Verwaltungspolizei Schirmmutze

[W.Unland]

Hello,

Here is another fairly rare piece of police headgear. This is an "EREL" "PRIVAT" grade cap to an administrative police officer, piped in gray for this police branch. These are rare as these were basically "non-uniformed" police officials, and uniforms were only utilized on rare ocassions.

The administrative police include building and mine inspectors, health inspectors, and other "non-criminal" investigators. All members were of officer's pay grade, although there is evidence that senior nco's (meister) ranks existed as a training or some other probationary rank. Consequently enlisted insignia from this branch are MUCH more rare than that of officers.

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Edited July 10, 2006 by W.Unland

[W.Unland]

These "EREL" caps have a very nice shape and high peak to them. Here is a 3/4 view.

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[W.Unland]

This one is VERY unusual as it has TWO vent holes one behind the cocade as is normal, but one also behind the eagle,

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[W.Unland]

And lastly a shot of the typical light green interior of the EREL "PRIVAT" class of hat.

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Regards,

Bill Unland

[W.Unland]

The eadle is NOT a typical officer's two piece but rather a very highly frosted enlisted eagle. If original to the cap, this might suggest that this cap was worn by a "meister", as they were entitled to officer's hat cords, but would probably wear an EM grade eagle.

Here is a shot of this unusual, obviously private purchase insignia.

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[fknorr]

Very nice hat!

It would make a great addition to any collection (including mine, Hint, Hint )

Again, nice piece!

[Guest Rick Research]

I thought that the Kriminalpolizei also wore this, when in uniform at all, with red and gray piped shoulder boards, and all other piping gray?

[W.Unland]

Dear Rick,

To my knowledge only the administrative police wore gray piping. Uniforms and caps are not really my thing,

eagles are, but from what I have always read this was the case. I believe criminal investigators were a branch of the schutzpolizei and would have worn a green piping, but again; I am not the expert on such matters.

The red and gray shoulder boards were the early version of the Verwaltungpolizei boards. Later, I think 1943 the red was dropped and a straight gray was used. Here are a pair of such boards for a senior nco that I have.

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Regards,

W.Unland

[Ernst]

The Kriminalpolizei would not wear these uniforms. If they were uniformed at all. As far as I know the Criminal police (Kriminalpolizei) wore civilian clothes when on duty. If they needed assistance from the guys in uniform they could call in the help of the Schutzpolizei or the Gendarmerie.

From the introduction of the Grey piped Verwaltungspolizei uniform there also existed the shoulderboards with only grey piping (without red) this was used by the highest function/grade officers.

The use of the red "Nebenfarbe" was discontinued per order of november 1944 onwards. No new shoulderboards would be bought normally and the red "inbetween" color would simply be removed.

For a complete list of the Verwaltungspolizei shoulderboards you may want to check out my website section "insignia/shoulderboards/Verwaltungspolizei"

kind regards

Ernst

btw Bill, excellent pair of Meister boards !!

Edited January 11, 2007 by Ernst