BACKGROUND: On June 17TH 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 25TH 1936 to bring about uniformity in dress for all police through-out the country although it wasn’t until April 1ST 1937 that it was fully implemented. The Police were divided into eight assorted branches of service with each branch having a distinguishing truppenfarbe, (Branch of service color), that was displayed on the uniforms including the piping on the visor caps. Personnel serving with the Schutzpolizei des Reichs, (National Protection Police), were allocated green as their truppenfarbe color. 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. This Officer’s type of cap would have been worn by the ranks of Polizei Meister, (Leutnant), to the rank of Polizei Oberst serving with the Schutzpolizei.

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: Very nice quality, private purchase, Schutzpolizei des Reichs, Officer’s visor cap features police green wool/rayon blend body and crown with a brown velvet centerband and police green wool truppenfarbe piping, to the crown edge and to both the top and bottom edges of the centerband. The front center of the cap has a three piece national tri-color cockade consisting of a black, fluted, alloy base, a natural aluminum roundel and an inset red felt central dot. The front center of the centerband has a stamped, polished aluminum, second pattern, police eagle encompassed by a vertically oval oak-leaf wreath. The eagle and wreath are still quite clean and bright. Cap has an interwoven, twisted silver/aluminum chin cord secured by two, small, silver washed, pebbled buttons. The cap has a black lacquered vulcanfibre visor with a raised lip to the forward edge. The interior crown of the cap is lined in orange/tan oilcloth. The interior crown lining has an complete clear celluloid sweat diamond with makers mark. Size marked 58. The cap has a wide tan leather sweatband. Nice untouched cap.

GRADE ****1/4                             PRICE $1,190.00