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German Military Police Units 1939-45
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,
--
s.
,- lIItroril/rtiol/
milil~.r)' policeman must Ix' one of the least
rt"Cialcd (certainly by his fdlow soldiers) yel
I illdisp(~nsahk miliwry figures in Jnodnn
Of). In the mobile warfarT ofthc 20th century
" army coule! keep its vital supply convoys on the
·c alld its supply roules open without the
,I
ulry policclnan. Ifhis lcllow soldiers' opinion of
is llsually expressed in expletives, then those ill
,I
er command with a good overall view,
e
inl)' valued his ser\'ict.-~witllcSS some of the
z
1; cxpl'cS!>Cd through the <Igt:s by field com-
••
4
ich('rhcitsdienst which \\TIT also to be found in In Ihi. unu.ual "a>ne an Oberfeldwebel of Ann)' Feldgeneta..-
merie Ullellan NSU Kettenkrad half-t.racked motorcycle 10 pOIll
mbat areas. a lighlt ..uck Lbrough the mire ofa Runian road;n the Ipring
\luch hated by their fellow soldiers, the German Lbaw. 11>e Oberfeldwcbel we. lhe M.!r.JS panern Fetdmil""',
The Kenern.rad wa.. DOl ..1 nI i55"e to Fetdge.........me....
military policemen were known by more sinister "nili.. U. Charila)
DJCknallles Ihan their British coulltCrpal'1s, the
'Redcaps': 'Chained Dab'S' and 'Headhunters' were longer IISl'tl as idenlif}'ing sYlllbols. Instead, morc in
- I two of the epithets cOlllmonly used, keeping with ollieI'. ATO coullIries, a diSlinCli\'e
,\1 the end oflhe Second World \\'ar, the skills of while lx-It and pistol holster are worn; :t whjle
me German \Iilitary Police were quickl~ apprec- annbaml bearing Ihe legend Frhljii,f.!,l'r is also used on
iated by Ihe British and Alllerican~, who used duty. The traditional \Iililary Police brallch-ol:
It\'{'ral entire companies ofrutly armed Fcldgendar- service colour of orange-red has been retained as
,men and Fcldjager as auxiliaries to assist their own piping to lhe shoulder strap~ and undcrlay lor the
"'l.rd-prcsscd police formations. In the chaotic collar patches. Thc ben;t used lor c\'Cryday duties is
conditions of the immediate post-war pcriCK:! the in til\' same red colour as that used by till: British
cxpt'riclleed manpower provided by these troops R:'vl P; the badge worn thereon bears the traditional
wa... or great help 10 til(' occupying authoritil's. t'luhlcm of the Fddjiigcr, the Guards Star and
When the German Army was rc-Iorrncd in t955 mOHO 'Suum Cuiqw', reinforcing the traditional links
~e or the firslunits 10 be C'Stablished was a t'olilitary with the FcI(ijager of Imperial times,
Police Company, In 1956tlil'sc Jlililii, Po{j:;.ri WtTC .\!though countlt'S-~ hooks ha\'e bccn wrillen on
Illed the use of the traditional tide Tddjager·. the subject of the anned forces of the Third Reich,
The- l3undeswchr today fields Feldjager units ill little has appeared on Ihe subject of lhe :\lilit~lry
each mililary district (Wth,be,~ic!I) which in till' case Police forces. This is despile the fact thaI there i~ a
mohilisation would be strcllgtbened by n.'SCrvists. greal demand for original examples or t-.lilitary
There are no Air Force or Kaval PI'()VOSI units, thl' Police memorabilia among collectors. It is hoped
Frldjiiger having authority over all three services. that this book will go some way towards filling that
TIll' tr<lditional gorget and cuflband arc no gap.
5
FeI((~l!l/tI(l/IlIerie ties Hems regulations, alld slandal'dising FeJdgcndarmerie
training prOCt·dllr('~.
The next level or command lay with each Arrnee
The Fddgcndal'rllcric \\"s fonncd 011 the mobilis- Oberkommando, to \\ hich \\as attached a Fcldgen-
ation of the German Ann)' ill 1939. I IS members darmeric Slarr ollicer responsible for Fcldgendar-
were. in the Ill;lin, experienced former cidl meric matters within the area of that army. The
policemen lI'om the ci,'il Gendarmerie (particularly stafrolliccl"controllcd all the FeJdgendarmerie units
the \lotorisierte Gcndnl'mnic) and serving Army attacht..-d to that Army and was responsible for
)leos. The command structure orlhe Fddgcndar- maintaining order and discipline, and especially for
meric began at the Oberkommalldo dl.."S Heeres or traffic control and route maintenance during large-
Of.\.H (High Command of the Army) where the scale troop movements.
senior ranking onicef of tht' Fddgcndarmcrie would Each Field Army of the \\'ehrmaeht had under
be aHachtel. He \\as under the direct control Orllle its command a Feldgendarmerie BataiJlon and each
Quartermaster-General oCthe German Armies and Di\'ision a Fe.ldgendarmerietrupp.
was reslxmsiblc for all mailers relating to the A typical Fcldgcndarmerie Bataillon of the
Fddgendarmcric including jX'rsonnd adminis- Second World War \\ould have the following
tration, postings, elc. I-Ie \\;l!; alw n:<jponsible for Structure:
allocation of tasks to the Fddgcndarmcrie and Command Group: onc officer, one warralll officer,
monitoring ils performance. for laying down traffic two :'JCOs. three Othcr Ranks. I 'tlrid~: onc field
car. one small bus.
.\/ T Sal/On: olle NCO, three Other Rank'>.
'-thiellS: one motorC) c1e. onc field car.
PlatOOnJ (x 3): onc officer. three ACO dri\·ers. 17
l\COs, ten Olher Ranks. '''hulu: three mOlorcyles,
IWO motorcycle combinations, eight Kubelwagcns.
SII/Jporl Groll/): otle each :'\'CO clerk, ~I T :'JCO,
armourcr NCO, cook NCO, cook OR, armoul"er
OR. clerk OR, cobbler; and four drivcr ORs.
l'ehiells: IWO x 2-tOll \'chick'S, two x 3-ton vchicks.
A typical Fddgendarmerietrupp in an Army
Division (in this cast' Armoured) would bc as
follows: onc officcr commanding, IWO oniccr
platOOll c01llmandel'"S, three NCO motorcycle
drivers, threc OR mOlOrcydc drivers, cight NCO
drivers, four OR drivers, 13 OR drivers and 30
NCOs. Vchidc :tllocation to a typical Feldgendar-
rnerietrupp itl :tn Al'rnotrr"ed or Motoriscd Division
would comprise: ~ix solo motorcycles; four motor-
cycle combinations (~idl'car wilh an MG34 or
MG42 macbine gun); I 7light field cars (usually the
VW 'Kuhclwagcn'); two x 2-ton vchicles (gen-
crally a heavy field car ~lIch as a 4 x 'I Horch or
Haupt:manA ...... Hau.er a. Chef der r",ldsendarmerietrupp
498 durinll aa i.n~P"'Clion lrip in Sicily 19411. Not", tbat on th",
tropical field dress wo..... On this oc:ea~ion oll1y tloe ~bouldu
strap WalT_farbe indicates bis r.,ldll"'.da .,ri'" Slat...... DO
aleev., '""Ill., Or c:ulI'band are wo..... fro photogr.tphic
",vid_ce il would appear tbat tbe ..,.. of f..n r",ldll",ndann",ri",
sleeve insipia .... Ih", tropical dress was ""'I')' rare. Ha.."",r
later won the Kaillht'. Cronon Ii May '94S wben Rrvift«: in SS-
l'taze....cre...dk... R~men' .. 'Der fUh",r' with the 'Das
R.,icll' Divi.ion. (Ua... Hauser)
6
Stcyr; :mel two x 3-ton vehicles (usuaJI} an Opel
Blitz or similar light truck).
Personal armament of lhe Feldgcndannerie was
initially restricted to light weapons. A wide range of
automatic pistols was used, KCOs and men
normally carrying a Walther P38 or a Luger P08,
\\ hereas offic<.....s oftell favourL'd the more compact
Walther PP or Pill\.. :\Iost ~COs carried the
.\lP38/40 machine piSIOI, and while the :\lauser
Kar98k rifle can be S('ell in wartime photos of
Feldgendarrnerie personnel. it \\ as 110t widely used.
The 1>uperb ~IG3.1- or ~IG4-J bc1t+fcd machine guns
\\ere also llsed by Fcldgcndarmerie units as a
n-hicle weapon or for defending road blocks. As the
war drew towards its end. many Fcldgcndarmcrie
pc."rsunnel found themselvcs thro\\ n into from-line
combat. and the deadly Panznf,-:lust anti-tank
projectile saw frC<lucllI usc (sec the repon of Heinz
Heuer'ssucccss against Soviet tanks in the battle for
Berlin
Former policemen drafled into the Fcldgendar-
merie \\ere allocated milit:lIT ranks in keeping with
their fonner police status :L~ follo\\'s:
\\aclllmd.u~r c"/"Offi::Jn dn 1-cfdgaldamurit
O~rwachtmcister 1-ddll tlu! dn 1-cfdf,",darm"ir
Ikzirksw.u:htmciJtcr ObnjddllYbd d" Ftldt,mda,mr,i,
~Iaupl\\'aclllnwi.tcr 5/(lbJjddlftW! d" FddgmJ(I,mm, A II'tandard model19JO FeldbhlH or.... Army Feldg...ndartlleri...
OlHrC... ldw... bel. All lbe insignia ar'" machi.ue-stilc:hed 10 lbe
\lriswriObrrllll'islcr I.(tIIII(ln/ d" Ftldgrnd(l,mmr lunic with Ih......xceplion oC th... "hould... r "I.raps which ar...
Insp,ck\or Obn!rulf/Ilnl drr "c!dgtndaT1f/rrir r ...mo ..abl....
prevelltion of looting; supervision and control of posts, etc, and to cond tll:l ~(·,t n:hcs ol"bOl h personnel
civilian populace in occupied areas: disarming and property ",her('\,('r d('l'rlwd necessary, and in
cl\'ilians; checking captured enemy soldiers ror doing so tlwy could cOlllllHtndcl'r a.ssistann: I"rom
documents, maps or other useful information; any other miliwry p<nonnd. In the event or
checking papers of soldit'rs in transit or on leave; dispute. any Fddgrndanm' hdd superiority over
collcnion of fallen enelllY propaganda lea nets and any other soldier or similar rank from any other
prevenllon or distribution of such material; branch or II\(' sen·ices. Although, like military
searching Ii)!" shot-down enemy fliers; providing policemen ofany nation. the Fcldgendarmt'l"it· were
Rr<.Tt patrols in occupied areas; prevention of best rememl:x;r<.'d by the commun soldier as strict
sabotage; CQtltrol ofevacuttS during retreats; duties disciplinarians, ever f('ady to pounce on an
ofa security nawn' in co-operation with the Gthnnu 'innoc(~Ilt' squaddie, there is no doubt that their
Frldpoli:;t'; (i.e. counter-espionage, monitoring greatest COlltrihution to the war cffort was the
7
According to Herr Heuer, in tllese laiC days of the
war Fcldgelldarl1lerie personnel caught by the
Soviets (QuId expect shon shrift; indeed. rumours
abounded ofa 'bounty' oflered tor the head of any
Feldgendarmc taken. Ccnainly these rumours were
taken seriously by the Germans: each Fcldgen-
darme was issued with a second Sofdbuck (l D or 'pay
( book') falsely showing the holder as an 'ordinary'
soldier whose capture would be uninteresting to the
SO\·iets. \\'hell capture was imminent the Fcldgen-
darme would merely throw awa) his duty gorget
and real Soidbuck and on caplUre present his fake
Soidbuck in the hope of avoiding execution. This
makc:5 the laic of Heuer's actions in the last few days
of the war. and his c"cllIua) capture even more
. .
Impre5SI\'e,
9
band was wu\(:n in brown artificial silk with gn·\
\\o\'en edging and leHering, Variants exisl in gre~
machine embroidel")' on brow'n felt, with no ('dgin~
(this type is commonly reproduced, bUI with braid
edging!; and a rar(' slX'cimell is known on a field
grey backing".
Troops Hum other brancht:s of service on
temporary all;:tchment to the Fddgt'ndarmcrie
wore a special armhand in green cloth with the
legend 'Feld!CI'ndarmeric' in t\\O line:; of orange
script. 80lh \\0\'('11 and embroidered wrsions are
known.
