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, including the Feuerschutzpolizei, (Fire Protection Police), 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 new style shoulder insignia and the introduction of specific Truppenfarbe, (branch of service colors), to identify the assorted branches of Police service.

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: Second pattern, sew on shoulder borders as introduced along with new uniforms in July 1936. The shoulder boards feature dual, outer edge, bright silver/aluminum braid with evenly spaced black "V"s, encompassing dual, inner, black braids, mounted on a carmine wool truppenfarbe base. The shoulder boards are in overall excellent unissued condition with minimal fraying to the sew on ends. The carmine truppenfarbe base indicates usage by the Feuerschutzpolizei and the shoulder boards represent rank of Wachtmeister.