New member who collects Polizei Pickelhaubes
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SCHUPO
Well-known member
Clovis and Rem,
Excellent Polizei Pickelhauben! Thanks for your addition to this thread. I hope I am not boring forum members who are not familiar with German Policing with these explanations but I continue as they sometimes help to understand how the police supply system affected their equipment such as uniforms, etc. Of course private purchase helmets will show anomalies from items of issue and items of issue were subject to official reworking...
The German Gendarmerie was an interesting policing organization set up on the French model. These rural policemen were considered to be a part of the military structure unlike the municipal police who were generally answerable to the Ministry of the Interior. Gendarms answered to the military chain of command. For instance, in time of war they were simply transferred from civilian police duties to the military as Field Police (Feldgendarmerie). Therefore, much of their equipment and training was military in nature. Thus, their spiked helmets and weaponry. In many cases all they had to do was to put a gorget around their neck and they became a military policeman.
Here is an example of the ReichsGendarmerie helmet from my collection. Notice the property stamp on the rear visor. These Gendarms were National Polizei as can be seen by the use of the Imperial (Emperor) crown on the eagle instead of the Prussian (State) crown.
Excellent Polizei Pickelhauben! Thanks for your addition to this thread. I hope I am not boring forum members who are not familiar with German Policing with these explanations but I continue as they sometimes help to understand how the police supply system affected their equipment such as uniforms, etc. Of course private purchase helmets will show anomalies from items of issue and items of issue were subject to official reworking...
The German Gendarmerie was an interesting policing organization set up on the French model. These rural policemen were considered to be a part of the military structure unlike the municipal police who were generally answerable to the Ministry of the Interior. Gendarms answered to the military chain of command. For instance, in time of war they were simply transferred from civilian police duties to the military as Field Police (Feldgendarmerie). Therefore, much of their equipment and training was military in nature. Thus, their spiked helmets and weaponry. In many cases all they had to do was to put a gorget around their neck and they became a military policeman.
Here is an example of the ReichsGendarmerie helmet from my collection. Notice the property stamp on the rear visor. These Gendarms were National Polizei as can be seen by the use of the Imperial (Emperor) crown on the eagle instead of the Prussian (State) crown.
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Absolutely not! Very interesting to learn about the police organisation and the simularities and differences in Pickelhauben when compared to the military.
Regards,
Lars
CLOVIS 57
Well-known member
Here is an officer's helmet of the Royal Gendarmerie of Saxony. The tip base is special, as is the face plate. The motto "Providentiae memor" is only found on the Gendarme helmet. As we will see, the Customs helmet is identical but without the motto.
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CLOVIS 57
Well-known member
Not at all; On the contrary, I made a post on this subject in a French forum, and in particular on "combatant" police officers and on the Feldgendarmerie, the Hilfmilitärpolizei, etc... You should know that "municipal" police helmets and plates "have been found in excavations in France. For the moment I am reviewing my helmets, but later I will be able to show you photos.
SCHUPO
Well-known member
Yes, "Chain Dogs" due to Feldgendarms wearing their gorgets around their necks.
Thank you all for your encouragement. I sometimes get carried away and my fingers tend to type faster than I can think, perhaps spitting out too much detailed information. The policing structure is different in the US from the centralized German system so collectors sometimes relegate police systems such as the Gendarmerie to civilian roles but there is no "bright line" separation in the European Police. This continued into WWII as serving policemen (Ordnungspolizei) from Schutzpolizei, Gemeindepolizei, Bahnschutzpolizei, Luftschutzpolizei, etc). were transferred to the Feldgendarmerie for service. Many of these Feldgendarms entered active service wearing their regular "civil" uniforms with an identifying gorget or armband until they could be outfitted from Police green into Field grey. This helps explain the evolving "hodge-podge" of what they wore as shown in period photographs. Of course some Police troops in the Police Regiments and Brigades always wore their "civil" uniforms during active service. Whoops, I got carried away again didn't I?
L to R photos of a Waffen-SS Feldgendarm wearing a gorget, a Gendarm wearing his old uniform moving French prisoners with a "Deutsche Wehrmacht" armband, and a Hilfspolizei cuff band wearing Auxiliary Policeman wearing a State Service armband.
