Help me ID this Police Uniform!

[crotter]

Greetings,

I was digging through some family albums and found this image of my Great-Uncle. I'm fairly certain he served in the Augsburg Rural Police.

This is the only period photo I have of him in his uniform. Unfortunately I dont know much else, as far as his rank or what the insignia might be.

Could anyone help me id the uniform? Any idea what rank he was wearing, and what the ribbons are on the coat? Officer or enlisted? It looks like he might have a wound badge as well.

Unfortunately he passed away in the 1950's, as well as all my other relatives that would have known more about his service.

Thanks!

-Christian

[Johnny R]

It looks like a standard German Police tunic but I cannot tell the rank. He is not an officer. He is wearing a WWI Wound Badge and it looks like 4 service ribbons. The only award I can make out is the Hindenburg Cross with the swords for a combatant.

[Adam S.]

Agree with Johnny. Hard to tell what else is on that ribbon bar.

[crotter]

Thanks for the comments fellas!

I wish I knew more about his service in WW1... would love to know the story behind his wound badge!

[W.Unland]

Hello,

He is wearing the standardized M1936 Ordnungspolizei tunic. The rank straps are the early unpiped brown and silver in the rank of unterwachtmeister, basically a low level NCO ,like a lance corporal. Certainly not an officer grade. Because it is a BW photo it could be either Scutzpolizei or Gendarmerie. He is an older guy and his rank is rather low so I dont believe him to be a career policeman but rather an NS-zeit hire, ie; too old for the army. Had he been a cop since the end of the first war he would have attained higher rank.

A police collector,
W. Unland

[schutzpolizei]

Could be Gemeindepolizei or Feuerschutzpolizei too, but it looks like the collar tabs are lighter in color...probably Gendarmerie. I think Augsburg was fairly small at the time? On another note, my grandfather was on occupation duty there from 45-46 with the US 71st ID. He told me stories of the Messerschmidt facilities there, and made ashtrays from aircraft pistons as project.

[crotter]

Hello,

He is wearing the standardized M1936 Ordnungspolizei tunic. The rank straps are the early unpiped brown and silver in the rank of unterwachtmeister, basically a low level NCO ,like a lance corporal. Certainly not an officer grade. Because it is a BW photo it could be either Scutzpolizei or Gendarmerie. He is an older guy and his rank is rather low so I dont believe him to be a career policeman but rather an NS-zeit hire, ie; too old for the army. Had he been a cop since the end of the first war he would have attained higher rank.

A police collector,
W. Unland

Thanks,

Yes he would have been in his late 40's when the photo was taken. I believe he was a WW1 veteran, too old to serve in WW2 so enlisted in the police force. My relatives have said he was "rural police in Augsburg" so I believe him to be in the Gendarmerie there during the war time.