Probably Ill(' best kno\\ n of all idclllifying
featuresof"tlw Fddgendarll1c was Ihe duty gorget or
Nillgkmgfll. This was a h,df-moon shapt'd thin sheet
metal slam ping with a raised edge fill' strength. It
A peaked ca~c:hirtntniit:r.e--ofan Army Feldgendartnerie
officer. Piping to the crown and cap band i.. in oraoge-red wa~ finished in a silver-grey colour and 1('alUrcd at
WaffenfarM. NCO..' versions were ideDlical but for the uSe of each tip a slandard stippled-finish button painted
'II
• bla",k pale'>Ile.lloer chinJ,;trap retau.ed by two black h .. ttons
pia.,., of d.e offi",er'. silver c.hi" '"Ord~ in luminous }<:Ilow-green. I n the centre was a large
lopread eagle and ~was(iki:J, also in luminous finish,
Fcldgendarmc \\ as id~lIlifi~d by the Polizci-pallcnl 0\'(,'1' a dark grey JiCroll bearing the- legend
upper lell slcc\c cagle. This consist('"(j of a machine- '/';idgl'lularml'r;i ill luminous Latin :.cript kllers.
embroidered spread cagle and swastika within a Thc reverse or til/" gorget was usually co\'c)"{'d with
\Heath ofoaklean:s. The swastika was executed ill field grey cloth or caIT!. and had a nat 'tongue' in
black thread, the rest ol"lIw imignia in orange-red the centre which was slipped into the tunic
for other ranks and ill ~il\'('r thread lor oOicers. On buttonhole 10 prevent the gorg-cl Ii-orn ~winging
the lowCl" left sJce\C was wom a cuflh:lIld bearing- abollt. The gorget was suspended by a Ill'ck ('hain of
till.' legend 'Ftftlgnuiamltrit' ill Cothic script. The plain flat links,
Above The Itandard Army_pallern 'F",ldgeDdarmerie' cuff_ 8<1/ow Rarer, tho..gh Ie.... "o"llht after by colleC'lors, i" thi"
band, rnac:hine-woven in Iloe -called '8evo' Ityle in hroWD m.a",mn_rnb...,id.,..ed pattent. The Ilrey th.....d tetten are
artificial .. ilk willo srey edges s.nd lettering, The ren...... ohhe emhroidered on a hrnwn fell haad. Thi" type i. ",onunnnly
cuffba"d is a 01.."" of !rey thread", rather Iloa.n Iloe reprnd.. ced, but ......... Iy with sitver hraid ed!i~.
'chequerbosrd' effect normally fo....... "0 01.0"1 5S-cype Bevo
cu£Iba.ad".
'0
•
...--I• •'~':' -;
•
_Army feldgencbnne walk. throlll!:h the ...... u~ Itr",u be"'g wOrll. n.e lack o(NCO TretllleOJ> the t .....c collu- ....pIies
.......HI.... May '9044' Allh...!!:.. rather faded, the oripaal thai mill is .. private .... Imu. He i • • nn~ naly with . .
......,. ..bows 1M Arm ugl.. aad 'FeldteBdarmn-ie' c".crb....d a.uomatic pilitol. U. Charic.a)
II
Thc Polizci-slyle slecvc cagle and woven and Gen. ~loscr. Fcldjagerkomrnando Ill, lormed
Fcldgendarmerie eunband wcre wilhdrawn from in Vienna, was commanded by Gen. del" Infalllerie
wear in 1944. This may have been for economy, but von Scheele, Gen. der Infantcrie Crase, and
it .seems likely to have been for security reasons. As ultimately by Cen. der Heger Speidel.
prcviously mcmioned, Feldgcndarmen were issued The basic Fcldjager unit was Ihe palrol or ·Strtift'
with tWO Soldbuchs to help disguise their idemity comprising an officer and three experienced :-JCOS.
when captured. Whereas the true Soldbuch could Each "'tldJiig"abt~ilung had approximately 50 such
be easily discarded, maehine·slilchcd insignia could patrols, formt.-d into three companies. Five such
not be so easily removed in a hurry. As il seems that Feldjagerableilungen comprised a FrldJiig"-
only Fcldgendarmerie troops were specifically Rtgimml; and each Feldjagerkommando had one
instructed to remove lhe special identifying such Regiment under its control.
insignia, secunty would appear to have been a The Feldjagerkorps was answerable only to lhe
prime factor. Oberkomm:indo der Wehrmacht, and thus its
authority was great. The commanding officer ofa
Feldjagcrkommando had equal status to an Army
Feltljagerkorps Commander, with the authority to execute
punishment on all \\"ehnnacht and WafTen-SS~
personnel. Although his disciplinary authority was
By 1943 Germany's fortunes werc on the turn. great the Fcldjagercould not interfere with military
:vlililary reverses were common on all froms; and, decisions. In case of dispute the Fcldjager were fully
nalurally enough, the morale of lhe Cerman entilled 10 sellie any arguments al gunpoint.
soldier, for SO long used 10 easy victories, began to Bolh Feldjagerkommando I and II saw out lhe
drop. Many able-bodied men made every effort war on the Eastern Front, so records of their
possible to avoid service at the frolll line, especially activities are extremely sparse. Fcldjagerkom-
in Russia. All measures taken to arrest Ihe decline in mando II I ended the war in the \Vest, howevcr, and
moralc fell well short of target. Strong measures its commander, Cen. der Flieger Speidel, survived.
were calk-d for; and in November 1943 an entirely The Feldjager operated approximalely 12 miles
new force was crcaled-the Feldjagerkorps. Al- behind, and parallel to, the front line. Their
though il carried Ihe lraditional lille of the function was to preservc order and disciplinc,
Feldjager of the Imperial Army, its functions and prevent panic retrcats, and aCl as a 'safcly net'.
authority were far removed from those of ils Patrols on all routes leading back from thc front
Imperial forebears. These men were to be no (including rivers etc) collected stragglers and other
ordinary military policemen. superfluous manpower and sent them back to stiffen
All men taken into the Feldjiiger had at least the front line. ScatLered elements of units which had
three years' front line combat service and had won taken a hammering at the front, and individual
a1 least the Iron Cross 2nd Class. Their ranking stragglers, were often assembled at collection points
officers were also required to have had considerable into 'ad hoc' unils. At the same time deserters were
experience at senior command levels. These men apprehended and dealt with, and escaped enemy
would know how the common soldier 'at the sharp POWs rounded up. With their immense powers,
end' feh; and would Ihus have lhe moral Slalure for Fcldjager would lhink nothing of rounding up the
lheir difficuh work. These were mililary men, hated party funClionaries or 'Colden Pheasants'
hardened by experience, who would brook no and sending Ihem to the front.
political interference wl1h their duties. Working in close co-operation wilh local Army
The Feldjagerkorps consisted of three Ftldjilg"- Commanders, the duties oflhe Feldjager could also
kommontJ()$: Feldjagerkommando I, formed in include: trafficconlrol, including reconnoitring and
Konigsberg, was commanded by Gen. der Flieger marking of harbour areas; arranging removal of
Ernsl Muller. Feldjagerkommando II, formed in bomb debris, elC, to keep roules open; assembling
Breslau, was commanded by Gen. der Pan- quick-reaction units (ipcluding commandeering
zertruppe Kempf, Cen. dcr Infantene von Oven civil vehicles where necessary) in the case of enemy
parachute landing~: checking soidiers'leave papers Uniforms and Insignia
in the search for deserters; and supporting local No speciallunic insignia in Ihe form of dislinctivf'
lolksrlunn units. Waffenfarbc, sleeve eagles. cunhands, t:te, were
Elements of Fcldjiigerkommando III were the illlrodllc(.'d. The Fcldj<iger wore normal white
lasl Cerman troops to lay down Iheir arms after the infanlry \\'affcnfarhe piping. A spt'cial shoulder
Sc<-ond World War. When Iroops in the south of c}'Pher in the form of a monogram 'I::,j' in Lalin
Gennany surrendered to Ihe Americans, the US script \\ as producl'd, bUI it is llnkno\\ II 10 \\ hal
forc(.'S realised that with huge numbers of German eXlent, if an)', this was eHr worn . .-\ red cloth dUly
IX'riiOllnel surrendered or altempting to surrender, arm hand was worn bearing the legend Ob"kom-
the Fcldjager could be of greal use in mailllaining mOlltlo tifT lI'~hrmacht/Ftldjiig" in IWO lines of black
order. The Ob~rbrfihLrhab~r Sud, Generalfcldmar- Lalin scrip!. Photographic evidence St:ems to
schall K('''lsdring, agreed 10 pUl his Fddjilger 011 lhe indicate that although Ihis took Ihe IOrln of an
disposal orlhc US Army: and for s(,\'cl'al \\ccks after armband or brassard, it was worn on the lower lert
Ihe cease-fire the Fddjager-fully armed and sleeve ill the posilion ill which a cum)and would
equipped remained 011 dUly, Their lasks included normally be worn, The principal idelltifying
overseeing- German adherence 10 the cease-fire; insignia orthe Fcldjiiger was, as lor his Fcldgendar-
maintaining order among Gcnnan troops; main- mniecoul1lcrpan, lhegorge1. The Fcldjiigcrgorget
taining order in occupied areas; controlling traffic; was identical in appearance and de~igll to thai for
and rollecling individual slragglers. FcJdjagerkom- the Fcldgendanneric. the only difference being ill
mando [I J finally laid down ill; arms as late as 23 til(" scroll legend reading FtldjiigerkorjJJ'.
June 1946,
The Fddgendarmerie and Felc~ager were Ihe
principal pro\'oslunilS of the German Army in the Gel/eime Feltlpolizei
St'cond \,"orld \\'ar. A number of olher lesser unilS
also provided pro\'ost SUpp0l"l, and Ihese are brieRy The Gcheime Fcldpoliz'ei-GeFePo or GFP- wcrc
r11~ribed in the following sections, Germany's 'plain clothes' mililary police, some-
The nU:"ptioaaJly n1re warnuU disc or r..he Geheime Feld
what similar 10 lhe British Special Invcsligation
Polhei. Note r..he circub.r rar..h~r r..hlUl 0 ............ p"•• Dd r..he IlSe or Branch lSIB; of the ~Iililary Iloliee, It was formed
Army n1r..h~r thaD Stat.... patteru d!le • .IUI awaatilul 0 .. r..he
ob~rH, (Pet.... Gnt<:h) in 21 Jul} 1939 by order of the chief of lhe
OIXTkommando del' \\'ehrmachl, Ccneralobcrst official \,as entitled to pass through military
\\·ill.e1m Keitel. \Icmbers of tl.e CFP wcre classed roadblocks; enter military buildin.w-: utililje militar}
:as II-thrmarhlsbtamttn or 'military onidals'. si~llals and communications equipment; com·
The Gchcimc Fcldpolizci was commanded by a mandt.>t·r mililary n'hidcs; procure military sup"
lIuTtspoli?t;(hif or Chief of Army I'olice. who was plies and accommodation \\ hCre\Tr nCCCS~"lr} in tlw
auached directly to Ihe Obcrkommando des execution of his clut); and usc public transport
Heel'es; initially this post held a rank equivalent to s}stt'ms free. Some of the general tasks allocated 10
the military rank of major. Subordinate 10 the .lhe GFP official could include: pcrsollal escort to
Hccresfddpolizeic.:hef but also carrying a status varium military VIPs; assistance 10 ~tatc securily
equal to major wa~ the Feldj)O!v:;fidirt'klor. This PC'!"SOllllcl in COlllllt'!"-espioll<lgc work; interrogation
olTicial repOrled to Armee Oberkommando level of captured enemy soldiers; detectioll of enemy
and controlled a Gehcime Fcldpolizci Grllppe. There
w('re no 'other rank' grades in the Ceheimc meri", A .bouJdu ..... rap for a Haupcf",ld... ",~1 of Army f",ldS",.. da ...
.lta<:bed 10 me Geheime fcldpoli:r.";; che cyp~r is i.D
Fcldpolizei as initially formed: Any non- .lIvered mo",taJ. PUM...",l 0" c",moporary .Ua<:bon"'''C Co me
GFP wore only ch., cypb",r pinftecl 10 ch.,;r ..ormal .hooald",r
commissioned personnel requjred were drawn from 5Craps.
available troops commandeered as '/lilft·
Ftld/N)/i?tibtamttn' or 'auxiliary ficld police officials'.
