Feldgendarmerie photographs

[coldstream]

Gentlemen,

I have recently acquired two photographs which I believe show members of Imperial German Feldgarmerie units in different uniform styles.

My meagre reference library on the subject suggests that the intial Great War Feldgendarmerie were formed from Rural Police Officers and having viewed Chris' Kaisers Cross section on the subject it would appear that the uniform worn by the Man in photo 1 is similar.

The men in photo 2 however wear distinctive items of uniform. ie, Spiked and Uhlan Helmets.

What I am trying to understand is:-

Were the Feldgendarme units issued with their own distinctive uniform or did they adopt the uniform of Units they were attached to?

Did the German Army have a system similar to the British Regimental Police whereby a number of Non Commissioned Officers were assigned for the purpose of Regimental discipline and dealing with POW'S and so retained their own uniforms?

Could a Soldier literally be handed a Gorget and told to henceforth adopt the role of Feldgendarme?

I have searched the previous threads re this subject to no avail so any info or further reading would be much appreciated.

Edited November 7, 2009 by coldstream

[coldstream]

Photo 2.

[coldstream]

Close ups.

[coldstream]

The faint inscription to the rear of photo 2.

Simon

[Naxos]

The faint inscription to the rear of photo 2.

Simon

"Panjekommando beim Essen fassen"

[coldstream]

Many thanks Naxos,

Panjekommando? Could anyone enlighten me please Gentlemen?

[Naxos]

Many thanks Naxos,

Panjekommando? Could anyone enlighten me please Gentlemen?

Panje = derogative name for Russian peasants. During WWII the Germans called the small but tough Russian horses Panjepferde.

[Naxos]

Panje = derogative name for Russian peasants. During WWII the Germans called the small but tough Russian horses Panjepferde.

My understanding is that the military policemen in charge of this group of Russians, in the process of receiving food, called the detail "Panjekommando".

[coldstream]

Got it now, many thanks Naxos, Simon

[coldstream]

Duplicated, sorry

Edited November 7, 2009 by coldstream

[Chip]

Simon,

The Feldgendarmerie were normal military police that had their own particular uniforms with the most distinctive feature being collar Litzen and Polish style cuffs. Their gray caps had a dark green band with red piping. During the war, army NCOs were "abkommandiert" for service with Feldgenarmerie. The cavalrymen in your photo with the Ringkragen fall into this category. The solider in the first photo appears to be a dragoon.

I belive there was also a Feldpolizei or Militärpolizei, who were troops pulled from their respective units for policing duties, especially in the Etappen areas. Some duties were just temporary and armbands were all that was issued.

Chip

[coldstream]

Thanks Chip, so if I understand it correctly then the men in the two photos are NCO'S in Feldgendarme service wearing their normal uniform with gorget.

[Chip]

Simon,

Yes, it looks to me that none of them is wearing the specific Feldgendarmerie uniform.

Chip

[coldstream]

Thanks Chip. :cheers:

[Chris Boonzaier]

Hi,

is this a correct formulation?

One third of the personnel were Obergendarm from the peacetime Landgendarmerie while the rest were Unteroffizier and Gefreiter from the cavalry. A Feldgandermerie patrol usually consisted of a Obergendarm, an Unteroffizier and a Gefreiter.