Lampasse(s) () are ''trouser stripes'' adorning the dress uniforms of many armed forces,

police The police are a constituted body of persons empowered by a state, with the aim to enforce the law, to ensure the safety, health and possessions of citizens, and to prevent crime and civil disorder. Their lawful powers include arrest and t ...

fire Fire is the rapid oxidation of a material (the fuel) in the exothermic chemical process of combustion, releasing heat, light, and various reaction Product (chemistry), products. At a certain point in the combustion reaction, called the ignition ...

and other public

uniformed services Uniformed services is an abstract term that are generally bodies of people in employment of a state who wear a distinct uniform that differentiates them from the public and private sector. Their purpose is to maintain the peace, security, safety, ...

. In German speaking countries as general staff–qualified officers, their uniform featured these distinctive double-wide lampasses.

Germany

The lampasses of the General Staff–qualified officers up to colonel were in

carmine Carmine ()also called cochineal (when it is extracted from the cochineal insect), cochineal extract, crimson lake, or carmine lake is a pigment of a bright-red color obtained from the aluminium complex derived from carminic acid. Specific code n ...

. However general uniforms featured lampasses in corps colour (), e.g. Air Force in

Skyblue Sky blue is a shade of light blue comparable to that of a clear daytime sky. The term (as "sky blew") is attested from 1681. A 1585 translation of Nicolas de Nicolay's 1576 ''Les navigations, peregrinations et voyages faicts en la Turquie'' in ...

. For general officers of the German

Bundeswehr The ''Bundeswehr'' (, meaning literally: ''Federal Defence'') is the armed forces of the Federal Republic of Germany. The ''Bundeswehr'' is divided into a military part (armed forces or ''Streitkräfte'') and a civil part, the military part con ...

the tradition to use ''lampasses'' was given upWord 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'' in 1956. However, general officers of the

National People's Army The National People's Army (german: Nationale Volksarmee, ; NVA ) were the armed forces of the German Democratic Republic (GDR) from 1956 to 1990. The NVA was organized into four branches: the (Ground Forces), the (Navy), the (Air Force) an ...

Volkspolizei The ''Deutsche Volkspolizei'' (DVP, German for "German People's Police"), commonly known as the ''Volkspolizei'' or VoPo, was the national police force of the German Democratic Republic (East Germany) from 1945 to 1990. The Volkspolizei was a h ...

and

Stasi The Ministry for State Security, commonly known as the (),An abbreviation of . was the Intelligence agency, state security service of the East Germany from 1950 to 1990. The Stasi's function was similar to the KGB, serving as a means of maint ...

, as well as

flag officer A flag officer is a commissioned officer in a nation's armed forces senior enough to be entitled to fly a flag to mark the position from which the officer exercises command. The term is used differently in different countries: *In many countr ...

s of the

Volksmarine The ''Volksmarine'' (VM, ; en, People's Navy) was the naval force of the German Democratic Republic (GDR) from 1956 to 1990. The ''Volksmarine'' was one of the service branches of the National People's Army and primarily performed a coastal d ...

wore ''double-wide lampasses'' on uniform trousers in the appropriate corps colour until 1990. ;See also: In Germany today the general officers of the '' Bundespolizei'' wear double-wide Lampasses in deep green.

Historical examples

{{clear File:Württ. Ulanen Nr. 20 1825.jpg, Red double-wide lampasses of the ''Wuerttemberg 3rd Kavalery-Regiment'', 1825. File:A v Werner - Kaiserproklamation am 18 Januar 1871 (3. Fassung 1885).jpg, Red double-wide lampasses of the Prussian General officers. File:Wood-evelyn.jpg,

Field Marshal Field marshal (or field-marshal, abbreviated as FM) is the most senior military rank, ordinarily senior to the general officer ranks. Usually, it is the highest rank in an army and as such few persons are appointed to it. It is considered as ...

Sir Henry Evelyn Wood VC, GCB, GCMG with gold-lampasses. File:Artyleria konna gwardii.PNG, Mounted officer with red lampasses. File:Friedrich Wilhelm III (Ernst Gebauer).jpg, Friedrich Wilhelm III with red double-lampasses.

Lampasses today

''Lampasses'' are worn even today in a large number of national armed forces on

dress uniform Full dress uniform, also known as a ceremonial dress uniform or parade dress uniform, is the most formal type of uniforms used by military, police, fire and other public uniformed services for official parades, ceremonies, and receptions, incl ...

full dress uniform Full dress uniform, also known as a ceremonial dress uniform or parade dress uniform, is the most formal type of uniforms used by military, police, fire and other public uniformed services for official parades, ceremonies, and receptions, inclu ...

, or duty uniform of general officers. The gold-coloured ''lampasses'' of the US-Cavalry is also well known.

Sources / references

Staff (military) Military insignia