The rank b'Tading for Hccresfeldpoli7.eichef was
upgraded to the tXluiva1cnt ofObtrsl (colonel) on 24
July 1939. The structure was once again reformed
after the Luf"vaffc gained its own Ceheime
Fcldpolizei in 194-3. The new structurc of ranks was
as follows:
'4
alicn~ ll~illgGerman ID/uniforms, etc.; securing of sufficient distinction to be awardt'd the Gcrman
telegram and mail faciJiLies on entering enemy Cross in Silvcr ;awarded for m<:ritoriou~ conduct
territory: securing of railway terminals; searching rathcr than comb:1l gallantry;: Ohcrfcldpolizeidir-
out cncm}' radio equipment and signaJ detection; ektor Dr. Roman l..oo~, whme appointmellt was
rounding-up innammalOry and libellous materials: Ln·lnlder F"dIJOI, Dircklor, Obl'rbifehlrltaber Siidoj/: and
precautionary measures against rail sabotage: HeercsfcJdpolizeimc:istcr Karl Ziegkr.
detcction of encmy agents dropped by parachute;
assistance at CU!\loms posls against smuggling;
watch on rivn Iraffic; pn'wlltion of unauthorised
travel: checking tra\"el papers: watch on neutral
OthfrdnllJl Polire Servires
personnel i.e. diplomatic and military attaches,
Cle.) and 011 forl·ign newsp;qxr corrc~rKll'l(knts.ClC. Headquarter Guards
Thc o'"crlap helwcclI SOlIlt, of the dutil'S of the Personnel a~iglll"d to guard duties at h('adquarter
Fddgcmlarmcrie and Geheime Feldpolizei is clear buildings wen' issued with an identifyillg gorget
but by 110 llwallS ullique, as wmc ovcrlap between from 1937 ollwards. II was ofidclltieal construction
Ihe work 01" <\11 security agrl1cit'~ is inevitable. to the Bahllholswaehe gorget (descrilH:d below),
beilring tl\l' ullit number in the cenlre; in this case,
Uniform and Insignia however, lht· scroll bore the legelld '/lolI/mfmdrlll/It"
Tell· ofliciaJ llllilOl"ll1 of the Gchcimc FcJd pol izei was in Cothic ~cripl.
the field grey of thl" Army admillistrativl: olJicials Thnl' Ht';Hlquarter Guards had considerable
I HlTr<'~bealntt'll) with the following distinctions: authority withill their own areas. ant' li·i('lld of the
Collar ImldlfJ: dark green, bearing 110rmal LiI;:l'rI, author, it l(lfIuer SS-Umcrscharfiihrer in the
with (,'raltblml (grey-bluej arm ofservice piping (also 'I.l·ih~tandarte Adolf Hitler', recalled being anTS-
used by Army Justiec officials) on three edges (not ted by a young I~ltfllanl of Kommillldillltura troops
forward todge). Shoulder StralH: standard Heeres- accompanied by a junior NCO. H:l\'in~ produced
beamlell straps. with Graublau piping and the his papa'S 011 re'qucst he was told that the)" were not
monogram 'GFP' in slamped whitc mctal kltl'rs. happy with them. and was C'i(·OI·ll·d to the Berlin
Thi~ monogram was also used on standard Army KOllllllalldantura. wherc he was hdd in the cells for
straps h} auxiliaries on temporal) attachment to over 13 houN. Only by causing such a commotion
the GFr. Cu.flballd: a black wown cufil)and exists as to Ixcome it r('ailluisance was he able to I~rsuade
.j,cm \\ ide. bearing the legend 'Gfhfi/1/f Feldpoli::.n- in his captorl) 10 contact the 'Lcibstitlldartc's' Lichter-
\1 m'cn aluminium thread Gothic script. I ntcndcd fdde barrack~. where the duty l\"CO lIas. able to
for W('aron the lower left sleeve, it is unccl'tOlin if this vouch for him and arrange his rt:lca~c, but wilholl\
pit'et' of insignia c\"Cr saw general issue, any apology lix his unwarranted arrt'St. The arrest
I I "antill/ disc: a serics of warrant discs was introduced of;1 member ofllle \Vam:,n-SS in lhe hOll1e town of
f(l]' German Police personnel. Two such types, those
Feldgcnd....n.erie llo.cde..1 vehide m ....kingll. The st.. ndard
for the KriPo (Criminal Police Statl/!iche Krillwwl insigni.. "lied was a ..eetanguh... box mounted On two 'wheets'
Pofi;zeij and GcSta Po (Gehetme 8/(/(//s I'oli;:.ri-Sccrci indio:adng the motori"ed n ..ture of 'hen I..OOps. In Ihe 6 ..st
Iype wall a eron and lette.. '0' ..bove, fo .. O ..dnungll ..uppt:. The
State Policej arc f."lirly well known 10 collectors. The mon common Iype fearun:d in Ihe ee"tre a Itylind t...llie
wand. The..., i".il"i.a would be painted in blaelt on lighl_
GFP disc. however, is much rarer and ofa differt.·nt eoloun:d vehiet.,. aDd in white _ darlt-painled vehicles,
~tyl('. Round rather than oval, it carries on the face usually painted 00 the lefl wioS. The Feldgeodarmerie of the
,"e..Dla... GOrinif' fo ..malioos aw:cl a while disc bearing Ibe
till" Arm) rather than the Slate nation... l emblem" lcue... 'F,' ;0 blue.
TIlt: l'e"CI"Se carries the legend ·Ob"kommolldo des
lI"f($' in block Latin scriPI around the upper edge
and ·Cehl'imejhldpoli:;:.n- in two lines ill till' centrc.
&:10\\ this is the bearer·s number. The disc is struck
in ~ikcr·coloured metaL
.\!though little is recorded aboullhe ...ctivities of
Ih(' CfP. at least two of ilS personnel served with
';
HiLlcr'selilc' Lcibstandartc·. and his ralher cavalier and failure to as.'.ist was a punishable allcll(T.
Ireatment. show~ Ihal these KommandanlUra Patrols were armed wilh machjne-pistols and could
guards were by no means shy of lIsing their use these to maintain Rood order and discipline il
authority in any case where the) felt justified in the situation was rCRarded as 5c:'rious, Like all
doing so. militar) policemen. the lieerCSSlrcifcndicllst wen'
expected to t:arry OUI their lasks wilh lact bUI
Heeresstreifendienst firmness, and show a good example to mher troops.
The Army Palrol Service was tasked willI The Luft\\allc and Kric,I,rsmarine also had street
maintaining order ilnd discipline in garrison areas patrols, but all were combined in 1911 10 become
(including ocensional tra!lie control dUlies;. No the \'Vehrm<lchlstrcifendienst, and formalised train-
special insignia Wl:r(' introduced for these troops, ing was cSlabli~hcd in 1941.
but a duty lanyard was WOI'II ;llld spt'cial I D was
carried. PalJ'OI~ had aulilOrity over all Army Bahnhofswache
persOIlnd (including: adminjstrativc ollicials) in The Bahnhofswache were soldiers responsible for
their areas, with lile exception of officers of general policing large rail centres. Amollg their duties were
rank, Any oflellders could be rcponed b) the patrol tilt' checking of trawl papers and identit}
to the military authority responsible for the soldier documents. din:cling military personnel, and
or, if this was 100 distant, the patrol could specif) gt'nerally assisting in the security and smooth flow
pUllishment and ha\'e it carried out by the nearesl of traffic. Bahnhar.~wache were also used to scrcen
compelcill authority. Any soldier found withOlH train passengers, hunting far deserters or soldiers
proper identification ('Quid be arrested by the patrol absent wilham le:.l\,('.
and escOI'lL'd to his unit for punishment.
Soldiers in the area could be calkd upan to assiSl Gorget of Zugwachableihmg 5°2, Thill basic tllY'e ;5 very
t1im.ilar 10 that of the Feldgerldarmerie. All or Ihe insignia are
lhe Ii cefl:s..~tn:ifendielIStin the CXCCtit ion ori ts d u lics a"acbed 10 the backplate by 8al pro..ga. (F, J. Stepbe..sj
AS;J badge oroffice, Bahnhofswache lrOOps wore
a liglll metal gorget similar to I.ha.t worn by the
Fddgt.'ndarrnerie, being a hair-moon shaped sheet
Orstamped metal with a rolled edge. In the centre
,,'as a Roman numeral indicating the H'thrkria or
t>.lililary District number above an Arabic numeral
indicaliu,l{ the unit llurnlx:r, BOlh these numerals, in
luminous lin ish, wcrc siled abovc a d<lrk grey scroll
l.warill,l{ the luminous ilL~cription 'Balllllwjrwac!le' in
Cot hie script. III each cornel' was a dos('d wing
l'agk. also in luminous IInish, The gorget \\as
smpt.'nded around till' Ill-ck \\ ith a plain link chain
identical to Ih:1I used all Ihe Fcldgt.'ndarmeric
l\:orgt'l. The n:n:rsc wa:. normally CO\Tred in a field
grey cloth. As all ahernatin- lO the gorget an
armband could be worn; it was in yellow cloth with The gorget ofthe RO)"lllhUlgaria .. (;o,ndannerie. Obvio,,~lyof
German manufaClu~,it;5 stamped from aluminium ...d has
tlte legene! 'H(/ll!Ihi!f~wache' in black Latin script. illl feal~s riven""" raLber Lban anached by prongs, II bas no
luminous finish, Se., Plate 03,
Zugwache
'rhe Zug\\ache WtTt.' Army troops assignee! fe,r duty standard army llllili,rm with a distinctive large
10 police military traim and rail ccntn'~ Ihrough hluc·grcen realhcr on tilt" cap, and a dUly gorget.
whidl largc bodies or Imops passed, Their duties The Gendarml'fie carried nUL S{'{"urily and allli-
included till' lllain(t.'nance or order and discipline, partis.an dutie:., gaining a fearsomc reputalion. By
t."i('oning trains used by High Command Stall: and Iale 19-11 Ihe Royal Hungarian Gcndarmerie
guarding trains passing through enemy tt'rritor). fielded fivc rull di\'isions in Ihe derencc orUudapest.
i\~ the "'<lr progre~sed and p;lrtisan activity and The Hungarian Gendarmerie gorg-('l was or
s;lbotage increased, tllt' Zugwache troops hecame ickntic;ll sh;lJw to that of the Fcldgclldarrnnic but
L'SSt'lJlial to sa/i: troop movements, was struck in alulliinium. I n place or the 'cortler'
As a badge oroffice. lhe Zugwachc ll"ool)1; wore a bUHons were twO small rivets 10 each sid('. In Ihe
dUly gorge!. similar (0 Ihat dille Bahllhol1i\\ache. centrc was tht' Ro)al Hungarian coal Orarl1l~ o\'cr a
In Ihe cenlre was ,he monOb'Tam '\\"If '\\'ach s<:roll with the legend 'Tiilmri Bi~/o".m~' {Ficld
llataillon' o\'cr all Arabic numeral cknoling the Security} or 'Csn/do, tGendarnw •. On the rc\"{'rse
unit number. The scroll bore the legend '.(lIgzt'flchi was an issue number. The gorW'1 was suspended
ill Gothic script. A \'al'iation or lhis gurget exists aroulld the neck by a plain link chain identical to
having only a numher and 110 mOllogr;Hn in the lilat of Ihe Fcldgend'lrnll'rit.',
centre, <lnd tin' legend ';::lIgwaclwblrilufI,!/ on the
~croJI. As with the llahllhofswachc, all armband
could be worn ill lieu of tilt., gorge!.
fM!tell-SS Fe/((~f!lIf!(lI7llfrif
• • •
Hungarian Gendarmerie The Fddgendal'llll'rit., orthe \\'aflen-SS was a much
TIIt'SC troops wt:n' TlOt, or COUl1iC, German srnalkr organisalion ,han its Army (·oullIel'part.
personnel, but arc mentioned hcre Ix'Causc they bUI rulfilled identical runctions, I.ikt.' the Army
limght alonb~id(' their German allies on the Eastern :\lililary IlolicclIlan, tile \Vancn-55 Fddgend<lrmc
Front and WOI"(' a German-made gorget similar 10 was morc than likely a lill'mer civil polin'm:1I1 or an
Ihat of thc Fddgt'ndarmcrie, experienced cOlllb.. 1 NCO with around ICJUr years'
The H 1Illgari;m Gendarmerie was originally service.
