TeNo TN Technische Nothilfe Uniforms, Insignia & Other

[Mike]

Hello!

Beautiful Visor,any marker label inside?

All the best

Nesredep

Thanks , glad you like it and yup ..it's nicely marked

[Mike]

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[nesredep]

Thanks , glad you like it and yup ..it's nicely marked

Hello!

Mike

Thank you for quick help,i agree nicely marked.

All the best

Nesredep

[Paul R]

Thank you for the well written replies and additional militaria. You guys have some real gems. I can see them being destroyed as well. If I were I GI, I would automatically assume that they were SS.

[dblmed]

Thanks Mike! ...... Your EARLY TN Uniform has to be just about the best one known to collecting circles - & it has about ALL of the key elements present! Plus, the condition is superb and you display it so well. A Jewel!

• The 1920 'Honor Cuff Title' is spectacular, and says that the owner was a very early member of the TN (since the origination date was 1919!)
• x
• That super neat right collar tab, with only an "8" (and not the usual Roman Numeral over Arabic Number) on it is still a bit of an unanswered puzzle. It is thought that the single "8" represented that the owner held the position as a member of the Stab / Staff, of a particular Ortsgruppe.
• x
• The small TN Logo buttons which fasten the Shoulder Boards seem to be found mostly on the earlier TN uniforms.
• x
• The circular LD (Luftschutzdienst) 'Trade Badge' is a very special one also. It is not well known, but the TN sub-unit, the LD (Luftschutzdienst) was responsible for training the SHD membership (which was then as large in numbers as the TN!) Then later on (I believe about 1942), the Luftschutzpolizei was formed from merging the SHD into it, in response to the massive damages from Allied bombing. It is thought that some TN members may have stayed on with it, still wearing distinctive TN collar tabs.
• x
• Your visor is so special, that it would take a TR Visor authority to tell us all about it!!! Plus, it's an EREL. It's a WOW....

TN Trade Badges The TeNo Trade Badges have always been the MOST Difficult of the 'Standard' TeNo Cloth for me to find. These Trade Badges are Circular, made of Black Silk (?) / Rayon with White Tread TN Cogwheel and Gothic Lettering for the 7 Trades / Branches of the TN. (I added in the illustration the TYR Rune arrow, awarded for having attended the TN Reichsschule)

Thanks Mike - What splendid TeNo / TN Items.!!!!!!!!!!!!.......Thanks for sharing. ..... Txs, Dave ..... dblmed

Edited November 18, 2008 by dblmed

[Paul R]

Very interesting!! Thanks for posting the trade badges. So the branch color on your tunic is blue?

[dblmed]

Paul R

RE: "Very interesting!! Thanks for posting the trade badges. So the branch color on your tunic is blue?"

You have me stumped on this one! I've been looking for the 'branch color' Answer for a week, with no results!

I'd never stopped to think about 'where' the Branch Color would show up / be worn! Thanks for the question!

What is known about TN 'Colors' in general, is that:

1A- Standard uniform color is: Marine Dunkelblau

1B- Early (Pre-1936 TN Officer's collars), had silver piping (and sometimes with the Silver/Black "V" combo)

2- Standard Collar Patches / Tab' color is: Black 'felt-like' material, with Silver Piping with Back "V's" in it, all around

3- Shoulder Board Underlay color is: Black (With the known exceptions of:

• A) RED Underlay for Stab / Staff at the RATN (Headquarters), but for only the higher officers;
• B) Cornflower BLUE Underlay - for Artz und Sani Officers & Men

4- Shoulder Boards - 'Overlay' - top surface color is: Silver and Black, or just Silver - except for Landesf?hrer, and

above (Until the 1943 Rank change series.)

• A) Exception: The Muskif?hrer had RED cording inside of the Silver.

5- The 7 'Trade Circles' were Black silk / rayon with Silver (white) threading

6- The early TN Luftschutz cuff band was Green.

7- The early TN FAD cuff band was Orange-Yellow.

BUT, none of my TN "Net-Buddies" knows about WHAT or WHERE for those Branch Colors of the 7 Trade badges - so you have opened up a new area for research!

Here's a nice example of the LD Trade Badge in wear. (Mike, this may be from your tunic, as it looks similar?)

