What cufftitle?

[Gran Sasso]

Any ideas?

[NickG]

He is a Polizei trooper (SchuPo) based on the uniform...but what is odd is that he has armed forces NCO collar tresse...
That is very unusual for Polizei... They never wore collar tresse...

The only Polizei troops that wore collar tresse as far as I know were the Latvians...(on occasion)
Because of the collar tresse I think the cuff title might read "Lett.Freiw.Polizei Reg.Riga".

[Bob Hritz]

Motorisierte Gendarmerie

[NickG]

I think Bob is right...My theory was based solely on the NCO tresse..not a Polizei thing...(unless freiwillige like Latvian)...
Maybe he is Latvian in the "Motorisierte Gendarmerie"... That text does indeed match up way better...
The NCO tresse threw me off!

[Johnny R]

Motorisierte Gendarmerie

I agree, the letter spacing does not match with the first idea.

[W.Unland]

The MG became the FELDGENDARMERIE early on during the war. They were assigned from the police directly into the army and continued to wear police uniforms for some time. I have seen such a tunic with collar tress as army rank structure took over. I think it reasonable to assume the guy is a MG policeman now under army control, wearing army rank tress.

W.Unland

[NickG]

The MG became the FELDGENDARMERIE early on during the war. They were assigned from the police directly into the army and continued to wear police uniforms for some time. I have seen such a tunic with collar tress as army rank structure took over. I think it reasonable to assume the guy is a MG policeman now under army control, wearing army rank tress.

W.Unland

Makes sense! So transitional from Pol to WH-FG using a Pol.tunic with Heer rank tresse. A mix of insignia!
What about this combination? (offered by Espenlaub)
Note it has no Polizei sleeve eagle! (supposedly never had one...no traces)
Dealers description:

Polizei Hauptmann in the Wehrmacht tunic and matched trousers

Polizei Hauptmann in the Wehrmacht -Heeres unit, absolutely stunning condition and quality tunic and matched trousers,
the tunic appears never been with the sleeve police eagle, instead of this it has a breast Heeres eagle, as normal for the police unit in the army unit. Hard to find the set like this!


Thoughts? Early war set up as well? The uniform is more standard military in cut though...unlike the portrait photo ...
(with Heer breast eagle added?)

[Johnny R]

I was told that the FG CT and often the arm eagle were only worn by Lt. ranks and below by the actual soldiers in the field units. I have a named Heer style tunic for a FG Oberst Lt. and it does not show any evidence of ever having a CT or eagle although the tunic is dated 1940. Same thing for a post 1941 tunic for a FG Hauptmann. I am not sure all of the Heer Field Police wore FG CTs and eagles.

[W.Unland]

I cannot comment on the tunic shown as it is green piped which would be Schutzpolizei. All MG wore orange gendarmerie insignia and piping. Indeed some SchuPo were militarized, particularly into the SS field division. I have no personal knowledge about SchuPo to army transitions. The tunic shown seems to have an improper army breast eagle instead of sleeve eagle, perhaps an improper rebadging after the fact. I seem to be able to see the outline of where a police sleeve eagle was once sewn.

Are the boards green and BLACK as in SD?

Bill Unland

[NickG]

I cannot comment on the tunic shown as it is green piped which would be Schutzpolizei. All MG wore orange gendarmerie insignia and piping. Indeed some SchuPo were militarized, particularly into the SS field division. I have no personal knowledge about SchuPo to army transitions. The tunic shown seems to have an improper army breast eagle instead of sleeve eagle, perhaps an improper rebadging after the fact. I seem to be able to see the outline of where a police sleeve eagle was once sewn.

Are the boards green and BLACK as in SD?

Bill Unland

Police green + brown...so SchuPo/OrPo color ...It's a strange combination to me as well...