Police Buckle Thread!!!

[Dave C.]

Another new maker for me... E. Schneider, Lüdenscheid (E.S.L.)

[Dave C.]

E.s.l. 2

[Dave C.]

E.s.l. 3

[Dave C.]

E.s.l. 4

[Dave C.]

And a very faint "E.S.L." buckle marking

[Dave C.]

And then an Assmann WSP or perhaps Verkehrs buckle...

[Dave C.]

Fwa 2

[Dave C.]

Fwa 3

[JoeW]

I posted this also on the link Dave provided on the first page to the Belt-Buckle Forum discussion.

Trouble sleeping.....I was looking in the 1936 regulations yesterday and read an interesting bit that I hadn't noticed before (or forgot). The original regs called for the gold finish buckles to be worn by the Water Police and Traffic Police as we all know. But also mentioned was the Gendarmerie Bereitschaft. This would be the early units of the Motorised Gendarmerie. I surmise the gold buckles were to match the gold finish buttons of the FJK color tunics they wore.

Now, does anyone have or has anyone seen any gold police with leather dated that early? Or perhaps 1937. I have to check but I think they changed over to the metal color of the Gendarmerie in 1937 or 1938. We know they are wearing silver/alumnium buckles in the Knotel portfolio.

[Dave C.]

Joe, I just looked through saved images and only one 1937 dated example by Dransfeld that Ric Ferrari posted before. Otherwise everything else i've saved is 1938-1943 dated.

[SCHUPO]

Guys,

Joe's disturbed sleep prompted me to look up the Reichsjustizverwaltung regulations as I remembered a note about Emsland. It seems that this buckle was also authorized for, "...die Wachttruppe bei dem Strafgefangenenlargen im Emsland." They were authorized to wear, "...des Feldgindenschlosses ein goldfarbenes Kastenschloss mit Hakenkreuz und der Inschrift (im Aussenkreis) 'Gott mit uns'"

So, one more group that was authorized to wear this gold police buckle as of 3. 6. 1942.

[JoeW]

I took the opportunity to search for the change-over of the Mot. Gendarmerie to the standard Gendarmerie uniform and metal colors. A short time after the introduction of the new police uniforms, the mot. Gendarmerie-Bereitschaften were directed in November 1936 to wear the uniform of the Gendarmerie. But the older olive-green uniforms and accessories (brown belts and gold buckles) were to be worn out.

As late as May 1937, it was recognized that the older uniforms were still in service and the new yelow metal buckles were authorized to be worn, both officer and nco styles.

[JoeW]

Adding one more point to the discussion that is apparently sleep inducing, the Knotel folio points out an interesting fact about the motorized Gendarmerie. At the time of the publishing of his work, there were 5000 officers and men of the mot. Gendarmerie. That is a low number. Probably the lowest of the police "branches" besides the Water Police. No wonder you don't often see the cuff titles, much less the cuff titles on tunics.

[lbsr]

Interesting discussion!
Credit to SChupo for Wachtruppe Emsland!
As I never saw belt with gold buckle in reality - I have a question to it.
What color is a hook on belt - gold as buckle or aluminium?

[Dave C.]

Finally a new addition freash from the "woodwork" and one with an interesting marked tab that I've never seen before. Tab is marked "R.L.M.", which I assume would be the initials for: Reichs Luftfahrt Ministerium.