BACKGROUND: On June 17^TH 1936, Reichsführer-SS Heinrich Himmler was appointed to the newly created position of Chef der Deutschen Polizei im Reichsministerium des Innern, (Chief of the German Police in the National Ministry of the Interior), effectively giving him full control of all police agencies within Germany. As a result of this appointment and the restructuring of all the separate German state police into a single national police force new regulations were instituted on June 25^TH 1936 to bring about uniformity in dress for all police through-out the country. One of the new uniform regulations replaced the previously worn blue uniforms with a new style police green uniform that was utilized, with minor modifications, until the end of the war. The police were divided into eight assorted branches of service and during the restructuring the different police agencies were assigned specific identifying "truppenfarbe" (Troop {Branch of Service} Colors), with light grey truppenfarbe being allocated to Polizei Verwaltungs Beamte, (Police Administration Officials). Of Note: Police Administration Officials were further distinguished by the addition of a bright red Nebenfarben, (Secondary color). On the service tunic the truppenfarbe was generally displayed as the base of the shoulder boards/straps and the collar tabs as well as on ornamental piping while the nebenfarbe was only displayed on the shoulder boards/straps. Police Officers holding the rank of Polizei-Leutnant to Generaloberst der Polizei were responsible for purchasing their own uniforms and could purchase them through the SS-Kleiderkasse, (Clothing Account), system which was originally established in Munich in 1935. The Officers were allotted a one time clothing allowance from the government with the amount varying depending on the individuals rank. The ranks of Polizei Unterwachtmeister to Polizei-Obermeister were issued their uniforms although they could also choose to purchase privately tailored garments of higher quality although the price may have been restrictive. Of Note: The German Police had no enlisted ranks with the lowest rank being an Unterwachtmeister which was equivalent to the German army rank of Unteroffizier.

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: Nice quality, private purchase, slightly mottled, Police green, wool/rayon blend construction service tunic with a subtle whipcord weave features a vertical, eight button front closure with dual metal hooks and eyes at the forward neckline and a lay down collar. The edges of both of the front closure panels are trimmed in light grey wool, truppenfarben piping. The tunic has two, pleated, patch, breast pockets and two non-pleated, patch hip pockets, all with scalloped button down flaps. The left breast pocket has two horizontal thread loops for wear of an award. The straight cut, sleeves have non-adjustable, simulated French cuffs in chocolate brown wool with dual ornamental buttons to the outside sleeve seams and light grey wool truppenfarben piping to the top and forward edges. The upper left sleeve has a hand embroidered, wreathed police eagle in bright silver/aluminum wire and bullion threads with a black swastika on a cut-out, vertically oval, ribbed police green wool base. The police eagle is neatly handstitched to the sleeve. The reverse of the tunic has a central vertical tail skirt vent with two belt ramp support buttons to the top edge and an additional two ornamental buttons to the bottom edge. The tail skirt vent is flanked by small, ornamentally, vertical panels which are piped in light grey wool truppenfarben. The tunic has sewn on shoulder boards in bright silver/aluminum braids with a single, gilt washed, stamped alloy rank pip to each mounted on bright red wool nebenfarben centers with light grey wool truppenfarben bases. The silver/aluminum braids are still quite clean and bright but both the nebenfarben and truppenfarben bases have numerous small moth nips. The shoulder board retaining buttons are intact. The chocolate brown wool lay down collar has the forward edge piped in light grey wool truppenfarben and the collar features hand embroidered collar tab litzen in bright silver/aluminum wire threads with the regulations "V" patterned silver/aluminum wire "branch of service stripes", mounted on light grey wool truppenfarben bases. The collar tabs are machine stitched to the collar. The interior of the tunic is fully lined in ribbed greyish/tan rayon. The lining has a horizontal slash pocket to the left breast and two small vertical slash "glove" pockets to the reverse of the tail skirt vent. The lining has dual, integral, horizontal, waist belts with a nickel/silver plated sheet metal buckle machine stitched to either side seam at the waistline. The reverse of the exterior left hip pocket has a small, brown wool reinforced, horizontal slash designed for the dagger/sword hangers. The lining also has a black rayon tailors label handstitched to the left breast pocket with the silver, machine woven tailor’s name and location, "Holtkemeyer Minden i.W. Viktoriastr.29". All three fold back metal collar liner clips are intact. The tunic is in overall very good condition with light age and usage toning and about a dozen small holes. The buttons are all the bright silver washed, pebbled sheet metal type and are still quite clean and bright and they all appear to have their original stitching. The tunic is roughly size 38" chest.

GRADE ***3/4                             PRICE $1,855.00