S021259 POLIZEI OFFICER'S BROCADE BELT & BELT BUCKLE. (SS-Feldbinde und Feldbindenschloß für Offizier)

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 to bring about uniformity in dress for all police through-out the country. One of the new uniform regulations, was the introduction of two, new styles of belt buckles on June 25^TH 1936 with a round buckle for Officer’s ranks of Polizei Obermeister up to and including, Generaloberst der Polizei and a box buckle for NCO ranks of Polizei Unterwachtmeister up to and including Polizei Meister. Both the Company and Field grade officers and NCO’s buckles were produced with a silver finish while Generals ranks of Generalmajor up to and including, Generaloberst der Polizei utilized gilt finished belt buckles. The Police were divided into eight assorted branches of service including the Wasserschutzpolizei, (Water Protection Police), and in an exception to the rule, all ranks of the Wasserschutzpolizei utilized gilt buckles. The officer’s belt buckles were worn on a leather belt for service wear and a brocade belt for dress wear. The SS, Schutz Staffel, (Protection Squad), Officer’s brocade belt, was originally introduced in 1937 for wear by Officers of the Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler, and was adopted in 1938 by all SS Officers for wear with parade, dress and walking-out dress uniforms. In February 1939 wear of the SS Officers brocade belt was extended to Police Officers, who were commissioned members of the SS, and further regulations of June 1939 extended wear of the SS brocade belt to all Police Officers, and replaced their previously worn police pattern brocade belt. Regulations stated that the backing of the brocade belts worn by the Ordnungspolizei, (Order Police), be in a police green material and the brocade belts worn by personnel of the Wasserschutzpolizei, be in a navy blue material. Of Note: Police Officers holding the rank of Polizei-Leutnant to Generaloberst der Polizei were responsible for purchasing their own uniforms including belts and belt buckles 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.

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: Roughly, 1 7/8" diameter, standardized, 1936 pattern, silver washed, die struck, aluminum construction Polizei Officer’s belt buckle features a central, high relief, embossed, smooth field, canted swastika on a subtly pebbled field, encompassed by a stepped down, outer edge with the embossed Gothic script to the top, "Gott mitt uns", (God with Us), and an embossed, oak-leaf, half-wreath to the bottom also on a subtly pebbled field. The reverse of the buckle has a separate, raised buckle catch, inset into a circular recess with crimped retainers, an open, rectangular, prong bar retainer with the prong bar and prongs all intact. The reverse of the buckle is well marked with the impressed, stylized, manufacturer’s logo/initials, "oLc", within a diamond shaped border indicating manufacture by Overhoff & Cie. of Lüdenscheid. The reverse also has additional, impressed, script, "ges. gesch.", indicating, Gesetzlich Geschützt, (Protected by Law). The buckle is in overall very good condition and retains about 90% of its age dulled, silver wash with moderate age tarnish. The buckle comes with a standard issue, second pattern, (Circa 1939-1945), SS/Polizei Officers brocade belt. The roughly, 1 3/4" wide, 45 1/4" long, woven, bright, frosty, silver/aluminum construction brocade belt features repeating, alternating, interwoven oak-leaf sprigs and SS runes. Both the top and bottom edges of the belt are trimmed with two, narrow, interwoven, horizontal, black stripes flanking a central silver/aluminum stripe. The belt has both of the sliding, vertical, "keepers" intact with the same black, silver/aluminum, black stripes, but running vertically instead of horizontally. One end of the belt is folded over and machine stitched to the reverse which secures the silver washed, molded, aluminum buckle catch. The other end of the belt has a pointed tip and a tan, leather, retaining tongue machine stitched to the reverse. The retaining tongue has thirteen pairs of parallel, length adjustment, buckle retaining eyelets. The reverse of the retaining tongue has a faint, black, size inkstamp, "115". The reverse of the belt is finished with a ribbed, police green cotton twill backing. The belt is in overall very good condition light age and usage toning. The belt would fit waists sizes of roughly, 38" to 44".

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