Lampasse

Lampasse(s) (German: Lampasse(n).) are in a large number of national armed forces trouser stripes. In German speaking countries as General Staff–qualified officers, their uniform featured these distinctive double-wide lampasses.[1] Because of the similar spelling, it should not be mixed up with the Lampas (French: Lampas).) which is of different meaning.

Emperor Franz Joseph 1st, with golden double-wide lampasses

Germany

The lampasses of the General Staff–qualified officers up to colonel were in carmine. However general uniforms featured lampasses in corps colour (German: Waffenfarbe.), e.g. Air Force in Skyblue.

For general officers of the German Bundeswehr the tradition to use lampasses was given up[2] in 1956. However, general officers of the National People's Army, Volkspolizei and Stasi, as well as flag officers of the Volksmarine wore double-wide lampasses on uniform trousers in the appropriate corps colour until 1990.

See also
Main article: Corps colours (NPA)

In Germany today the general officers of the Bundespolizei wear double-wide Lampasses in deep green.

Historical examples
  • Red double-wide lampasses of the Wuerttemberg 3rd Kavalery-Regiment, 1825.
  • Red double-wide lampasses of the Prussian General officers.
  • Field Marshal Sir Henry Evelyn Wood VC, GCB, GCMG with gold-lampasses.
  • Mounted officer with red lampasses.
  • Friedrich Wilhelm III with red double-lampasses.
  • Soviet marshals, Zhukov and Rokossovsky in 1945.

Lampasses today

Lampasses are worn even today in a large number of national armed forces on dress uniform, full dress uniform, or duty uniform of general officers. The gold-coloured lampasses of the US-Cavalry is also well known.

See also

Sources / references
  1. BROCKHAUS Encyclopaedia in 24 Volumes, volume 13: 3-7653-3673-4, 2001, P. 27. (in German)
  2. Word and tradition in the German Army (de: Heer), by Transfeldt – v. Brand – Quenstedt, 6th increased edition, Hamburg 11 H.G. Schulz 1967, p. 55/§76, Lampasse
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