Police Full Dress Uniforms

[W.Unland]

Hello,

Many police collectors are interested in the "combat" units of the police affiliated with the SS.  My interest, however; is with the civil police.  I guess that is natural as a retired cop.  In any case in this thread I would like to discuss the full dress, or parade uniforms as specified in the 1936 consolidated police regulations.  Dress accoutrements have only rarely survived as they have been of minimal interest to most collectors.  It took many years to accumulate all of the items necessary to put this thread together.  It is presented as a reference for those who may never encounter such uniforms in person.

Firstly, the uniform of officer ranks of the ordnungpolizei wearing the green uniform is shown below.  The tschako with a white buffalo plume was worn with the green service uniform with either belt trousers or piped trousers depending on the unit's determination. The tshako was brown trimmed for the Gendarmerie and black for other branches.  A brocade belt and silver colored buckle in the SS pattern was worn as was a silver brocade cartridge belt, and cartridge box. The officer's shoulder cords were also specified. The Gendarmerie wore a brown box, with the Schutzpolizei and Gemeindenpolizei wearing a black box. The sword was also worn, but being in Japan I am not allowed to possess a sword so I cannot shot that.

These first photos show such a dress uniform for an officer of the Gendarmerie.

The next photo detail the attachment of the cartridge box to the belt, and the attachment to the tunic itself.  There are many photos of the box buttoned to the rear buttons of the tunic as shown, even though it seems clumsy to me.  The officer's cartridge box was much smaller than that of the NCO.  It was also always in leather whereas the NCO boxes were often in imitation leather, and lacquered cloth.  The NCO boxes were also often not able to be opened.  They were just for appearance.  The officer's boxes were fully functional.

 

Next is the dress uniform as worn by NCO ranks of the Gendarmerie.  The brown trimmed tschako with black horsehair plume was worn with the 1936 piped service tunic.  This was worn with a brown leather belt with silver buckle and a brown leather cartridge belt and box.  These cartridge boxes and belts were retained by the unit and only issued for use.  After the war the belts were repurposed and very few have survived.

Edited June 1, 2018 by W.Unland

[W.Unland]

The Schutzpolizei and Schutzpolizei d. Gmeinden wore a black trimmed tschako with black plume with the M1936 piped service tunic.  They wore a white leather belt and cartridge box belt with a black cartridge box.  These white belts were retained by the unit and only issued for use.  Few survived the war as they became obsolete when hostilities commenced.

Finally, the traffic service of the Schutzpolizei, who wore a white service tunic had their own specified dress uniform.  They wore a white lacquered tshako with gold colored fittings and a black plume with the white service tunic and black trousers.  A brown leather belt with gold colored buckle and a brown leather cartridge box belt with gold fittings and brown cartridge box with gold fitting was specified in the regulations of 1936.  There are photos, however; of traffic NCO's wearing the white belt and cartridge belt. I assume this is due to their being assigned to Schutzpolizei units whom may not have had the brown accoutrements available.  These gold trimmed belts and accoutrements are extremely rare.

Edited June 1, 2018 by W.Unland

[W.Unland]

The Wasserschutzpolizei had NO special dress uniform other than the service uniform worn with a sword or dagger as appropriate.

The auxiliary police units such as the Luftschutzpolizei, TENOpolizei and such had no specified full dress uniform.  Neither did the Feuerwehr or female uniformed personnel.  I surmise that there was no anticipation that these personnel would ever be involved in parade or full dress situation.  

I would invite anyone having photographs of full dress uniforms in wear to post same.

Regards,

William Unland

Edited June 1, 2018 by W.Unland

[GreyC]

Hi William,

very, very nice! Thanks for posting these photos of the uniforms. It must have been a great joy to complete these uniforms and to be able to present them like this and then describe them so expertly.

Unfortunately I don´t have photos of policemen in full dress, only of the different branches in their working uniforms.

I wouldn´t mind learning more about them, if you decided to open up a thread on that topic, I´d be happy to follow and contribute.

GreyC

[sabelwerke]

Hello:

  Wonderful!   Great topic and coverage.

  I know that Wasserschutz Polize/Kustenpolizei Uniform information is "Scare-as-hens-teeth" also the Photographic evedenmce is scarce; However I do have a few photos that I will endeavor to find and post (in a few days) for all to review.

  Non K.M. early navy replaceemts and substitutes is one of my favorites to go for in collecting.  I have a few unusual Items and uniform parts and I will add them in  few days as a method and "Prime-for-the-Pump" of continuing and exploring the subject.     the enclosed caps are off a few pf my moree uncommon caps.....I do not have a W.S.P. cap as yet.

  Thank you for your patience, in advance.

Best wishes, and great collecting.