Txs, Dave/dblmed

Edited November 26, 2008 by dblmed

[dblmed]

TN Collar Piping - Pre-1937

Here's and example of a young TN officer (trying to look like someone familiar? with the stubby moustache) - who has the Silver / Black Color piping to his collar.

Also, his visor is similar to Mike's - but Mike's is much rarer, as it has all the details of Black / Silver piping to the upper and lower visor banding. . ..... Txs, Dave/dblmed

Edited November 26, 2008 by dblmed

[dblmed]

TN Officer Portrait - from 1940 (or even later)

I recently acquired this nice TN Officer photo, as it has it 'All' for a study of TN Items:

• LD Trade Badge / Circle - on left lower sleeve;
• Reichsschule Arrow - left shoulder, for having attended Reichsschule Belzig or Dresden;
• TN Honor Year Band - on right cuff;
• TN Visor (post 1936) - as the crest piping is Silver only; and combination of Embroidered Cockarde/Kranz with a Metal TN Eagle;
• TN Dagger Hangers (Fabric Model) - authorized for wear in 1940;
• TN Logo buttons on his Uniform;
• Plus the SA Sports Badge and Ribbon Bars (types unknown to me?)

and, you may see things which I have missed! ........ Txs, Dave/dblmed

Edited November 26, 2008 by dblmed

[Guest Rick Research]

Ribbon bar is a 1914 Prussian Iron Cross 2nd Class, a WW1 award from one of the other German states (zoom and crop and should be able to tell which) and the WW1 Honor Cross for Combatrants aka Hindenburg Cross.

[dblmed]

Thanks Rick(!) .....You've definitely got 'Eagle Eyes' to pick those out!

"Most" of the higher ranking TN Officers seem to have had service in WWI, as these awards do confirm for this particular fellow. ....... Txs, Dave/dblmed

[Paul R]

This is one thread that has kept my interest!! Keep it coming guys!

[nesredep]

Hello!

I agree,very interesting tread.I look forward to see more.

All the best

Nesredep

[dblmed]

? TN Officer with WWI Submariner Badge ?

This is a nice TN Uniform, and related, photo.

The date is late 1935 - early 1936 (as the sleeve eagle came out in 1935, but the single shoulder board was changed to Double Shoulder Boards in 1936.)

• TN Right Tab is XII/5 - for Ortsgruppe Kassel (matches up with Kassel on the photographer's stamp on reverse)
• A Trade Circle on the left lower sleeve
• Part of a 1919-1923 Honor Cuff Title on the lower right sleeve
• TN Visor Eagle + Laurel Mutzenkranz
• Medals on ribbons (which I can't ID)
• Close up of what I believe is the WWI Submariner Badge, (below a circular pin / badge)
• The 'unusual' leather gaiters / protectors around his boots / shoes.

TN Officers, thus far, which I have learned about were in the WWI Army. This is the 1st one which I have found which has a Kriegsmarine connection.

Lots of fun items to see in this photo. ..... Txs, Dave/dblmed

Edited December 3, 2008 by dblmed

[Paul R]

They all seem to be wearing those gaiters.

[webr55]

? TN Officer with WWI Submariner Badge ?

• Medals on ribbons (which I can't ID)

Oh - please post a close-up of that medal bar!

Thanks

Chris

[dblmed]

Hi Chris,

Here's a close up of the Medals, Ribbon & Pins for 2 TN Officers.

Hope that you can ID them!

TN Officer # 1 - & - TN Officer # 2 (an unidentified Landesf?hrer)

Txs, Dave/dblmed

[webr55]

The one to the left is wearing a Hamburg Hanseatic Cross next to his EK2. The one to the right is wearing two ribbons from his buttonhole, looks like EK2 and Hindenburg Cross. The badge next to his Wound Badge is the 1931 SA Rally Braunschweig badge.

[dblmed]

Thanks for ID's on the Medals Chris!

Was it common at that time to wear the EK2 and Hindenburg Cross ribbon in the button hole, instead of on a proper parade / ribbon bar, above the left pocket? ...... Txs, Dave/dblmed

[dblmed]

Assmann Sample Board of TN Visor Insignia

Over the years, I have looked at perhaps several 100's of Aluminum TN Visor Eagles, but only 4 of the Nickel Silver TN Visor Eagles. So, it is quite apparent that the NS type is 'rare' - but I wondered WHY?