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SCHUPO
Well-known member
Clovis,
Thanks for showing your helmets and regarding your Land Gendarmerie helmet you said, "Only the marking (L.G) differs from a Garde-Grenadier."
So, here is my (Mounted) Prussian Land Gendarmerie helmet. This is one of those so-called "attic finds" in as found condition. I can't bring myself to clean it or polish it up. The patina on the helmet is around 99% and I know what it would look like if I cleaned it. This patina does not offend me so I am leaving it alone. I can always clean it later but I cannot put 100 years of grunge back on it if I remove it.
At any rate it is particularly interesting to me. This helmet is as you describe it above for a Garde-Grenadier except is is property marked "LG 11" inside the leather shell. I don't know where this district is located though. This is one of those policemen who continued to serve after 1918. Notice the crown on the front plate has been carefully removed from the eagle. This modification indicates continuing service during the time of the Weimar Republic. I love the history that can be discerned from the Police habit of reworking and re-issuing uniforms and equipment. Waste not... want not.
Thanks for showing your helmets and regarding your Land Gendarmerie helmet you said, "Only the marking (L.G) differs from a Garde-Grenadier."
So, here is my (Mounted) Prussian Land Gendarmerie helmet. This is one of those so-called "attic finds" in as found condition. I can't bring myself to clean it or polish it up. The patina on the helmet is around 99% and I know what it would look like if I cleaned it. This patina does not offend me so I am leaving it alone. I can always clean it later but I cannot put 100 years of grunge back on it if I remove it.
At any rate it is particularly interesting to me. This helmet is as you describe it above for a Garde-Grenadier except is is property marked "LG 11" inside the leather shell. I don't know where this district is located though. This is one of those policemen who continued to serve after 1918. Notice the crown on the front plate has been carefully removed from the eagle. This modification indicates continuing service during the time of the Weimar Republic. I love the history that can be discerned from the Police habit of reworking and re-issuing uniforms and equipment. Waste not... want not.
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SCHUPO
Well-known member
Thanks for the kudos gentlemen. Erich Radecke in "Polizei-Abzeichen Helme - Heraldik - Historie 1.Band - bis 1918" discusses this Weimar Republic crown modification and shows a couple of examples; one on p.32. These are few and far between in my experience and he shows such a front plate with the crown removed circa 1923. This particular Guard eagle plate is the new model (1895) version with this circa 1919 modification.
As to cleaning... In the last few years I have come to the decision to, generally speaking, lightly clean or leave attractive patina alone. That is a fairly easy decision for something such as this Pickelhaube. This helmet is in good condition with tight stitching and it is complete. The tarnish to the brass fittings is even and not spotty or ugly. There is no active rust or other problems so I don't have to intervene or restore. So, here my helmet sits like a 100 year old man appropriately showing his age.
I have a couple of other Pickelhaube to show and then you will have seen all those in my collection.
As to cleaning... In the last few years I have come to the decision to, generally speaking, lightly clean or leave attractive patina alone. That is a fairly easy decision for something such as this Pickelhaube. This helmet is in good condition with tight stitching and it is complete. The tarnish to the brass fittings is even and not spotty or ugly. There is no active rust or other problems so I don't have to intervene or restore. So, here my helmet sits like a 100 year old man appropriately showing his age.
I have a couple of other Pickelhaube to show and then you will have seen all those in my collection.
Naprawiacz
Well-known member
SCHUPO
Well-known member
Wojtek,
Thanks for showing your Schutzmannschaft in Elsas-Lothringen helmet and your other helmet and plate.
This is an Imperial Wurttemberg Polizei Offizier Pickelhaube for a Municipal Police Officer. Specifically, the rather obscure front Wappen indicates Stadt Crailsheim (the small City of Crailsheim), in Landkreis Crailsheim, located in Wurttemberg. The interesting front Wappen bears the city crest of three pothooks upon a plain shield surmounted by a crown and surrounded by a wreath of oak leaves. The articulated officer style nickel chin strap has a single Wurttemberg officer style cockade on the right side and a Nationale cockade on the left as is correct. The tall spike ends with a small round ball and has a pearl ring at its base. The base attaches to four scalloped lobes that secure the spike with star shaped rivets. The corpus is the usual black leather body with fore and aft visors. The front visor is bound in nickel edging and has a sharp angle on the side edges. This helmet is uncleaned and has an attractive even patina on the nickel fittings. The interior has the often seen tan leather sweatband with a number of fingers to provide size adjustment.