f(lrmed in 1881, and during the Second WOI'"ld War Each field division or Ih" \\'affm-SS had its
lought wilh the Royal Hungarian Arm~, "earing Fcldgendarnll'ri(' unit. For ('xampk Ihe 'f.r::ibstan-
,7
darle Adolf Hider' received its Fcldg-endarmerie- whole waf, he nevcr caine aen)~~ a ~illglc \VaITen-55
trupp in 1940 when it was expanded to Brigade Fcldgcndarllle, only tho~(' fi'om the Army, As the
stalu~, 'The Fcldgcndal'Olerietrupp consisted of one Fddgcndarrneric were di";siollal troops, it is quite
ollieer. four NCOs and 36 lI1en. Vehicle status was possiblc that a combal :\leo ill an infantry secdon
one Volkswagen 'Kubclwagell' jeep and II might never meet up "ith such personnel, but
motorcycle combinations. ,,'hen the .Leibstan- would encounter their Army COllllterparts on man~
darte' was expanded to di"isional strength in 1942 ocnlSlons,
its Feldgelldarmcrie unit was enlarged to a
hompallit: this consisted of three platoons (..(ugt) Uniforms and Insignia
each of approximalely thc same strength as the L: lItil thl' introduction of a special SS pattern
previous Fe1dgcndarmcrictrupp, eunband in t9+2, SS-Fddgt'lldarmen \\01'(' the
Phutographic records of \Vancn-55 Feldgelldar- swndard wo\'cn pattern Ann} ('umland prC\'iously
merie are relativc!} rare. II is probable that Ihey descrilx.'d. Thc S5 p:lltern band \\a~ WO\"l'1I in black
\\cre used primarily to maintain order and rayon with a \\o\'en metallic sih-cr thread edging,
discipline within their 0\\ n unit lines, and their Thl' legend 'SS-Fddg(l/(larmuit' was WO\'CIl inlD the
,Ireas of responsibility were thus more rcstnctl..'d band in grey artificial silk L..'ltin l>Cript. This was not
Ihan those ,of the Arm~ Feldgendarmenc. One a su.. .c alled 'Ikvo' cuflband, but similar to an RZ\I
Waffen-55 ,"ctcran, SS-UllIerscharliihrcr Erwin is:.uc type.' with \\ o\"Cn script. The 55 paHcrn
Banmalln of the 'Lcibstandarte', recalled that cunhand was \\ithdrah'n in 19+-1.
(k-spitl' saving with lhe 'J.AH' throughout the From 19.12 until 1911 tht 55 panern sleeve cagle
\\ as to haw Ix:ell replaced with the type used by the
SS-Fetdgeod.rmerie on Ihe Ea.te.... F.......t. Th~ 01_ are
r.....m "SS-PIlAZer-GrflU,dier-Division 'Totnlkopf', The Arm~. This rarely seems to ha"e been adhered 10,
S!.abnc.....ruJIrer belding doe fi"ld Ieleph....e handset ...·n.n hm\ ever. as most photographic material shows the
the dUly g0ll:"" and Army-pauer. 'F,.ldg,.lIdartn,.ri,.' culT_
band. (Munin Verlag) 55 sleeve eagle 10 have been worn throughout the
,R
Abovr. A Stabs"cbanlih...,r of 'Tot~nkopf' Divi"ion SS- BlJiOlVl An SS-Unl.. r"..harrUhrrr and SS-Rou~nruhrer of
F~ldg~ndarm~ri~ inl~rruple8 a susp~ct wid. hi" platoon 'Totrnkopf' Division Frldgendarm..ri .. cb..ck a motorcyclist's
commander, an SS-Unt~rslurmni.brrr,walching th~ prGCef'd- papers. Note th.. whistle la..yard on the U"lerscharfiihrer'"
in~". Th~ NCO wrars the Schirmmut",e without chinstrap, the tunic pockrt. Both w ..ar lhr duty gorgrl. The motorcycle
omc~r apparently tb~ 'old "lyl~ oflicn-'. firld ClIp'. (Munl.. liidecar bt:.... tb.. emblem Oflb~ division. (Mu..i. Verlag)
V~rlas)
'9
.., 'J'IJI'UUf••U ••,J, UJIJOU, " UIIlI '1 .
ff ~ FeId'fenddrmerie
..-.- '&:I'"'••._. .- u I1 .
n ..S5-Pan...... Fddg..adarrn.. rie c:vIIba..d, of ...... sta.ndaTd throughout the whole "ar and included scvcr.1I
RZ.M Iyp.- pattern btU wi.... m.adUn... wo".... l..u .. riDp; ........ u
I-haJr, "rnbroidu""",. Use of !.hi.. cuffba..d seem" to ha"., bfl,a highly decorau~d !>Oldiers in its ranks. Ahhough not
lim.'""", ... mo.., phot~ .... ph.... how th.. Army pane... bei.ag
..,0..... (B.
!_ Davi..)
t\Lilitaf) Police in the Pro\·ost sensc, Ihese men wcre
Police I!"OOpS and did fight al the front as combal
war. On the shoulder strnps and as piping on soldiers. and SO were certainly 1\lililary I-'olicc in Ihe
headgear, the SS-Feldgendanne worc the same strict seilSI' of the lefln.
orange-red Waffenfarbe as his Army counterpart.
From October 1944 onwards, {(wmer members of 4·SS-Polizei-Panzer-Grenadier-Division
Ihe Ordml/lgsjJOlizei serving with tlw \Vaflcn~SS (and This division Ivas raised in October [939 from
many oflhese would be in the SS-Feldgendarmcrie) lorOlel' Ol'dnun&rspolizei-tivilian policemell and
could weal' as a special distinction a small diamond- Allgerneine·SS rescrvists. Commanded initially by
shaped parch on Ihe lower left sleeve depicting Ihe Gellemlleutnant Karl Plcllcr- \ \'ildenbruch, the
Polizei-stylc eagle and swastika in silver grey Oi,·ision was slill working up when Poland wa.s
Ihread. invaded. hUI it did see ~me occupalion elulics in
The \\'aflcn-SS had no Geheime Feldpolizei Poland before Ihe opening of the \\'t."Slcrn
units, though Ihese would hardl) ha\·e been campaign. After Ihe 1:.,11 of France il remained in Ihe
nC<:CS1>ary 10 Ihe 55, which encompassed such \\'CSt untillhe allack on the Soviet Union in 19.p.
organisation.... as Ihc Sicherhcit.-.e:licnsr and Gesrapo The division was alloc.,lcd 10 Ar",tt Gn/PIN.'·o,d and
under ils conlrol. look part in the ad\-ance on l.eningrad. Rather
Although the Fcldgendarmene oflhe \\"affen-SS poorly trained and equipp..:d, its performancc was
"as a ralher small organir.alion, the \\'arrcn-S5 did uneven. II '\ as im·olYed in heav) combal around
boasl IWO aClual combat divisions of Police Iroops. \\'olchow and Lake Ladoga, "here it acquitted
Although the second division. fonnt'd laIc in the itself \\ ell but surren::d hea\")' losses.
war, barel~ rcached rcgimental slrenglh, Ihe firsl From spring until summer 19.13, the division was
\\a.~ a rull~ equipped combat division which fought used fol' allli ..partisan duties in the prorecloraLC of
Bohemia-Moravia (Czechoslovakia) and in Jugo..
The final patt..rn '8",,0' SS-PoHae;·Divi..ion cu£Jband i.Dtr.... slavia, where it look pan ill the ferocious struggl(:
duc..d in 1943> wo"en i.D black artificial link with ..ih....r-grey againsl "lito's partisan forces, lillle quarter being
""",gn and lettuipg. Th.. 'cb.-querboard' efT..." on th.. re"en.. is
typical or 81:,,0 wo"..n SS cuflband... givcn on either side. In Mart,;h [~H4 the divisioll
==========================---
~~-Polizei-Division
20
mOW'd inlO Greece, where once again it was u~("d I()I" M~n of th~ SS Polini Division watch Mth satisfaction th~
railiing orthe G~rn>an flag o ... ~r an occup;~d Soviet tow... '91"
security dUlics; divisional personnel committed Note th~ Poli:zei.paucrn collar patches beiog WOrn in
conjunction Mth th~ SS lilee"e eagJ~. Pol;';";-typoe 6~ld caps an
:llrocities in the l.arissa area. Late 19.H found the being worn, togelh~r with SS issue camouflage c1othin\l.
Polizei Di, ision in Hung<H")' taking part in the
dcfensi,-e battles again~t the Red Arm). bdore \\:1:. prommed to Oberieulllant dt'r Schutzpolizei"
being lransferred once again to the nonlll'nl S<.'<:lor "'ilh the n'cce ~CJuadron he took pan in Ill(: allack
of the front. After suffering hea,"y losses in the on Russia, and s.,\\ aclion at \\-olcho\\ and
fighting around Danzig the di\ision was pulled Leningrad. In January 19.102 he \\as awarded the
I)ack lor thc defence of Berlin. whcrc it 'I as finally Iron Cross lSI Class and promoled 10 SS-
de~tro)cd. lIs final commander was lilt' Arnhem J-1auplslllrmrtihrcr and Hauptmann der SChUIZpO-
v('teran SS-Swmlart('nfiihrer \\'alter j-lar-<'.cr. li7-ci. Durin~ !\llgust 1944 he look command of 4
Among the most highly decorated mcmbers of the Polizei Panzer Allndarllng~ Ablcilung and ~crvt:d in
divi.~ion wcre Ihe following: this capacil)' during the divi~ion's aClions in
H ungar)" and Czcchoslovakia from September
SS-HaUplsturnl.Hihrer Heinz Jiirgens '9+-1 lOjanUar) 19-13· On 6.Janllary '9+5 he was
Hcinzjiirgens was born in :\Iiltzow. Pomerania on awardl.-d lhe German Cro:,s in Gold.
11 :\Iarch 1917. and commenced his milital") career \\"hen im"oh cd in lhe ddeuce of Danzig a Soviet
\Iith I/SS-Regilllcilt "Cermania' in Hamburg in bl'cakthrough lragmenu'd the di,"ision ami some
1937" After allending Ihe SS·junkerschule at Bad 1Il1il~ foulld lhelllS('h"es being used as a 'fire brigade'
T6lz he was promoted to SS-Umcrslurmliihrcr and Linder Von ,\Ianteufld\ ;) Panzerarmce. jurgens,
pO~lcd to the Berlin police. On the outhreak of war wilh his rcccc batlalion ,ll1d various attached
he joinl---d the SS·Polizei Division and served in ils clements. totalling around ~,ooo men, was in
reccc squadron during the campaign in the West. dcfcn<x 01" the bridgehead al Langenberg. For four
being seriously wounded in France. Injunc 19.10 hI' necks he and his Illen held alit against ovendlclm-
..
1936, he volunteered lor the SS-Vcrfiigungstrllppc.
Aller attending the SS"junkerschule at Bad Tiilz.
he was commissioned as a LClltnanl del' Schutz-
polizci and postcd to the Berl;n police_joining the
SS-Polizci Division on lhl' outbreak of war, Traupe
served with the division throughout thc opening
stag:es of Operation 'Barharossa', winning the'
Gennall Cross in Gold in Septembcr 1942_
In January 1944 the Soviet counter-attacks on
lhe Leningrad front broke through the German
lines and sevcral e1emellts of _8.Armec were in
dangcr ofbeing encircle:d. Trallpe and his battalion
held the rctreat route open for sc\-eral days 01
intensc combat against Q\-crwhdming odds, thus
allowing many German units to a\-oid encircle-
melli, Traupc was a\\ardcd Iht' Kn;ght's Cross 01
3S·SS-Polizei-Grenadier-Division
One ofa numh<.T of\\'affen·SS 'di\·isions' formed in
the closing stages of thc war. many of which never
reached morc: than regimental strength, this unit
I\'as raised in February 1945 from the stalf or the
Dresden Polizeischulc and some personnel fi'Om lhe
SS·junkcrschult> (OflinT 'I'raining Academy)
Hraunschweig, It 'KT\Td on the :"liesse C"OIlt in
regimental strength in tht: dosing slagt.."S of the war,
and surrendercr! to Ihe $ovielS at Halbe, east of
Pragul' in ~Ia} t915.
,\Iany ad\'ersc commenlS han: been made about
the quality of Ihe 5S Pol icc troops. \Vhilsl it is Irue
they ncver reaclwd the level oflhe dite 55 Divi5ions
Slll,;h as the 'Leibstalldanc' or 'Das Reich', i:1ncllhat
they were oltcn equipped to a poor standard, the
4.SS·Polizei-Divisioll, at least, acquitted ilSelf on
ocea~ion \\ ilh somt' Ineril. and Ilumbered allcast 15
Kniglu's Cross \\inners alllong its personnel.
