men, who had to serve for six months before their military conscription. They were engaged in manual labor projects like building the Autobahn system. During World War II, the RAD’s role shifted dramatically. It became an essential auxiliary force for the Wehrmacht (armed forces), with its units serving on all fronts. They provided construction and logistical support, building fortifications, repairing roads and airfields, and clearing rubble. In the desperate final years of the war, RAD units were often armed and pressed into direct combat, fighting as infantry or anti-aircraft crews.