Brown shirts

The "brown shirts" refers to the paramilitary wing known as the Sturmabteilung (SA) or Stormtroopers, which was one of the most active branches of the Nazi Party. The SA had responsibility for the Hitler Youth and provided military training to civilians. During the rise of the Nazi Party, the SA served as a private army for Adolf Hitler and later became integrated into Germany's military system. By 1935, there were more than 100 divisions known as Brigades of SA troops, including older men over 45 years. These paramilitary units provided continuous military training to a large segment of the civilian populace outside regular military service 1.