Uniforms and Insignia
\ lembcr" orthe SS-Polizei-Divi~iollinitially \\ ore a
combination of SS and Police uniforms and
ill~igllia" Standard Army or \\'afl("n·SS field dress
\\as \Iorn Ilith the standard SS sll'I'\"l' ,'agk on the
left ~lt~\('. Shoulder straps 11('1"(' pip,:d in 'Police
gre('n" \\'afft:"llfarbc; and Ann) or !'olic(' !Hyk collar
palche~ wen' worn. also Ilith Polin' grt"('"l1
\\'al1;'ufarlx..', In February '9+2 the formation was
Illily ab'>()rbed into the \\'aflen·SS, and thl'rcaflcr
full 55 insig-nia and rank badges Ilere worn"
Headg-car, initially of I)olizci pattern, \\a:. also
chang"cd lilr normal 5S isslle,
t\lembel's of the SS Polite Division wore a
divisional cunband. II Ii tially 1h i~ ('om priscd a black Line drawing ha ....... on an origin..l e..... mple of Ihe special
r;lyOll band with silver wir!' wcavc cdges and a gorgel pallern for Feldgendarmerie of the halian WafTen_SS
Iroops, Although it closely resembles the German gorgel Ihis
WOVCll l'epn.:scntation or the Policl.: p;lllern wrea- pattern fealures lhe SS.slyle eagle bearing Ihe f.see.. in its
thed l'agJe alld swa~tika. III Dc(cmbCl" t9.P a new talon.., and the legend 'Gendarrneria' r ..ther Ihan Feldgendar_
merie,
panel'll wa:. introduced ill Ih(' ~ame style of
manufacture bearing tile Iq.~elld 'SS-PQfll:"; Diz-isiou"
in ~il\ Cl' wire \\ ea\"e or hand ernbroickry for olTicers"
and silver-grey machine-embroidered thread for
(ItIH:r ranks, In 19.-1-3 an all-llIad.im·-woven pattern
Llljiw;rtjft Polite
was introduced for all ranks II ith th('lq.:-l"nd in silver
grc) \ITan', \Ian} phOiograph:.li'lun \"arious stages Luftwaffe F eldgendarrnerie
of tht, di\isiol1's de\'dopmcnt sho\\ troop~ wearing Of the three Fcldgendamlcrie organis.:\tion:., that of
IlO cunhand. howe\·er. tht, Luftwaffe was lhe smallcst" Only the ground
Pn'-t'niistlllelli lllembers orlhe SS 'iI·I....ing in the combat units of the Luft\\ anc had Feldgcndarmeric
Police wore ~ihTr-embroidered 55 runes 011 a l1eld CotlllxlIlcnLS, These included the LuftwaAcn Feld
grq hacking- 011 the left breast pocket of the tunic LJh isionl'n, Fallschirmjager Dh·i:.iotlcn, and the
Dul"ing- till' I."arly stages of the division":. hiMor)", Falbchirmpanzcrkorps "Hennalill Goring', Each
\1 hell IlH' I)olin'·stylc insignia \\ ere being- worn. ,hi:. divi~ioll would have an attached Feldgcndarmcrie-
runic insig-nia was commonl)' seell. trupp,
The I:trgcst of the Lurtwafli::: gHltlnd formations
• • • was tIl(' 'Hermilnn Goring' Divi~ioll (latn, Korps)
Italian SS-Feldgendarmerie and thus within this formation was 10 be round the
Thl'n:: i.~ littk reliable information aV;lilablc all the Lullw;:dli·\ largest Fcldgendanncric eknH'nt.
unilorm~ ami insignia or the Il,dian SS llllits, and \Vithill IltC 'Hermann Goring' Korps, tltert' (xisted
C\ CII less on t lwir Fcldgendannerit', PllOlllg-raphs of three Fcldgclldarmerie units: Fcldgcndarmcric-
personnel from '.!9.\\"ancn-Grcnadicr·Di\·i~ioll der Irupp Fallsl'hirmpanzerkorps '1lennanl1 Goring':
5S slum a mixfUrc of Italian uniforms ami Italian FeldgNldanneri<.·trupp Fallschjnnpall/.er Di"ision
and ~S in:.ignia Ixing \IOrn, Initillll) tilt' Italiall 5S "Ilennann Goring I": Feldgcndanllt'lil'trupp Fall·
in~ignia \\a>; t'mbroidncd on a red hacking, Inll in schinnpanzer Di\"ision "Hermann Goring 2". Each
June 19H Ill(' backing was changed to black. At Trupp \\ould typical!) haw had the following
least Otll' l'x<lmpk of a :'j:K:cial paltCrn 01" gorget for components:
till' Italian SS-Fddgcndarmelie exi~ts. The central IIQ. r!nllellf: Lnit commander ILcutnant or
1ll00ifin this I."a:.e is thl" SS-~I) Ie cagle bearing fasces Ilauptmanni. deputy commander 1.l'lltnant or
in il'i talon~ in place of the swastika; the scmlllx::ars "'arrant Officer). three fh"c Untl'rollil.itTe (in·
Ihe l('gcnd '(;'l/(larmeria'. tcrprctcrs), three 11"e men (dri\'('r~ and onkrlies).
I: NCO, Feldgendarmerie. 1939
2: Officer. Geheime Feldpolizei. 1939
3: SS·Oberscharrahrer. 4.S8-I:toliz.ei-Div.• 1940
Umleitung
3
A
I: Hauptreldwebel, Feldge.ndarmerie, 1940
2: SS.UDterscharfiihrer, Feldge.ndarmerie, 194O-41
3: OberW8.chtmeister. Polizei·Schutzen·Regt.. 1941
B
I; Warrant officer. Marine Kilstenpolizei. 1939
2: Feldpolm:iinspektor. Luftwaffe erp, 1943
S: Warrant orf"lcer. Marine KUstenpoli:wi. 1943
c
1: Hallptmmann, Feldgendarmerie, 1941
2: Gefreitcr, Signals, 1941
3: Sergeant, Royal Hungarian Gendarmerie, 1944
D
I: Leutnanl, Feldgendarmerie: N. Africa, 1941
2.: Obt'-rfe1d"'''ebeI. Feldgendarmerie; N. Africa. 1942
3: 8S-Feldgendarme. 29.W-Gren.·Div. derSS. 1944
I 2 3
-I --...,
,-
lo;C'
.
Or
.-
• •
E
I: Hauptmann, ~Idgendarmerie,'Hermann Goring' Korp8,1944415
2: NCO, Fcldgendarmerie, Fallschirmtruppcn; Normandy. 1944
3: Oberge(reiter, Feldgendarmerie, 'Hermann G<>ring' Div., 1944
F
I: ss.UluenlUrlllfilhrer, Feldgemdarmerie, 2.SS·PzGren.·Oiv., 1943
2: Unterrddq~ Feldgendarmerie, 1944
3: Feld""ebel, Feldcendarmerie, 194445
G
I: SS-Scharfiihrer, Feldgendarmerie. 1945
2: Hauptreld",~bel, Feldjager, 1945
3: FeldwebeJ, Feldgcndarmcrie, summer 1945
- •
;::;- r-- -
• , ,
•• ~-~
i1 -
\4
,
;:f
3
... ""---
I 2
H
3 x /'/aloo/lS: Platoon commander (\Varrant was under the clircct cOlltrol of the divisional
Ollicer). three Obcrfcldwcbcl (patrol com- command. The duties ofthc 1.1I/twalli.· Fcldgendar-
manders;, 12 Untcroffizicrc five men (drivers and merie wcre similar to those of thdr Army and
orderlies) . Warren-55 counterpans. Panic·ularly importaIll
SU/J/JOfl Group: one each Warrant Officer (Sergeant was the securing and patrolling of the division's
.\Iajor), Chid Clerk Oberfcldwebcl, Armourer supply wutes, prcvclilion of sabotage and anti-
Obcrfeldwebcl, .\1T Oherli:ldwdX'1. Supplies partisan patrols. Fcldgcndarnll'ri,' were fully
Oberfcldwebd, Quartcnnaster Ollcrfcldwebel mOl.orised but with oilly light unarmoured vehicles
Clothing, thrCt-"-li"e Unterollizier (admin. and and light weapons (though Pall:tcrfaust anti-tank
~upply clerks), fi\"(' ten lll('n as mechanics, drivers, projectiles were issued illtl\(' lallcr pan of the war).
nwdics and orderlies. Each Trupp would have a Feldgendarmerie OftCII fQUlld themsc... h·cs in direct
total strength of around 100 officers, KeOs and contact with enemy forces. l.uftW;:lnC Fcldgcndar-
men. merie were of COUfS(' rc.:sponsiblc for lhe mainten-
Offic.ers and warranl officers were mainly c.."lreer ance of order and discipline \\ ilhin their divisions,
...oldiers who had comc from the Prussian L"lndespo- and for t he assistance of the military justice system .
lil.ci :"ia 'Landespolizcigruppe z.Il.V. "'ede', and I For the laltlT, onl) those with former civil police
Regimelll 'General Goring') and the lotorisicnen experience were UM-'(I.; The maintenance of order
Gendarmerie. ~COs aud men were': mosth career and sc<:urily in n'arward <;('ctiOlts of the divisional
-oldiers and conscripts. The r>.ll.Isik.korps "-Iermann
Goring' was abrorbed into the Fcldgendarmerie in A ~s"ot ofa LunwafTe field Co"rt Martial;. Sicily ... 1943;
the plao:ard on the Opel Blilz truc:i1 ~a.b 'Feld!erid>t der
'9-14· Luftwaffe'. Noce dUll Ihe wehide i. weD CIImOUOa!M apiruit
The Fcldgemlanneri(' of tile Luftwallc field units ....emy air auacl<. (He..bert KailJ
33
an:':il~ was carried oul hy the Fddgelldannerie Troops of \\ hich the Fcldgendarrllerk W,L,>
platoons u~ing traffic posl.~ 011 all important road comidered a p..'\rl. In 19.J.3. hO\\CH'r. this wa.,>
junctions, to regulate traffic f10\\ and protl'Ct il from changed to conform wilh the orange·red of the
parti:.<ln attack. Permam'nltraffic and infi)rmalion Arm) and \\'affen-S5 Feldgendarmerie. Thi.~
POSb \\ere also IOC:lll"d at divisional headquarters. \\'altt:ltlarbe \\35 \\orn a" piping or un(krlay 011
Lufi\\alfe Fddgl'lld.lrmerie also l'I)('rat(:d im- shoulder siraps and ;L~ piping on NCOs' and men's
mediately behind Iht" !i'outline to collect ~Iragglcr~ collar patcll(~ of the 'Hermann Goring' unils up 10
ami li'agmenled unit~ and redirect them. April 19.J-3. Strictly spcaking, the \,'aOCllfarlx: was
During the retreat through Poland ill I!H5 when tilt' only identifying ill~ignia of (he I.uftwatli..
llnits of the 'Hl"nl1O'llln Goring' lor1l1;llions were Fddgcndarme if (he duty gorget was nOl being
(·nl'irclcd. the (k~patch rider~ of l!w 'llcrmann wOl"n. I( has been eonfit'1lwd, however, by velnam
Ciiring' Fcldgcmlanneric carried out mallY dan- of the 'Hermann Goring' Division Ihal former
g'('l"OUS night missions through the Soviet lines to ci\·ilian policemen ,')l'ITing ill the di\'ision's Fddgcn-
('SCOrl prceioll~ fuel supply \Thiclt~ 10 the be- darmericll"upp \\01"(' Ihl' Ann~ -paltern '/:'ldgelldor-
II'agured 'Hnlllann Goring' troops. mtrit' eullhand on lhe left ~l(",\·e. Thi" is supported
b) photographic c\'idcllcc rcproduced here.
Unifonns and Insignia ,\ sp('cial Lufl\\ am, ver~ion of Ihe Fddgc.:mlar-
Thl' \\'affenfarlx: of the Lufl\\am.. Fddgendanne merit, gorget has \x'('11 kllo\\ n for some time from a
\\'a~ inilially liglH-hlue, this \x-ing the colour for few ~llrviving original examples ill privalc col-
I,uft \\ aile Verwalt ungstruppc (Admi nistratiw lectiom. This dill(:red from the slandard FddgCll-
danncrie gorgel in that it lealured a Luliwalle-
Unteroffizler Herbert Kail, a LuftwafT", F",ldgendarm", serving patlern '(lying' eaglt-, However, mo,')( surviving'
with the Court Mart.ial branch, at hi" dellk 'in the field',
(U",rlnrt Kail) pholo~raphs of 1,11f't1l'!1f]i: Fcldgendat'1lwril' show
t.
