coldstream Posted November 7, 2009 Share Posted November 7, 2009 (edited) 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 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coldstream Posted November 7, 2009 Author Share Posted November 7, 2009 Photo 2. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coldstream Posted November 7, 2009 Author Share Posted November 7, 2009 Close ups. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coldstream Posted November 7, 2009 Author Share Posted November 7, 2009 The faint inscription to the rear of photo 2. Simon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Naxos Posted November 7, 2009 Share Posted November 7, 2009 The faint inscription to the rear of photo 2. Simon "Panjekommando beim Essen fassen" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coldstream Posted November 7, 2009 Author Share Posted November 7, 2009 Many thanks Naxos, Panjekommando? Could anyone enlighten me please Gentlemen? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Naxos Posted November 7, 2009 Share Posted November 7, 2009 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Naxos Posted November 7, 2009 Share Posted November 7, 2009 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". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coldstream Posted November 7, 2009 Author Share Posted November 7, 2009 Got it now, many thanks Naxos, Simon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coldstream Posted November 7, 2009 Author Share Posted November 7, 2009 (edited) Duplicated, sorry Edited November 7, 2009 by coldstream Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chip Posted November 7, 2009 Share Posted November 7, 2009 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 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coldstream Posted November 7, 2009 Author Share Posted November 7, 2009 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chip Posted November 7, 2009 Share Posted November 7, 2009 Simon, Yes, it looks to me that none of them is wearing the specific Feldgendarmerie uniform. Chip Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coldstream Posted November 8, 2009 Author Share Posted November 8, 2009 Thanks Chip. :cheers: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Boonzaier Posted November 28, 2013 Share Posted November 28, 2013 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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