 

Michael Cameron,     sabelwerke1@gmail.com

[Bayern]

Hello : Nice pieces , thanks for share . a doubt ,i believe that the Polizei der Gemeinde weared carmine piping .

6 hours ago, sabelwerke said:

Hello:

  Wonderful!   Great topic and coverage.

  I know that Wasserschutz Polize/Kustenpolizei Uniform information is "Scare-as-hens-teeth" also the Photographic evedenmce is scarce; However I do have a few photos that I will endeavor to find and post (in a few days) for all to review.

  Non K.M. early navy replaceemts and substitutes is one of my favorites to go for in collecting.  I have a few unusual Items and uniform parts and I will add them in  few days as a method and "Prime-for-the-Pump" of continuing and exploring the subject.     the enclosed caps are off a few pf my moree uncommon caps.....I do not have a W.S.P. cap as yet.

  Thank you for your patience, in advance.

Best wishes, and great collecting.

 

Michael Cameron,     sabelwerke1@gmail.com

Chaplain mutze ?

[sabelwerke]

  Marine Pfarrer  or  Gestichler  (Chaplin).     A  Naval Official (Marine Baemter) Shiremutze, of the (2nd type Peaked Cap), 1942 or after.)  1st type had the cross between and reaching ABOVE THE OAKLEAF WREATH)      I believe a Dekan or Marine Admiral would have a Gold Chin cord and the rest of the insignia in silver bullion or silver-colored synthetic material.

  This cap was acquired many years ago and is one of my favorites.

  thanks,

Michael

[Bayern]

Hello , Nice cap and not very common , There were not much Chaplains in the Kriegsmarine .

[Paul R]

Those are some amazing set ups and displays.  Bill, you are the only person I know of who has such complete displays.  It is a real treat to behold.  Mike,  thank you for sharing those exceptionally rare hats with us.  I am intrigued with the SA Marine hat.  What did those men actually do?  The SA was strictly a political arm.  What did they do on the water?

[sabelwerke]

  Hello Paul;

  Remember, at one time the S.A. had over 3,000,000 Members and they were used for many things.  A lot for: crowd control, attendance supervision and  direction of attendees to large rallies and additional body-guard service; where Party members had rallies.  at some Offices of the NSDAP & S.A. and various other duties.  The were used over and above the police forces in some  areas, Early On.  The Police rationalized that the various Police forces "Were NOT Military service", but could be used to augment the Military".  Many S.A. men went to the Police (They Joined, first the police and then the S.A. Marine).  (Remember Reinhardt Heydric was and Officer in the S.A.Marine Before going to the S.S. and finally the S.D).

  Early in the regime, the Military,  Armies of service were forbidden to have more-than 100,000 Men-under-arms (Total) , No Air Force of any kind, No Submarines and no Shore/River Military Control or Military police force (that would come later4)  The navy had, almost no ships and only about 20,000 Marine service Officers-and-men to cover ALL the ships, ports, rivers and naval service and training areas that they had....  All pulled very thin.  However they still had many able-bodied, former navy men with no jobs and a lot of time on their hands (perhaps most of them were in the Party and S.A. Members.)  Ergo take the former Naval Members and form  (First a unit) a cadre of them to Help train the troops and service areas where no troops were available. and fill the need, temporarily (or Longer) add to the navy, as experienced Navy-Men over-and-above the (actual) Navy the country actually had. 

  You might Remember: they were NOT Officially in the navy and were not usually "in he Public Eye".  Hidden; like the D.L.V.  air sport and glider club, with many Party Members: The Luftwaffe-to-be. and the most National Socialist of all the services.

  A similar thing happened under the auspices of the S.A., a branch, the N.S.K.K., in a much smaller way.  The NSKK Marine Kusten Polizei;, or Motor boat Police.  

  Furthermore there were also the youth and Teen-Agers for the party to take care of in the Hitler Jugend.....part of it became: Marine Hitler Jugend.  Former Kaiserlich Marine, N.C.O.s and Officers was used to Pre-Train young Men that wanted to go into the Navy;  This formation was similar to the Sea Scouts, here in our country.  However, these youth had ideological, Physical, as well as escalated Military training.  This was done from a very young Age.  It made it easier, when the Navy Service was pulled very thin and then Hitler became Canceler and repudiated the Versialles treaty, Openly.  Then these, additional young Men, were eventually assimilated into the Kriegsmarine and they were almost completely trained.

  I am looking at the Die Org. Book of the NSDAP, that I have (1936,1937 and 1938 etc.) and I find some writings/Rules,  drawings there, about these formations and their Uniforms and some of their equipment.   More on this subject  will be available at a later date.

  I hope that this is helpful.

  Michael, sabelerke1