•
. _'I
- •• ---
34
'Herma.... Goring' Divi"ioD Feld~eDd.armen,Sicily. '9t3. The
'Hermann GOring' cuRband Can just be secn on the riKbT .Ieeve
of UaTeroffizier Kail, lefl. Only the shoulder strap piping
ihoWIi the branch of ~rvice On this particular form of dress.
Of special intere51 are tbe so-called 'He Meyer'lropica.l
field cap!! being ...0..... and Lb.. Iropica.l l)·le collar Tr_ _ 0 ..
Kail'. twe. (Herbert KaiI)
35
Luftwaffe Gehe.ime Feldpolizei
The Lufiwaflc rormcd ilS own Gchcirnc Fddpolizci
ill 1943. Its tasks \\cre idcmicallO those of its Army
counterparts, but or course were ('onccnJed with
LuH\\alle matters. I.uftwaffe Gehcime Fcldpolizei
wore normal Llirtwaflc !>en'ice drl~~ with the
ffJllowing special insignia.
Collar Patches: Standard Llirtwalli:: patches, in dark
grcell cloth bearing th(' j()llowing designs:
FtMpoli::.meAreliir gl'(:cn/~ihTr twi~t edging; three-
point embroidercd sih'cr star on:r sih-er oaklear
cluster. FtM/HJli;.e;obtrstkrtlih gl"{:cll,isilver twist
edging: twO thrl,(:-plJint l'mhroiderlxl sih'er stars
O\er sih'er oak1c.. r clll~tt·r. FeJdIKJli:::.n Insptklof
siher t\,ist edging; two Ihl"l'(··poilll silver em-
broidcrnl stal'S 0\ cr siln:r oakle'at"chISler. Feldpoli.:ei
"'-ofl/",isar sil\"Cr t\\ist edging, Tim'" three-point
sih er embroidered stan. over ~il\"l'r oaklear c1w,ter.
Ftldpoli::.ri DirtklOI gilt twi~t lodging: olle Ihrce-
point star \\ ithin oakleaf wn·alh. Ob,rj,ldpoli.:,i
Di,.,klor b-rilt twist ('dging: 1\\0 lhree-poilll stars
\\ ithin oakkaf wreath.
Slwl/leI" slraps: Standard Luli \\ allc-Bttl1lll", :.houlder
straps \\ ilh the followinJ.:" distinctions:
Fddj)()li::.,is,J.rftiir dark gn'('11 base. \\ lIle red
\ \·affenfarbc. flat ~il\"( ... braid \\ ith gilt letters 'C FP'.
Fflelj)()!i::.riQb,fSrk,.('tiir as ahon' hut Wilh one gilt
rank pip, F,Id/)()li::.,i I"sprklor-a~ ahow. F,ldpoli.(eI
Il-ommisar as abo\"<' hili with two gilt rank pips.
Frldj)()!i.(ri Dirtkfor clark g-n'\'ll hase, wine red
\\'affenf;lrbc, lwi~tcd "ilve!' braid with gilt lel1ers
'GI·Y. OlmfiofdjJoli::.ri {)ir,k!or-a~ abow plus one
gilt rank pip,
No special cutlhand was inlroduced (i)]' lhe
LullwafJ'e Cchcime Fddpolizl.:i.
Mftrille KtI.\lellpolizei
The Krieg:.marillc I)()sS('~~cd no Fddgendarmerie of
its own as such. but in commOlI with mo~t other
navies it did have a Provost organisation similar 10
the shore palrols ofth(' British alld L"S I\a\-ies. This
was thl' l\lolrine Kibtcllpolil.ei, whose duties
illdudcd guarding coastal defences and mailllain-
Dc"palch ride.. Wolfs.as Din~e.. f.-ont FeldSeada.....eriet....pp
F.U$Chi panzenlivi.;oo I 'He GOriaS" The special ing ord\'r ami discipline ill coastal IOWIIS \\ here
L.ftwaff pauen:l S0"let i. beiaS wo Aln ofioue.-est ;"'Wt Il~l\"al IX'NOIlIIt'I were loc<uc<l. As with the Police
the ..aifo ;s in A..... y FeldJll"" .ad 1 the Feldhla.. of the
L.. rtwllffe. (Wolfgaog Diose..) f{)rmatiom "rill<" LuH\\affc. f\rlll) and \\'a£len-55,
gold-yellow base wen.' WOI"ll, ;\.<; was a Police pallern
ann cagle in yellow lhread (gold wire lor oflicef's) 011
a blue base on the left sleeve. A narrow dark blue
cuflband with yellow braid c.:dge~ was worn 011 tht:
lower left sleeve. bearing lhe kg-end ·.Ilanlle
Kfi.slmjJOIi::.tI- in yellow Cothie '><.'I'ipl IeWTS.
37
strength units of around .)00 men which wcre undcr
the control of the Slarr of thc local Hohere SS und
I'olizei Flihrung Higher SS and Police Leader-
~hipJ.
Poli7..ei unilS of battalion and later regimental
strength quickly followed Army combat unils into
occupied territory. Thc Army could ill allord the
manpowcr required to maintain order and prevcnt
tcrl'ot'i~tll~especially during the invasion of the
Soviet UlliOTI, where the initial welcome found hy
German Army unilS in many ar('as soon dC\'l:lopcd
i/llo hatrcd dlll'1O Hitler·s idiOlic racial policies. and
Ihe general brutality visitcd upon the occllpi(~d
populations.
Due to the \ef) lluid nature of Ihe \\'ar on the
E<btcl'l1 Fronl. man) l)oli7..ei units found thcmscln.~
in dircct combat \\ilh Red Anny units, The mOSt
famous occasion was at Cholm. \\ here large
numbcr.. ofCerman trOOI~, including Poli7..ci, wefe
encircled hy Sm-iet rorce~. After the successful relief
of the bcleagured German troops a special award in
the fiJI'Tll or an ann shicld was instituted to
('ottlmcmorate tht' :lction. This shield was designed
by Poli'l.ci Rottwachtmeister Schlimtl1cr or the
Rl"~t·I'\·("- Polizei- Ba t:lilloll Cholm.
By 19-13 mO~1 of the Polizci-Bataillons had been
formed inlO regiments, or which approximately 4-0
Ii. ratb~r eeld_looking O~rf~ld"-"'HI from Ib", SpuWib 'Blue
Division' on Lbe Easl"'", Fronl in 19f2, ;d",n'w«t by hi" duty
sa\\ action. As Ihe Poli7.(·i was ultimately controlled
gorgre and tnffi", walld. Of additional ;OIU....1 is Lb", shield hy thc SS. n--cruitment 101l0\\("d S5 guidelines, and
""".rillg Lb'" Spaai,,11 .,..10"... on Lb'" ri~1I1 .1"",,,,, He is armed
with I.... W.ltbrr P,& pisiol U, Charila) man) of those who joined the Polil.ci after 1933
were l:'1natically lo)al ~azis. The Polizei had its own
clUJrtnous rang(· of I>olice organi~ations ex.isted- training schools, altllough lise was abo made ofboth
SChUIzpolizci, C('ndarmcric, Krirninalpolizci. Ann} and WalT'en-55 training t'Slablishmenb.
\\'a~~(T~chLltzpoliz,>i. Vcrkebrspolizei, Ilochgebirgs Polizci ollicers Wl:re trained al the SS-
(;t:IHbrmeric, Ft:lwr~chutzpolizci <Illd l3ahnschutz- Junkcrschulcn at Bad '1'611. and Braunschweig,
polizei to name bill n kw, In Ihis book we will being wIlllnissioned with dual Polizci and 55 ranks
concern our~cl\'c~ only with the Policl· units which (i,e SS-Untersturm!iihrer and Leutnant der
took part in combat operations, 5chutzpolizei.) It wn'l possible ror an officer"s rise
Tht' Cerman Police \\as divided into two through the ranks 10 Ix" at a dill<TCIlt rale within
principal bralldll~: the Sicherhcitspolizci or Sec· each organisation, M) that an officer could become
urit) Police and the Ordllllllgspolizei or Orclt'l· c.g., SS-Hauptiitllnnf'iihrer ICaplain and ~I~or
Police. Within till' Order Police Ihe principal der $ehutzpolizci.
orgallis.'llion \\as till' Schutzpoliz(·i or Protection In tilt." sense Ihat they wcre lIst:d principally lor
I'olicc. one of the mallY sub-branclws of \\ hich \nlS
MaAy other org......;&....iolls bad lh",ir Polic'" or PalrollloeCoriry
the Kascrniene I"oli'l.ei or Barrack Police. These s",rv;ce", the SA, NSDAP, SS rt", all had cbeir SCrr:ifendiensr
\\ere quasi-mililary I',rmations ba~ed ill the larger patrols. Sho_ he..., for tbe r",aders' inl",re&1 ill an e"c"'P"
tiooaUy rare shol of. Flem;&h m",mHr of Ihe 0"'Kanisation
towns. Kasernicrtc Poli'l.ei units developed [i·om the Tach Palrol s.,rvic",. The lI:0rll:el, of Anny slyl"" bran' a
Polilical_pallern "'11:1"" f1a.k",d by ch", Idlers '0' ll.d 'T' over a
Polin'i HUlldcrLschalll.:n (Ioo-strong units) ofprc- IIcroll with til.", Icgend 'Slreire.dienSI'. Note III.", SS run",.. woro
war days. and hml soon develolX"d inlo battalion- 0. III.", tie, aod III.", '~'and",r.' arm ..hield. U. Charila)
39
securing lmflie roules, directing rerllgec_~, iln(J- (machine-woven cxamples arc known). Officers'
partisan dUlies, etc, lhey shared a g()(X1 deal orthc examples were in hand·embroidered sil\'er wire,
work of the Feldgendarmcrie. The Polizei combat but with the swastika still in black lhread.
units became notorious for the savagery with which Thisstandard pattern of tunic was cerlainly worn
they put down any parti:.an activities ill their areas. b) field Inrmations: but as the war progressed,
Although ollicially part orthe SS, these troops were much less elaborate \"cr~ions were introduced, more
not part 01' the Wallen-5S. These Polizei units were in keeping with the style of tunic \\ om by Army and
often greatl} li·agmcllted, with dillerellt battalions Wanen-SS troop:., This t) pe \\as in plain field grey
of the s..'lllle regimcnt being lnund 011 different cloth \\ith no coloured Ibeings. Lightweight
sectors of the front, 01' c\'cn on dillcrent fronL';. greenish field grey denim tunics \\ere also used
during summer months or in hot \\eatheL
Uniforms and Insignia Camouflage clothing. \\ hen \\orn, \\as slandard
/-hadgtllr. Se\'eral distinct pattcrn:. of headgear wcre Waflcn·SS issue,
worn b} the Polizci combat units; thc well-known Arms and equipment issued to these I)olizei unit.<.
Polizei shako \\a:. not one of them, howc\·cr. The wen.' usual!} or obsok'scent design, the newer
pcaked cap or Schirmllliitz(' worn hy SdlUtzpolizci t.'quipment going to front line units or the
was of :.imilar appearance 10 that of dIe ..\nny, bUl \\"ehrmacln and Waffen-SS. E\'en major units
\\ ith the capband in bro\\ n instcad of dark green l>uch a:. the SS-I)olizci Di\·isions sometimes had to
cloth. Piping was in 'Police green' Waffenfarbc. makt" do with obsoklc or (·aplllred cquipmenl.)
