German Rural Police NCO/EM's Service Tunic
CATEGORY: Version
SKU: 52.GOR.02.01.01.03.003.000
Estimated market value:
Estimated market value:
This is an extremely well-preserved Ordnungspolizei Gendarmerie tunic, constructed of a police-green wool exterior with a light-green cotton-blended interior lining. The breasts of the jacket are closed with eight reinforced buttonholes meeting an equal number of pebbled, silver-coloured metallic buttons, stamped on the reverse with “O. & Cie.” (Overhoff & Cie, Lüdenscheid). A 1939 Iron Cross ribbon is sewn through the top buttonhole. The tunic bears four breast pockets, with two on each side, all with reinforced buttonholes and pebbled, silvered zink buttons. The collar, constructed of brown wool, is neatly lined with orange woven piping that continues down the length of the breast flap. The inside right collar has two metal hooks meeting an equal number of metal loops on the left allowing the collar to sit flush with the neck. The collar is flanked by tabs composed of orange-coloured wool base, bordered by twisted silver aluminum bullion wire, bearing machine-embroidered twisted silver aluminum bullion wire columns, measuring 35 mm (w) x 70 mm (h). Shoulder boards rest on each shoulder, constructed of two rows of brown embroidered cord flanked by two rows of fine aluminum wire interlaced with brown threading, all wrapped in a U-shape chevron formation, finished with reinforced button holes over pebbled buttons on an orange-coloured wool backer and two silver pips indicating the rank of Hauptwachtmeister of the Gendarmerie, measuring 35 mm (w) x 110 mm (h).
The left upper arm bears a sleeve insignia in the form of a standard police-style German national eagle clutching a wreathed mobile swastika machine-embroidered in gold-coloured thread within a larger oval wreath, all sewn onto a field-grey backing, measuring 90 mm (w) x 95 mm (h). At the end of each sleeve is a brown cuff measuring approximately 95 mm, bordered by orange thread, and adorned by two pebbled, silvere zink buttons. Striped off-white rayon-blended material lines the interior of the sleeves. The interior of the tunic contains a pocket on the upper left breast along with a reinforced slit that opens into the left waist pocket. The tunic measures approximately 500 mm at the shoulders, 770 mm in the arms, with an overall length of 640 mm. There is minor material fatigue from wear, but the tunic is in an otherwise extremely fine condition.
During the Third Reich, an effort was made to unite all of Germany’s disparate provincial police forces and agencies into a single cohesive national unit. To attain this goal, Reichsführer-SS Heinrich Himmler was named Chief of the German Police in the Ministry of the Interior in June 1936. That same month, Himmler implemented new standardized uniforms, headgear, and insignia. The uniforms worn prior to Himmler’s appointment were often navy blue, particularly in what had been Prussia. The new uniforms were green, in a shade that was then dubbed “Police green”.
The German Police were divided into two main units, the Ordnungspolizei (Orps or Regular Police) and the Sicherheitspolizei (Secret Police); the Ordnungspolizei were unofficially called the green police (Grüne Polizei) as a result of their uniform colour. The Sicherheitspolizei were made up of two main organizations, the Gestapo and the Kriminalpolizei (Criminal Investigation Police). At the beginning of the Second World War, the Sicherheitspolizei were brought under the auspices of the Reich Main Security Office.
The Ordnungspolizei was also divided into smaller branches of service, and each branch was associated with a branch of service/troop colour (Truppenfarbe). The troop colours include:
Schutzpolizei des Reichs (National Protection Police): Green
Schutzpolizei der Gemeinden (Municipal Police) pre-1942: Red
Schutzpolizei der Gemeinden (Municipal Police) post-1942: Green
Gendarmerie (Gendarmes/Rural Police): Orange
Verwaltungspolizei (Administrative Personnel) pre-1942: Red over grey
Verwaltungspolizei (Administrative Personnel) post-1942: Light grey
Feuerschutzpolizei (Fire Protection Police): Carmine
Wasserschutzpolizei (Water Protection Police): Yellow
The uniform garments worn by members of the Wasserschutzpolizei (Water Protection Police) and the Feuerschutzpolizei (Fire Protection Police) remained blue after the 1936 uniform redesign.
The service tunics were worn by all ranks of German police personnel.
The buttons are silver-coloured (aluminum) and pebbled, with the exception of General ranks who wore gold-coloured buttons. There are generally eight buttons on the front closure (Generals only had six), two buttons on each sleeve cuff, and one button closing each pocket. There may also be four decorative buttons on the tunic's reverse vent. The vent is also lined in Truppenfarbe piping.
There are four exterior pockets in total on the tunic, with two at breast level and two at hip level. The pockets are generally “patch” pockets with scalloped flaps closed by one button each.
The collar and sleeve cuffs have an additional layer of brown wool, and for Officers and Non-Commissioned Officers/Enlisted Men (NCOs/EMs) they are lined in Truppenfarbe piping, same as the seam of the front closure.
The tunic may be lined with rayon, cotton, artificial silk, or silk, depending on the wearer's rank, as well as whether the tunic was manufactured privately. There are often interior pockets cut into the tunic's lining, and a manufacturer's label is often ink stamped or sewn onto tunic lining.
The insignia featured on these tunics include collar tabs, shoulder boards, and a sleeve eagle. See the relevant Insignia sections for more information.
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