Tunic

[markohno]

A very good friend of mine was born in Germany in the Reinland and moved to the United states when he was 10. Having grown up in Germany in the 1950’s, there were still lots of wartime goodies and stories in his neighborhood. Like a tiger tank and panzerfausts that the town’s Hitler Jugand and Volkssturm had been issued for action against an approaching US unit, whom they eventually decided not to oppose, now buried 75 feet under the town’s dump. He did talk to people who participated, and found rifle shells at the position they indicated having occupied. He made some trips back in the 1960’s as a teenager, and obtained a variety of Third Reich items from family members and the neighbors of his extended family. I recently acquired much of these because of waning interest on his part, most as gifts. The items included a Hitler youth knife his cousin had been issued at the age of 13. He said he was given this tunic on a trip back from a neighbor that was friends with his family. They wrote a little note that he had been a “hauptwachtmeister biem stab einer Nachrichteneinheit 1939-1945” and stationed in France, and I have his name and address, though he is presumably now deceased. Unfortunately there was no unit information provided. I am guessing or extrapolating from the note and rank and shoulder boards to indicate that he was a hauptwachtmeister in a headquarters unit of the investigative police” of the Ordnungspolizei or Orpo (Order police), with some portion of the time stationed with the occupation forces in France. I believe it is the police rank equivalent to the SS military rank of “hauptscharfurer” or army rank of “oberfeldwebel”, and is sometimes translated to English as “chief watch master” , “platoon leader”, or “sergeant major”. I have seen “Nachrichteneinheit “ most often translated as “investigative unit” in a german police context, but in a military context I have also seen it translated as “intelligence” unit, “signals” unit, and communications” unit. Any thoughts? The photos were taken in early morning and the tunic is more greenish than gray, despite the photo color. The lining its twill, but the exterior seems to be made of a ribbed knit material (see the circled area). The tunic is well made, with detail in the lining, and I assume is private purchase and tailor made, and a dress tunic. I can’t make out the town name on the label. All thoughts and comments are most welcome, including what the “1” on the collar tab buttons might indicate.

[Gerd W.]

That´s a very nice senior NCO signals tunic; Nachrichtenabteilung 1.
Tunic tailor made in Hofgeismar (?)

Nothing to do with Police thought....just a "Kabelaffe" ( =German military slang, in literal translation= cable-ape)

[panzer224]

Very nice tunic you have there and a very interesting story behind it. I wish I could own one of these.

[LuckyStrike23]

They wrote a little note that he had been a “hauptwachtmeister biem stab einer Nachrichteneinheit 1939-1945” and stationed in France, and I have his name and address, though he is presumably now deceased. Unfortunately there was no unit information provided.

With name rank and branch its very easy to get informations about his militay duty. Contact:
http://www.dd-wast.de/frame_e.htm

[CWP]

The shoulder board button and piping indicates the soldier was in the 1. Kompanie of a Nachrichten (Signals) unit. He was in the Army, there was no police connection. The cuff tress indicates the soldier was a Hauptfeldwebel.

[Kengir]

Great looking tunic for sure! Top quality tailoring and still in excellent condition. Quite the catch, and with a good story to boot.

Cheers,
Jeremy

[DonC]

I need new friends... VERY nice tunic! Chris is correct - 1st Company of a signals unit - no SS or Polizei connection.

Don

[Johnny R]

It also is a Reichsheer (Army pre-Hitler) 1927 pattern piped service tunic. The collar probably was replaced after 1934 and the eagle added to conform to the NS-Era WH regulations. Very nice example.

[Johnny R]

Also there were several Signals units in the Town where the tunic was made-

Nachrichten-Abteilung 9 and Ersatz 9

Nachrichten-Abteilung 45

Nachrichten-Abteilung 49

Ergänzungs-Nachrichten-Kompanie 11

[markohno]

many thanks

I appreciate the corrections and all the great info. It makes it great fun to post a find or acquisition, as well as educational. The soldier and his family were from Immelhausen, and Hofgeismar is apparently quite close close by. I asked my friend said they considered it to be more or less a neighboring town. So it is exactly what one might expect to see.

Mark