Insignia comprisl.'d a siker metal Polizei-patlern In the latter stages of til(' war. the K:ascrniene
wreathed eagle and s\\'astika on the band, with a Polizei e\ en had its own tank troops, The Police
national cockade above. An ).t.j.3 EinheitslCld- Armoured units wer(' ('(luiplX.'d with old or
Illutze similar to the Army's \\ as also wom, caplllrcd equipment. 'I'll(' crews wore standard
sometimes with green piping to the crown. The Arm)·pattcrn black Panl-l'l" uniforms, but with
insignia on this cap was a one-piece machine-wo\'en green piping to the tunic collar and Polizei rank
Polizei cagle and swastika in grey thread 011 field insignia, slee\'c eag-Ie, etc,
grey with a national cockade abo\'(.'. A Polizei-
pattern side<:ap was commonly used by Polizei
combat troops. In field grey \\'ith green piping, L1lis
bore a machine-woven grey silk Polizci-patlcrn
Ti,e Plales
eagle and swastika Oil black backing. (Oflicers· caps
were piped in silver and had the insignia machine A I: JVL"O, Feldgmdarllli'/"ie, 1939
woven in ml'tnllic thread,) The steel helmet worll This ;'\ICO from one or the firsl Fcldgendarmcrie
by Polizei troops featured a black escutcheon units wears the uniforlll of' the civil Gendarmerie
bearing a silver-grey Polizci cagle and swaslika on bUl with Army lJ;ldges of rank and breast eagle
the right side just below lhe venl hole. added. The fidd grey dOlh used lor Polizei uniforms
Tunics: The traditional tUilic of lhe SChUlzpolizei had a distinctly greenish shade. The collar, culls
was in a field grey cloth ora distinctly greener shade and tunic ll'Olll !c:alUfcd the orange piping of the
than normal. The collar and cullS were laced with Gendarmerie. As with the Schutzpolizei, Gendar-
brown c10Ih, and the culls each featured t\\'o merie ul1ifl)J'lllS had brown f:u.:ings to the collar and
silvered bUltOllS, Both collar and cults were piped in twv-buttOn cuffs. Thc forage cap, also piped in
;Polizei green' WaJfcnfal'be. Standard Polizei- orange features an Arrlly.pattern cagle and
pattern shoulder straps and l:ollar patches were swastika. GJ't.:y-grecn long 1I'0users are worn, with
used, The sleeve e;lglc on st;lnd;lrd Schutzpolizei standard marching boots, and the i'\CO is armed
uniforms bore abo\'e its head the title of the town in with a POB pistol.
whieh the unit was located; the fidd formations,
howe\'eL wore the sleeve cagle without such a A2: Junior officrr, Gtlttinu FtJdpoJi<./i, 1939
name, The eagle was in green machine- As it Illemht.:r of the HecJ"(.'Sbcamten he wears the
embroidered thread with the s\\astika in black standard Army officer's field grey 1\136 FtJdblust
4°
with dark green collar and officers'·pattl:rn siiYer SoI"mn-1oo1W:ls SS-feldA;....ciarn>ft"i., pe~_1 from. tlo..,
'LeiMI.ncb"" SS AdollHiller' inlerrosate CIlpfYred Ru....ian
\\ ire embroidered breast eagle. The ~houlder strap:> ta1lk crew... e... The NCO wears tbe waterproof _ I and ball a
arc in mall grey braid on bluc·grey underlay with a ..is-J torch ulached hy a ,,-.aU 1...lher fob 10 Ih" .ecood
hullO"-
dark green base, and bear the gilt monogram
·GFI)·. The olliccr-paltern collar Li/{r1l ill siln;r and Policl' green piping (though lalcr, a whok
bullion arc also on a dark grecn hase and hav!' grey- range orWallcnlhrbe colours was lIsed). The s.ingle
blue edge piping. The cutlband is speculative. pip to the shouldcr strap indicates his rank. 1\
Original examples survive bUI it is nOI known with standard SS-patlcrn sleeve eagle is wort! 011 the leti.
any certainly whether lhese were actually issued. upper nnn, Althis point in the divi~iotl's hisl()[,y tbe
The field cap worn is the standard ivlSB pallern for cuflhand was not in general llse.
olficers. wilh silver braid piping. The chevron o!"
Watlcnl:lrbe over the cockade is the dark green of Bl: IltlllptftldlC;rbcl. FeLdgmdOlHlrrit'. Ig./{)
the I-Ieeresbeamten. In 19+0 the Arm)' introduced its special Feldgen-
darmerie insignia. This Hallptfeld'\l~bd in slan-
.13: SS·Obrrscl/Qrjiihm. -/.SS-Po!i{ri·Di6sion. 19/0 dard :\ 136 combat dress has orangI' \\·allcnlarbc 10
The division saw its first importam combat action hi;o, collar patches and ~houldcr slraps. A
during the im·asion of France. This Obcrschar- Gendarmerie-type eagle is worn on thc left slcc\·c,
fuhrer h·caf'S thc standard Army to.I36 Ftldblust for machinc-embroidered in orange tlwead, while 011
:\COs with sih·cr braid TWit to the collar edge. lilC left cuff is worn the· Fdd..f{nldarmaii cunhand in
.\rmY-tYI>c collar palches arc used. wilh Police machinc-wovCIl artillcial silk. From the neck is
~reen \\·ancnfarbc. The shoulder straps arc 55 worn the Fcldgl.·lldannene gorget or Ri"gkragtn,
pallcrn in black cloth wilh silver braid NCO Trts~ soon 10 I)(.~oml: thl: ·Irademark' of Ihe Fcldgcn-
4'
darmt::, Abu\'e the l:ockach: on the NCO"s :\133 cap Arrny-pauern Feldmii/::.e retains the ArlllY form of
is a \Vatlenfhrbc chcvron in orange. The Hauptfcld- national emblem, butthc eotkade has been covered
webel wears the standard Army black leather belt by a metal 55 TOlmko/!linsi(!,llia. The blat·k leather
carrying magazine pOllches for his :\ 1»38 mach inc- bell suppol'ling his holslered P38 ha..~ an SS buckle
pislOl. plate..
45
anti-lank projectile: prcvioll~ success wilh this
weapon is indicated b) Tank Destruction Badgc~ on
hi~ upper slecve_ I\s Wilh G3, only the Waffcnfarbe
piping 011 hi~ shoulder straps and the gorget now
dellote Ilis t\ II) sta tus. 1-1 is helmet CO\TI" is in \ \' aflclI-
55 camouflage cloth: he is arnll"d Wilh a slung
\J1\lU and stick grcn:ld(:s,
---
Notes Iiur les planche!> en couleur Farbtafeln
A.c., ",,,... Ali,,,.,. por" runUonn< de 13 Gendarme,;.. ,i,-ilt 3'~ i"si~ ..... d. A, Dtncl Un'rr"ffin~r or.og' die Z"ilunif.... m dc. (",."b"".rir mi,
~r;ad< m,li'.,re,1 ";~I< 'ue b poil,.;.... "''''a I. <..... leur ,- ..'r dc l'ulUlOrmor de b. R."g.h... r~he" de, Armer .. ,,01 Ilrus..dict, L .. I",,,,,hl,,n ... nd d.., Grunmne drr
rolu.. n I... p.or""",,"'. hrull"- A,. Umlo<"", (I. b.:o.e (1'011"".,. de I"ann,,<\ ",'tt l'oIUnumfu<m nnd d.. bn"nt: Innt:nfu''''T. A~ I",. Ln,fo:orm .rnn Amore-
I.... ~ ..... ,bn, It "lie de< oIli<'i<Ts ..... He<:rn.b<-.mlrn.l... rubo.n aur b. mand... '.'I"
0I1i........ <I~n I nilgnitn im SLit de> Hrcrnbramtrn. I}•• S'nflh:utd ;un
.""'''', m:w"" di,trih",ion noon pon ....'nl rna'''" "<pttul.,Ooo• .4.] :,\""" Ie Clrl.,..rm ~ , .... rr hrrnu_:olx:r <krrn AU'll"hr .. no! .... nn ... 1\...1"'/1.... ,,'unk
"",!;,ongr 00 ''',.~.... de col de '}I'" ml~I",,"" Ie \\~fK"C.rb<o .... ,..... l'oIW:i <'1 .. no! nieh, bd ",,,. AJAullaJle"d i.. dic M"",hu"ll." h.,.~rni_.nirn.dirde",
l"ai'l'<'" In ..." .. <I<-""",,,,,,!\S. Slildrt .\ n''J't'''<"hrn undach :0"'00 poh...... u""" \\ .Ifor,d.,lx:.drm SS·
III l".. ~ dc t'dd.;""Lo,rncnc-WdnJi.,b.- ...."nj«". lU& ,u, b. """>ebt d ..
Adkr uod Schultorrb>richen ~Id1DUDCTtln"""
"I'" <k Ia 1'01'«0, tul>an SUr It br.>s n pbq "...1 fu '" .",rod",.. " p;o.rtir d< 111 n... .·~kIlr<r>dar .... ""'h"'~ ....... tg<:,oe Wa"" .ubr, ...... hn d...- PnlWoi
,')to. Ib W s.... p.otlC d'.,..ol< Of IlUij:nc t b df' r u"lOrmor n,i~w<. ..bliche Ad.....uf drm ,\nnri. SroiIbanll ..'" l n' "" .. nd Kr:>.~
",............... 1..-:'., """''/1:<. ' .. ban ...' La "",",,,,h ,. llloq col q"" b. FtId_ ""rrInn a'" ''lin ~,..rfuh". Ba SS-K ..:o«<". SOCh" ""...... mod I.... ~:on
Gmd.o"...",.. m&ln.....-: Ie FcldmulZe dc fa,""'" • _par , >a roorardt- <In. Mmdoodrr .\nnt't-U...bm mil ~brn ...... ngd'.,n;!"' Pa>pd. ~nd
""", ""', .." ........... Toon'lopfSS II] ~ "'''''''''" ..' nKHOItliCf'\"Cf"n b am Ln......"" .. nd Ii. rac<'~ " ... III drr r dd'!'1.....' ........ dt:r Armr. I);e
"",,1< b .oupt de> W>1lOnnc. de b J>O'io<t"..... a' lor 11",,,, , ....... ok b fddmuucdrf A.......... ha, .nW"" Kokardr. d... mU dem r(>l<n~blric"'"de<
Soh"""I'"I",.... qui "pp"",il air In ..... ncbo otic ""'an' dc b. '"Me'UK de mCmc SS vt ...ftn .. unk 113 I>ic' anti~icbn, I..'",,,",,,,n 1..lonhm di<' roliznfarhrn
q .... 'ur It "'~ <t h 1'-',1<" <I·q>"ule. Co dcrnInn r1~n, I..,'..... ~' :Org<"11 JIOW" 1;> und <I.. SCh,u"m....' Ion; ,n dir>nn Bn>J-I m" dTI- p-"nen 1''''pe1 de<
f"l'bt~. '(>1<>; It lil<'f'( uniq .... our It calol do "lit poIIc< L'" ftlu,f"""'C'" m,ln... rr Schu17po!r:t<1. w..
.n <I .\!a""ehrt'<n, ,......... ul dTI- Lnifomlp..-I..r. <1m K",g.,....
olJ.Iook,c ~'4" .,.".,.." <I,"';bu<-. ..nil SChull.....h...,;rhrn ~u Ier"....." ;g. I...,ztrre " .. nk" n' drr br:luIlC:ll u"d
C, 1) "I".... rlll~funnc de- la \\'."".",.,huUiKoI.ln "... r~'gl~'111 1:0 maochc- c,
.ahorn..." I'oo""r''''·.... I\d "". Zu lx:mc:rlu:n ,,' d... nnm.li~ 1'...",,1 an <kr
J'oI,urkopp" \'Clall". ,\,mcr·'\,,,,us1n"ll " .. nk 00 ."'ftt'KcI",,,.
l'''''''''''''''urb ca4(Ju''I,.de''lk poIicin .•" Ie ruh ".u, I:>. ma'leh.-<ku ... ,,-icr-.
Cz UtlllU<m~ d'"llic,~rd~ 1:0 l."ft .. affi- :0,"'- In'igr (j.,. fir..",.". k ooulJk ~"d C, DI<tr L",f,orm. hr",h, :ouf dcr drr \\,....nch",.z~l<)Ir.... r. \um.lJrlld is, ,kr
If"'l:~ 'ur ,...rl <k I:>. p'o< d'<p.. ,,1t <t I. ma"1 .... 'GFI" .(Icn"r"'renl ,...Ue arm<" Adl",:om ;,""...1"'", l),.; lkt 1'00i,";. dr" K'Pl"'m'I>l~"'<1' ""d <l a• 5w/lband am
I""'lrculi~re. CJ A ,~.,,~ dal~.Lt. I'"nrr.,n,,~ de I. K,,'1t"m.,,"~... 11 ",f .dop,~. U"""t'.m. '" 'l1..... m o.<'.'1,berrich. Cz Die Ln,lonn ,,"n
1...,1,,,alle.()uc.
