Pollice-Panzer Officer's Set

[Ernst-H]

........To my knowledge, the only official sanctioning was done with the Probe tags such as this one on on this Schwallbennest.

To my knowledge the "Probe" smaples were basically the last step in getting a new clothing regulation out into the country.

First there would have been designers, planners, burocrats, etc makeing plans for something new....then make sketches, linedrawings and models, and write the text of the underlying regulation. Then all this went through the burocratic proces to get sanctioned by the appropriate level.

The written regulation, often accompanied by linedrawings, would be sent out, to each Police HQ in order for them to know about it. (I have an original of these for a 1942 Generals Waffenrock)
In the regulations (MBliV etc) can be read that sometimes sending samples was upon request and sometimes they were sent out automatically. (to police HQ and/or to approved companies)
Sending out samples would have been very expensive.....so I guess would have been limited


Back to the six-feather question
Written regulations have not yet been found clearly stating the number of feathers.
If the eagle posted by JoeW turns out to be legit we have to accept that others must be out there.
Saying that only the Wasserschutzpolizei would do six-feather officer eagles is IMO not realistic.

[W.Unland]

Dear Ernst,

A little off topic, but I do indeed contend that the WSP was "different" and would be more inclined to have a six feathered eagle than other police branches. Firstly it was a very small group with officers numbering in the dozens rather than 100's. I have argued before that since many, if not most, WSP officers were navy personnel reassigned to the police they would have most probably had their uniforms made by a naval tailor, not a civil tailor. If you look at your WSP officer's eagle as well as the others about that are thought to be original you will find materials and threads NOT found on "normal" police eagles. Again, I attribute this to their having been made by tailors used to NAVAL insignia and bullion work.

I have a six feathered cap piece which I believe is an early, period, handmade copy of a metal cap insignia, made by a naval tailor. If a newly assigned navy guy went to his tailor and asked for an eagle to be made the most available public references would have shown the 6 feathered NCO eagle, which could have been rendered into bullion for his use.

I can't see this happening with the other branches as they were civil tailors and would have had the appropriate probes and references, whereas a naval tailor may not have.

Of course just conjecture, but look at the WSP officer's eagles out there. They are NOT the same as other police officer's eagles in construction. None of them. So yes, I do contend that the WSP is a special case.

As I have pointed out many times, ALL police insignia is found in sometimes strange variations. I am open to the incident eagle being original, BUT there is doubt.

W.Unland

[JoeW]

Yep, it's deja vu all over again. Examined the Pol Pz discussed above 15 years ago at quite a few bucks less. As I mentioned above, the differences in color between the piping and insignia did not thrill me for some reason, nor did the six feather eagle at the time. Wish I had known Mr. Unland back then.

[JoeW]

Had a quick turnaround so the pictures were not that great.

[JoeW]

And can't find all of them.

[Richard P]

Joe,

It's great that you took photos 15 years ago, and even better, you still had them. It would not be a bad thing to be able to trace the history of this piece back that far, but at least the photos show it had the same insignia then. I would like to see this one in person. Thanks for sharing with everyone.

Richard