I believe that I may have found the answer in studying my Assmann Sample Board, which very clearly shows the 2 'variations' of the standard TN visor insignia. [Like so much in collecting, the answer was right in front of me ... but I did not recognize it for a long while!]

From having reviewed this sample board, the TN magazine "Die R?der", period TN photos and the 1942 & 1945 issues of Die Deutsche Polizei Taschenbuch f?r die Technische Nothilfe - it is my belief that the Nickel-Silver TN Visor Eagle was only produced in 1935 (the year in which it was introduced).

Afterwards, production from late 1935/36 - 1945 switched to the Aluminum TN Eagle. (Of course, some NS models could have remained in the Assmann stock, until used up.)

Interestingly, the TN Cocqarde (M?tzenkranz)for the 1935 TN Eagle, was actually a standard pattern Assmann "Heer" type, which photos show in wear in 1935. Then, the TN Laurel (M?tzenkranz) was introduced "at a later date" but the exact date has not yet been identified. (Photos of 1936 do confirm that it was in use by then.)

This very brief time frame of production helps to explain why we collectors very, very rarely come across an example of a Nickel-Silver TN Visor Eagle, IMO. ...Txs, Dave/dblmed

[dblmed]

? TeNo Gold Visor Eagles - 2 Types

It is also very interesting to take a look at TeNo / TN Bullion Visor Eagles - as they continue to follow the pattern of the 1935 Visor Eagle - in that the arms of the Swastika are very distinct and are clearly separated [cut out] from the base material.

As would be expected, the TeNo Gold Metal Visor Eagles (which are very rarely found), should also be found in - 2 Types. They have been ID'd in the (early) Nickel Silver Type (w Gold Color Plating) - and - in the more common (later) Aluminum (w Gold Color Plating) Type. ... Txs, Dave/dblmed

[paulbear]

ah my kingdom for a gold alder TENO of course. What are the chances?

PAUL

[Paul R]

ah my kingdom for a gold alder TENO of course. What are the chances?

PAUL

I have never seen one before! How many men could have qualified to wear it?

[paulbear]

certainly not many it was a small community with few general officers but I am sure DAVE has a figure

PAUL

[dblmed]

Paulbear.... I'm positive that you will track down one of the 'TN Goldies' as you are an astute hunter! (You have every CEF!!!)

Paul.... for those Authorized to wear the TN Goldene Eagle und M?tzenkranz - there were only 3 TN Ranks:

? Chef Der TN

? Stellv. Chef Der TN

? Landesf?hrers

I've also wondered WHAT the # of Authorized TN Gold wearers would be - because it is this same group which wore the GOLD TN Buckle, an example of which has not been shown in any text (to my knowledge) - yet, so I'm still looking! I have tried to 'guestimate' the number as follows (subject to my assumptions!)

Chef Der TN ........... H. Weinreich (1934-1943); W. Smelcher (1943-45) = 2

Stellv. Chef Der TN... E. Hampe (pre-1933 - 1942); Seibert (1943-45) = 2

Landesf?hrers - the number of Landesgruppen changed, over time in WWII,

? but there were 21 listed LG Numbers (minus about 3 numbers which were not used.) So that is 18, but some LF's retired or died, but let's still use the number 18, to err on the high side.

? let's assume that Each Landesf?hrer had 2 dress Uniforms + 1 summer Weis Uniform = 3 per each Landesf?hrer

? So 18 x 3 = 54 Landesf?hrer expected sets used.

? Then 2 x 3 + 2 x 3 (for Chef & Stellv. Chef) = 12 other sets used.

? Total = 54 + 12 = 66 TN Goldene Eagle und M?tzenkranz Sets (and GOLD Buckle & Brocade Sets.)

BUT, I imagine that ASSMANN made More than 66 Gold sets, just as a matter of business, PLUS a few unused Gold sets are found by collectors (such as the one which I will Post.)

My totally 'Guestimated & Scientifically Unsubstantiated' Number of these types of Gold TN sets is about 100 (which is still subject to a wide possibility of errors!)

(But, it's fun to try to arrive at a Number, and the number is certainly a low one.) ... Txs, Dave/dblmed

Edited January 24, 2009 by dblmed