Trapo NCO uniform

[Frank Soon]

Got this one lately.
There's a button hole at the collar that enables the tunic to be buttoned at the neck.
My quesions are:
1. Is this type of jacket solely for the enlisted?
2. Some police EM jackets are just the same as officers, why?
3. could this closed collar type be for the combat unit of the trapo?

[Frank Soon]

Nobody knows?

[iannima]

SCHUPO is your man. I was told years ago by him on this forum that the uniforms of the Kompanie der Trapo were UNpiped such as the one I own. Perhaps yours was meant to be the parade uniform.

[SCHUPO]

Frank,

Your closed collar tunic is for the barracked Trapo as Matteo mentions. Early examples were unpiped while later ones did have piping. This tunic could have also been worn with the collar open and a shirt and tie and the peaked cap shown for dress. I would not normally expect to see the Schutzpolizei sleeve patch on this type of a five button tunic however.

[Knuckles930]

These newer tunics have collar tabs both in metal for EM and Officers. The difference
is that the EM one only have one thread and the officers one have two like the regular NVA.

Also the whistle was worn as far as I know, attached at the left shoulder and put in the pocket.

[Frank Soon]

Thank you, SCHUPO,
Glad to know it's for the barracked Trapo as I suspected.
So is this type relatively rare?

[RedBaran11]

I actually have a similar one I just purchased thats on the way. Only mine I think is slightly earlier than yours Genosse Frank.



I believe the collar tabs worn on yours were worn from about 1980 to 1990 and the ones on my recent purchase from 1965 to 1980. I'm not sure though and perhaps Genosse SCHUPO could confirm this.

by the way Michael I'm going to upload this picture to my online photo sharing album when I get home form work today so that way it doesn't dissapear shortly

[SCHUPO]

Depending upon the specific date, the collar tabs with cloth litzen were worn by Wachtmeister, Unterführerschuler, & Unterführer. Those with plain metal litzen were for Berufsunterführer and Offizerschuler. Those with more ornate metal litzen were for Offiziere. Cloth litzen tabs were more widely worn by enlisted in earlier times. The metal litzen would be correct for an Obermeister der VP from the circa 1988 regulations. Also, generally speaking, the rough wool uniforms were worn by lower ranks (or are early) while the kammigaran uniforms were worn by higher grade NCOs or officers.

Bear in mind that these are general rules of thumb and policemen in the cold of winter sometimes wore the heavier uniform while those in hot weather often wore the lighter weight uniforms. Also, specific insignia changed over time and higher rank NCOs and say 20 year service policemen often continued to wear older insignia contrary to regulations for reasons of nostalga or just to be contrary.