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Polizei Photographs


SARGE
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Gents,

 

Here is an interesting photograph from a grouping of around 100 pictures of mostly Bavarian Policemen who served during the war years with the last one dated 1946. This is a wartime photo of a Heer Feldgendarm in a market. Notice his regular Army uniform with the addition of a Police sleeve eagle on his left arm and the presence of a "Feldgendarmerie" cuff band on his lower left sleeve. Most Feldgendarms were taken from the police ranks as they were already trained in law enforcement. This fellow is off duty as he is not wearing his chained gorget around his neck indicating an on duty status. The derogatory nickname for these Field Policemen was to call them "Chain Dogs" alluding to their chained gorgets. Of course they were not called that to their face. Many of these photos have comments on the back like this one does.

 

These photos are in my collection.

 

 

Feldgendarm.JPG

Feldgendarm back.JPG

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Here is another photo from this grouping showing transitional uniforms in wear. The NCO in the front has his full 1936 model uniform in police green with brown collar and cuffs. He is wearing his new police green peaked cap and breeches. We know this is an early photograph taken soon after 1936 because this NCO is still wearing his cross strap. Soon all these officers will receive their new issue of uniforms in their distinctive lighter green color.

 

The other policemen in the pix are still wearing their old dark green Bavarian Police uniform. Notice they are wearing their new lighter green model 1936 peaked caps however. One of these policemen is wearing his new lighter green breeches and it was permissible to do this during a "wear out" period to allow for the distribution of new uniforms and the serviceability of the old uniforms. Want not... waste not.

 

 

Bavarian Police uniform trans.JPG

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Here is another photograph of a group of Bavarian Landespolizei (LAPO) of the Freistaat Bayern wearing their dark steel green cloth (stahlgrunem Tuch) tunics with black collar and cuffs. This uniform was worn after 1922 with some changes in trousers/breeches and insignia over the years. This group of men wear black long trousers and steel green peaked caps with a black band. They wear only the blue/white Bavarian cockade but later caps would bear either the M1934 or M1936 Police cap eagles or Heer style insignia as these policemen transitioned to new Nationale Polizei uniforms. In this picture they are also wearing collar devices of two oak leaves but later changes would bring a long narrow police green collar tab with a polished silver button or Army style collar tabs with litzen with green centers. These later collar tabs can be seen being worn by the group of Bavarian Policemen shown above. Also notice the sitting policemen shown in this photo are wearing the open Bavarian roller buckles and belts while the standing policemen with mixed uniform parts in the other photo are wearing the new M1936 police box belt buckles with the large swastika in the center.

 

A lot can be gleaned from these photographs that were taken over a fairly long period of time and kept in a group by the policeman who took them.

 

 

Bavarian LAPO.JPG

Bavarian LAPO buckles.JPG

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Thanks Rich. A lot can be gleaned from these photos of transitional uniforms.

 

Here is another photo from this batch showing a transitional uniform with the M1936 style Polizei cap eagle in wear so we know this pix was taken after the adoption of this style police eagle. He is also wearing a named Polizei sleeve eagle along with his SA sports award. Interestingly, he is also wearing his NSDAP membership badge just above the button on his left breast pocket. This badge was soon ordered removed from the M1936 Nationalized Police uniforms. Notice this policeman is also still wearing the large round Prussian Police belt buckle along with his cross strap.

 

 

Pol trans buckle.JPG

Pol trans buckle close.JPG

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One more photo from this grouping showing volunteer Hilfspolizei in their 1935 transitional uniforms. We can date this picture precisely by the sign board indicating they are a "Hipo" group from Furth. Notice they are wearing the dark green Bavarian uniforms (prior to the uniform change of 1936) and Heer style eagles and wreaths on their peaked caps. The two fellows standing on either end are still wearing their old style floppy Bavarian "house caps" with only the Bavarian cockade on the front. I suspect the accordion was not an item of issue.

 

 

Bavarian HIPO.JPG

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  • 5 months later...

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