History

The Technische Nothilfe (Technical Emergency Help), often abbreviated to TN or TeNo, was founded on September 30, 1919. Its stated purpose was to maintain vital infrastructure and facilities, and protect them during a time of economical and political turmoil. When the economy improved and political tensions became less pronounced during the mid to late 1920s, the TeNo was able to shift its focus to disaster relief, roadside assistance, and general civil defence, including civil air protection. In 1936, the organisation came under the control of the German police as an auxiliary force of the Ordnungspolizei (Order Police). During the war, TeNo units were deployed to virtually all occupied countries and front lines for technical support.

The TeNo Visor Cap was introduced in 1932 and was worn by all ranks. It is navy blue with a hand-embroidered emblem at the front and a national tricolor rosette below it on the cap band. It has a black leather chin strap and a black Vulcan fiber visor.

A new pattern was introduced in 1934. Leader personnel now had aluminum cords instead of the black leather chinstrap. The hand-embroidered emblem was replaced by a metal cap badge of different design, a TN emblem superimposed on a swastika inside an oak leaves wreath.

The 1935 pattern was introduced on January 25, 1935. It features the new TN national eagle emblem and cockade with leaves insignia on the front.

The Higher Leader version is navy blue with gold-coloured wire piping, and a gold-coloured wire chin cord affixed with gold-coloured buttons. Higher Leader ranks in 1935 were Landesführer, in 1936 Reichsführer to Landesführer, and in 1940 Chef der TN to Landesführer.
There is also a version in white that was worn with the summer uniform.

The Lower Leader version is navy blue with aluminum wire piping, and an aluminum wire chin cord affixed with aluminum buttons. Lower Leader ranks were Bezirksführer to Kameradschaftsführer.

The Enlisted Ranks version is navy blue with piping in the same colour, with a black leather chinstrap affixed by black buttons. Enlisted Ranks in 1935 were Hauptscharführer to TN-Anwärter, in 1936 Vormann to TN-Anwärter, and in 1940 Obervormann to TN-Anwärter.

The 1936 Hauptscharführer to Scharführer version is slightly different from the regular Lower Leader version. It has black and aluminum wire piping, and a black and aluminum wire chin cord affixed by aluminum buttons.

On September 29, 1942 the green Schutzpolizei (order police) uniform for TN members was introduced. The ranks of Wachtmeister der TN and above wore black piping on their headgear.