Nazi concentration camp badge

Nazi concentration camp badges were colored pieces of fabric used by the Nazis to identify concentration camp prisoners during World War II.

Prisoners had to sew these badges onto their uniform jackets and pants. The badges used a color coding system to show why each prisoner had been sent to the camp.^[1] Different colors and shapes had different meanings. The prisoners were required to wear these badges of shame.

The badges helped guards assign tasks to the prisoners. If a prisoner's badge marked them as an escape suspect, the SS would not allow them to work outside the camp fence. If a prisoner had an F on their badge (meaning they were French), guards could force them to help translate instructions to new prisoners from France. If a guard looked at a prisoner and saw a green badge, the guard knew right away that the person was a convicted criminal. Guards often assigned these "green triangles" to be kapos. These were prisoners who were assigned to help the SS run the camps. Many kapos used abuse and violence to control other prisoners.

Some historical monuments use images of these identification badges to symbolize the victims of the concentration camps.

Today, some people use a pink triangle emblem to symbolize gay rights.

1. ↑ "The History Place – Holocaust Timeline: Nazis Open Dachau Concentration Camp". historyplace.com. Retrieved 27 March 2018.