1.'1 I~aq..., de ,-.;,1.,.1 fpi"~I",, ,ur Id ""en, Om,i.., nlH I\r.""..
ni....i$"".n, 0<:, 'luv(",I". nM ""d ~rt"lC llim"'!l',,,ndd,,,,
S<lrulr<1 all",d...,.. und oIr~ Abkurzung 'C F1" "or' de< ~.r~"n .. "ng".iclr"n ru,'"
D, 11",,,,i, I'.itrk 3f<:~nl "" I. manrh~ er Ie rub." de m.nd,c, l"unil..".me <:<,Ia !In,,mnHe.. I:rnhril. CJ Z .. dir>t:m Z~i'pu"k," ,,,,Ie di.. K""'l'"""in,·.I:"ifocm
I"""" de <.Ilnp,.~r"' ,Ie l>.... e d'un "fEeier de ran"'.... '''C<' Ie W"f1'·"farl.., oea"ge I~'r"i" h.n"".l. I><r Kra~,''''piegrl ..... 'mlr.m fl.i,'" ",it ,\addrr Ilt"htigl.
de ,'cUr ""m,'. D. ~('"I, ]a pl"'l'" <I,' col cr k br;l"a.-d ""U(IUeJ11 l'alTecratron
1"'''I)(>1,.i",·,Io-,,·' 1,01"'.11<"" la Fdrl",·ndarmcrio-. OJ I... in'ign("d.'col ell" lJ'elOC Or A""cr d"", ,,11,,.,.rr,01l A,lle, am .:-o.''.'1el "nd d.n' StoJlh.,tLd am U,,'cm,m,;"
'Ill I:>. "",,'ehe i"d~! <letl' Ie ~r.<lr de c. ,,-,,"-{JllLcir": I" I'b'I"" de ,,,1 dc fahric,,,ion d".... C"ifocm mi, ,Ie,
o,",,,'ge,,cu WalTe"f",\>t' olio-v' Ahl .. il''''~ <l;. uhliche
"llc""""Ir' I"''''' dc> Iw,e, hon_~mi..... , l\rkl.idu"g ""'"' A,,"ee·Offi,;en im l'rld. Oa ~"' dol' KI'.~ru'I,,~~d und d;e
E. ,,,u,·~a......,,u, il purl< I' unifunrre 1l'O,-"ullOmallr; l'ai~le ,ur Ja m.no:l>r Cl la
A""hind.. ",,,<:,,d.,,, ..f hi". d." die."T .\lann Ill" ,'"....
h<rg.lo<nd d~r
1'1"'1"" 01.. ~<ol e.. lk•• i "'anr rar<: palmi IN 0I1.e~B: n....."'I'a' rrlOlm"" e' I'd''.'1<
t'ddgendal'",rri" "'o;rteil< "·,,,d<. D:J Ili" K'.~""i.. ,,~,,io" u,~l ,Ii,
.\bru<h<l_
"''''re.'' "',iot .. ""f d,,, R.nl( do U"'cnoll"irr> hm I)", in r>e"Bcl<la ..,j
d" ..'!',;.... "·...1 ,,~I~lu<C'In< p.<' Ie Waff... "f.. b... ~t Ie ",I",n ,n, Id rnarort... E~ Un
~dt"igt" K... grr"l~"f"l hi,S' ~inr-n ,"'g.,i""""" !i<hl1f.. u~
n'.'1f<>rme n",n"~,,, ,It'• .,;g..... d'"s"" a I~ lon~"" dar.. ~ ,00" condi,i""" <lu
<Inc". 1\.,.c£ Id ,rniot, 'rovicale 00 pa"e> d'f".ul~,l.. ocra,k. Ie ,on br'''''couilk E. 1>iroorT "eu."~u<nml.n~ ''''gtdrr''andarr:l'.'1"Wg. ·ll'01"', ".r"nn. Orr A<ll",
rnnpl~.", I~ 'et>«" <I'~ntenl E3 U"" ' ••;aliuo. ,1 (.,"'bolla ....... Ii", d""..,.,... auf <lrm Arn",U ..rod Krag"",piLKd. heo dr, Oni,i~ "ilOt.m .. ..,ig
de> u".un.... Il.~,... '" "Iltm.n<b n "'''lI''''"1""'", par k ""norrnel SS ilalicu ,.,.,,~.odr. Nod ",eh, .u >then. 1),< .'\ht",lun~ "ltd nu, dURh d.., \\ :illCnfarhor
..", u"" <'OfIit" i"Lh."ne de I:>. pbqu, de rot ..nil <km S,ofIb:>.nIl am Ln'......m enichWch. E2 [),..., Unrwm "u,lk I.ng. in
de, W ,I{C1'-"'J(ftI An <ke r'opemrnoon IOl .ultoUt-nd. da>o dK
.', I"" r""gr... de «II """ ..., Ie IOtrd bLaoc de cell' <Jj""on. >tulle IOtrd de- I:>. 'ich..I<", ntato.<nchen a ....dIe der silt.rm.er. nne ,bn ...... 1'..- ha"... E]
1'""' d'<pauk ..od",,,,, I otrm<: de b. poI>c...... COlmparcnr, VI nffir.... dr b IiI/:"" de bll" \·a".."",. der ,,..ldidru""',.... K""'bi uo " doer ,,,,,h"'lUChen und
fffln" .,.-.: o:Ioo:or.u........ de combat, """" """ "' , ",,"'n ororn:uro de- dru,,,,hr,, "Il(w.....,,, ..
l nil I",i,,,,,,,,, <I.., , <In- u............ hen ~ mi, ~ .....
1oOkLl, f:o I.. pLq"" de- <01 mr.6'...... DO L.
....arhu'... < " <1a", b ~'.Id~:o'"""",,. f,
"wIion'
u...
q .... u ~
Y.ul<lor>n ~ cam~
;...Iieo,,,,,b..,, Knpr ..... Kn!l'.....p.rg.,k ~",«<II ",,,,It
fuo-nlll""I<Md ,,1tun 1on:JUI: It nom..... "'" me'.'1...... do' Ia <I......... a ..,double F. I>ic' li..at.""""1''''''' ha..... fU,<I..,.". 0.,.......... <"......._ H....."..--..nd.
• b I", de f .."' '4H l.n iniig.on de L..f,,,""' """ M[p<»<'> ... i ...r ..... N.. ,doer .I',n,rrlVUnIl doer ~h" ....... ,.d". "6,, 4urd", frldlonli.riahorilu..,: IUn.
'-n.-..... nb mdll~'''''': ""'rz'" ",ban dr dr 1:>. <I..~. ruban <Ie manehe l>or>rr h"",oil",...... den K:&mpbuucichn.. "$"' ,,-"It' d... herlommlichrn
dr 10 l<'ld~~ lUi~,~ire POO-'" I'".d·.._,,, "'....... <k ......,...., dam SoId.o,mhtw" "nil s.,...feI Fa I).,. "'b_V.ogeoo~ " ..... "'" rbn.. f"'".
da..
I' u,..... do' I."....... I:>. 1),,,,..,.,, n 1:>. flbqUl: <Ie «II <Ie I, l.uIi".",", dinn L' "'...uIr dt:r r illochmi""'pri",.... Ion <In' I dd~od,""",,", ",n~'z,
&. II po" .. "" funif Mr'H3 plu. lOmpk ,,' .. 1<' \\,,1,"',.,1... di." i(
",m f3 JM frid " U.ulOnne" wunkn "",nehmal .....~ ....n,.:ol....h dit
1);,."",,"1"""" "odr '9i4 ,~tr. I);e In,,~ drr Luf,,,-.II<-i..,t1 hir.- auf
n.-.nl:~. ""'t£ ..... ... ba de manehe <Ie 1;> d"'.....' <k 1<1 ss.f,ldo;mda . dct ,\ Ln,lorm 'u or...." 1' .. bmw:rk..." r>t <I.. S,oll".nd am Un,."..m
w.\ rrl1r da<r on por1~ pl... I':o~k t b. m.n n; Ir ",loan de manchr: w",,-r Ix, ,. 0 .... S...m.. nd ;un l;n'...ar", ''''' tin Am...... f~ldo;rnd..-.ncrir
I'ullik:>tn... de "H3"" hraocoup pl "pIt <t d, q I"r h.rrr rru""".. rr pa, ""rr:l~ "nn e m:olol:..n l\tTut;,poIi.ti"..." dLt o.""""'ltnli.ri.bnl"';, ._mm.n
t'41'IKor, dna I'"" <lrn". G:t c.- 'n ·olJicirr '~nl< <Ir ~_".." "-'" fkg."",: n,i, den, l.url,,~IT,,·K'~~"'pi"ll"lge".gr".
",.Ig,... I. Un I '1".. lile de l"u"if"""" <k '9H I:.. ,l(lr~, Ie ruloan ou, I.
m.,,<h~ n", ft "dnnn... p:ar d.... ,., oIlirrrl G. II,. ~inl;OC""~ Mr~3 l:niform "'urd~ '.'I;, <1<:" aulbUe"d"n o... ngenen
H, L.r~ .. ,bru I'o"i,,,, ."..r un Kaml'fgnrppr. il. drja ,Ie< ",....... "''' '«lui.
\\"alfenf.d... ~"ag'''' Di. SloIlb,urd" am Unt...... rm, ,Ii,
'nn der Di,ilion nnd
oj.,. SS·Fddgr"da'''''''''' I.. nu'.. ""rdrn. ,irtd h,,,, IU orhen, Ga Wad", d~r
",'<'C I. 1'.""L·rl",,1. lIcul. Ie li,.,,-,' '" la pbq ..,· d...... rd.. nlrfi~." ,,~, a,m~
..\ dl" .rrfdern A"".U noch da' ~loIlbarod ...",de hen".... Die Uniform an' d.",
II 'm;g;"', 112 l 'n ",il. "g" ",II"""''''en, co"'. ,,' d' ''lid.,. ."cie", el ,,~uf;, porl6
j ..... "" ""b·"(I",,,,' <I"" ,<:<l""l<> ·e!la'...."'" d.· ,i'rr' ,tim h ,kmi/'rr< ha,.ilk,.
Jal". 'Q.l'''' "nf,,,I;,-I, "inf.<h<, g..,..lt.,
,,,,,I "on Ilrroerr'Q",<1"a', &3 Dir><:r
U"'e,,,tlil.irr' """ud" ",il >cin~r M L9H U"ifi",n. ,Ii" ,'on ,.bl""h'., Quali,,"
Ce" IHl t,,,,,a,,," ""pi..in",nl' <l il pone I.. \\ .11,,,t.,,'b. bla,,{, I.• plaque d~ cui
",ugh'. "i ...,,, ~"'rJl l~i!ldn"'k zu him<'Ia.... n. Ci..".,,, utli,idler """ei,,,ng
",,.IC l.r k~"",k '1'.ldl.,~crkO!V'·' 1,· h"",.ml '''''~'' 'Ol~',knm",andr\ drr "'IlI~e d~r A(ll<r' am Arm.lund da, Swflh",d wr~g..I"","n,
I \ehr'ln.d" . 1 d<!j.r~er·. 111""''''1., I,,,il sr'll HJ E" rni"i,," .P',",,1d allii~ ap,6
IJ 1;" ,k la ~,,~,,~, C~ J~~.ci~, de I" C;'Tlll"h,'" I"'''to· ""'I""'" ...-,n Ilnifmt1lr II, •• , iI:" I~'rri" I...; 01... 1"""0'1""" bfolge !."mel< .md 1~'!lr"t" >ich in, l:imalZ
,,'Cl'",'" i"";.~11'" .~."" "ITrr,i,~.,· ., ror".,,,·.u" pim>lcl Lt... JM"'a]oH' """ bti dr, K.""pf~tLlppe. NUl die P""p"1 ,,,,<1 d.,. Kr"g"'''I''C/ld I....... n ",in~rr
d... " "",. ;,,,~l;' ,t.· "dn"",lJd~" ;'ali<nlM', ""I"ungl;"h." I Ir~ru,br,,,idr "h,men. H~ [me h,mtl~ "n.", «tf.nde Mil(hrr"g
'u. aht", "IllI n,'''''''' Zuhrhn... d .. '·on d;""'m IJrrl(l'oI1i''''r, .1" ~dUrrh..'"rr
'Knpfjagd ".>I"."d d.,. I"werr Kampll,••odl .. n~.n ,,,,,,08m ""nl•. f:. n, ~in
~rfaj,;etreT I"fan ...u",>l<!a' und II.g' <I .. "....., \I a11n.fa,bt. 1),-" K,.o:c",I"'-ll:,.)
hi,S' <lrn Sch"f" ..g Fddj.!l"korp<' und oIr~ ""~ Arml"",\( 'OI:JcTkommando
drr W.. h,ma,hL l'IdJall.,r". b ". ""1 .."", M..H tw..afli..". IIJ Naeh
Krrcpende ...,1« dC'" Kom"",""" drr AIIi..."<n. "al\' drner \ rr~.h",poI;~i"
rm ' nn<h <I ... Ln~Onn ri"i~ lu~~"ic" "·.. nJr,, m,fnn,-.. lld rr hehir-I,
~ I',,"..... 0... lI...... lOnd ~ .... ;uhrru..-hem ·I.m",.."nal herltOldl<