West German Polizei

[chiffonnier]

hannover polizei visor

Albert Kempf 8 pointed top visor with glow in the dark reflector stripe on the bottom cap band.
herstellungsjahr N.

Kees

[Huntzman]

Gordon

I'm playing catchup with a lot of older posts, so please bear with me.

Your assumption is slightly off. There are a variety of local law enforcement agencies and their duties vary between states. The "Stadtpolizei" or "Gemeindepolizei" were the city police forces that were ultimately absorbed into the state police. These mergers were most prevalent in southern Germany (Bavaria, Baden-W., Hessen).

The dates of these mergers varied, but generally occurred between the early 50's and early 70's and usually involved the smaller agencies first ending in the bigger ones (i.e. Munich)

The Mainz patch is in fact an example of local law enforcement authority. Think Code Enforcement, Traffic, etc. These agencies are still in existance today. You will find various titles "Ordnungspolizei" "Allgeimine Polizeibehorde" "Polizeibehorde" etc.

The patches generally feature the local stadtwappen and are still widely in use today.

Hope that helps clear things up.

Simon,

Thanks for the excellent response. I know that most of the city police forces were absorded in the state ones by the early 70s so I suspect this badge was worn, as you say, in the 60s and possibly as late as the early 70s.

Regards,

Gordon

[Gordon Craig]

Huntsman,

Thanks for the comments. It is sometimes difficult to understand just what type of organization one is looking at with the multiplicity of names in use in different states for similar organizations. Very helpful to have you back with us to share your knowledge.

Regards,

Gordon

[Huntzman]

Thanks Gordon, I appreciate that.

It does get confusing with these small administrative departments. Considering how many of these small agencies there are, it can get overwhelming.

Just take a look here and at the bottom of the page you can see the various ones from Frankfurt.

http://www.huntzmanpatches.com/germa...adtpolizei.htm

Andrew

[chiffonnier]

These pictures are developed at Photo Prien located at Kiel.
I think I recognise the Kiel crest on the sjako,but I'm open for other opinions.
All the best,
Kees

[chiffonnier]

From the same photo lot is this one;

[chiffonnier]

A strange mixed crowd (with police members) watching someone fire a handgun.
The withe top visor is a naval officer I think.

[Gordon Craig]

Kees,

Great photos. I need to study these closely and see if I can figure out an approximate date. The last photo shows some excellent views of the short and long leather coat in wear.

Regards,

Gordon

[chiffonnier]

Thanks Gordon.
I really like these old photographs nobody has ever seen on the web and are "fresh" to us collectors.
In the last one nobody is looking to the camera.
So everybody is focused on the shooter.
Really relaxed atmosphere as well as it seems.
Posed photo's are far less attractive.
This photo somehow brings up memories of Derrick,Der Alte or Schimanski.
I really love those German kriminal TV series.
Hauptkommissar Siska,
Kripo Munchen,
gute nacht !

[Asbjoern]

Yes, these pictures preserve the athmosphere of the past ... and for sure its the same with those old TV series! I´m not a great addict to TV criminal movies but have several of these old series only because of the athmosphere. To complete the list I´ve to mention Stahlnetz. They started in the 50ies and they lokated each volume in another region. One is located in Koblenz - the city I grew up - in the early 60ies. Great scenes with old cars, buildings torn down since ages etc ...

Jens

[chiffonnier]

Jens,my favorite TV serie is Tatort and in specifically the episodes with Ballauf und Schenk.
I also love that old athmosphere you talk about.
Opel Manta,the Reeperbahn,short leather jackets together with large sideburns.
Another famous police related TV show was,and still is I believe,Aktenzeichen XY,ungelöst.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aktenze..._ungel%C3%B6st
A TV programm where the viewers are asked for their help in solving crime.
I happen to have the bordgame based on that show.
So a collectable worth posting in the polizei thread.
All the best,
kees

[chiffonnier]

Also an intriguing small snapshot from the same photo lot.
A very determined looking individual wearing a helmet and a rifle as it seems.
Looks like the guy has no theeth,maybe some war injury.
He's guarding something however.

[Collectinsteve]

Very interesting pictures! Always nice to see some old Polizei stuff. Unfortunately the hat badges are all too blurry for easy identification.

The first pictures (in the car) appears to be from the 1950s or very early 1960s. I have no guess about where they are from. The uniforms are black and the only Polizei force I know that wore a black uniform is Hamburg. But the 1950s time period is not well known to me so I can't say that it is. Certainly it isn't 1960s-1970s Hamburg.

Another possibility is Niedersachsen. They wore a very dark gray uniform that shows up as black.

The group photo seems could be any time in the 1960s or early 1970s. Off the top of my head, the only uniform I know of during this time that has both shoulder rank and traditional Kragenspiegel is S-H. Hamburg has some periods with both, but their uniforms are much darker.

The group centered around pistol shooting could be S-H, R-P, Bremen, Niedersachsen based on their use of shoulder rank. Probably some others too, but my brain is tired

Steve

[Gordon Craig]

Steve,

I think all of the pictures are from S-H and I agree with the time frame you have suggested. More research is needed though.

Regards,

Gordon

[chiffonnier]

This is the best close up I can come up with.
It also is the only piece of headgear in these pictures where something of a badge is visible.

Kees