Nazi concentration camp badge

Nazi concentration camp badges, made primarily of inverted triangles, were used in the concentration camps in the Nazi-occupied countries to identify the reason the prisoners had been placed there. The triangles were made of fabric and were sewn on jackets and shirts of the prisoners. These mandatory badges had specific meanings indicated by their color and shape.

The shape was chosen by analogy with the common triangular road hazard signs in Germany that denote warnings to motorists. Here, a triangle is called inverted because its base is up while one of its angles points down.

In addition to color-coding, some groups had to put letter insignia on their triangles to denote country of origin. For example, a red triangle with an "F" on it denoted a political prisoner from France.

The most common forms of the badge were:

Pink inverted triangle - a homosexual.
Green inverted triangle - a regular criminal.
Red inverted triangle - a political prisoner.
Purple inverted triangle - a Jehovah's Witness.
Black inverted triangle -
- A vagrant
- A Gypsy
- A woman jailed for "anti-social behavior", i.e., a lesbian, a prostitute or woman who used birth control.

Double triangles:

Two yellow triangles, superimposed upon one another, making the Star of David - a Jew, including Jews by practice or descent.
Pink inverted triangle superimposed upon a yellow one, making the Star of David - a homosexual Jew.

There were many markings. A prisoner would typically have at least two, and possibly more than six:

**Form and Color of Markings of Camp Inmates in the Concentration Camps**
	Political Enemy	Habitual Criminals	Emigrants	Jehovah's Witnesses	Gay males	Asocial behavior and Lesbians
Basic colors		File:Small-triangle-green.jpg			File:Small-triangle-pink.jpg
Markings for Repeaters	File:Small-triangle-rep-red.jpg			File:Small-triangle-rep-purple.jpg	File:Small-triangle-rep-pink.jpg
Inmates of Penal Battalions	File:Small-triangle-penal-red.jpg			File:Small-triangle-penal-purple.jpg	File:Small-triangle-penal-pink.jpg
Markings for Jews	File:Small-triangle-jew-red.jpg	File:Small-triangle-jew-green.jpg	File:Small-triangle-jew-blue.jpg	File:Small-triangle-jew-purple.jpg	File:Small-triangle-jew-pink.jpg	File:Small-triangle-jew-black.jpg
Special Markings	Male Race Defiler	Female Race Defiler	Escape Suspect	Inmate Number Special Inmate: Brown arm band		Applicable marks were worn in descending order as follows: Inmate Number, Repeater Bar, Triangle or Star, Member of Penal Battalion, Escape Suspect
Special Markings	Pole: "P" on a red triangle	Czech: "T" on a red triangle	Member of the Armed Forces: Uninverted red triangle	Inmate Number Special Inmate: Brown arm band