Crailsheim is interesting in that during WWII the city repeatedly changed hands between the Germans and Americans as it was heavily defended by the Waffen-SS who had a barrack situated there.
Thanks for showing your Schutzmannschaft in Elsas-Lothringen helmet and your other helmet and plate.
This is an Imperial Wurttemberg Polizei Offizier Pickelhaube for a Municipal Police Officer. Specifically, the rather obscure front Wappen indicates Stadt Crailsheim (the small City of Crailsheim), in Landkreis Crailsheim, located in Wurttemberg. The interesting front Wappen bears the city crest of three pothooks upon a plain shield surmounted by a crown and surrounded by a wreath of oak leaves. The articulated officer style nickel chin strap has a single Wurttemberg officer style cockade on the right side and a Nationale cockade on the left as is correct. The tall spike ends with a small round ball and has a pearl ring at its base. The base attaches to four scalloped lobes that secure the spike with star shaped rivets. The corpus is the usual black leather body with fore and aft visors. The front visor is bound in nickel edging and has a sharp angle on the side edges. This helmet is uncleaned and has an attractive even patina on the nickel fittings. The interior has the often seen tan leather sweatband with a number of fingers to provide size adjustment.
Crailsheim is interesting in that during WWII the city repeatedly changed hands between the Germans and Americans as it was heavily defended by the Waffen-SS who had a barrack situated there.
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SCHUPO
Well-known member
I also should also say that I like the fact that this helmet has this obscure city Wappen on the front. It took me awhile, and the help of a German friend, to figure out what city it represented but that is all part of the fun of collecting IMHO. I am not very conversant with the different crowns indicating minor royalty fiefdoms so does anyone know what/who this crown represents?
According to Erich Radecke, "Polizei-Abzeichen Helme - Heraldik - Historie" 1. Band - bis 1918, p. 69 this style of front plate indicates a Junior Officer (subalterne Offizier). He states the Wappenshielde with the surrounding wreath is the style designed for Junior Officers.
One more to go.
According to Erich Radecke, "Polizei-Abzeichen Helme - Heraldik - Historie" 1. Band - bis 1918, p. 69 this style of front plate indicates a Junior Officer (subalterne Offizier). He states the Wappenshielde with the surrounding wreath is the style designed for Junior Officers.
One more to go.
SCHUPO
Well-known member
Last Polizei Pickelhaube in my collection.
This is an Imperial Austrian Police helmet for the Vienna Police (Sicherheitswache). It has a black painted metal body instead of one of the German spike helmet bodies which normally have a leather body. These policemen were considered to be Officials (Beamte) in WWI Austria and this helmet is for an officer since it has a metal scale chin strap rather than one made of black leather with a big buckle in front. These policemen were folded into the German Polizei structure during WWII. They took a new oath, got German Police uniforms, and functioned as German Schutzpolizei and Gendarmerie until the end of WWII. They then went back to being Austrian Policemen once again. Interestingly, Austrian Policemen continued to wear this spike helmet as late as 1933 according to photographs found in a period special edition of "Bergland" magazine covering the Austrian Polizei. They may have worn it until the Anschluss.
This is an Imperial Austrian Police helmet for the Vienna Police (Sicherheitswache). It has a black painted metal body instead of one of the German spike helmet bodies which normally have a leather body. These policemen were considered to be Officials (Beamte) in WWI Austria and this helmet is for an officer since it has a metal scale chin strap rather than one made of black leather with a big buckle in front. These policemen were folded into the German Polizei structure during WWII. They took a new oath, got German Police uniforms, and functioned as German Schutzpolizei and Gendarmerie until the end of WWII. They then went back to being Austrian Policemen once again. Interestingly, Austrian Policemen continued to wear this spike helmet as late as 1933 according to photographs found in a period special edition of "Bergland" magazine covering the Austrian Polizei. They may have worn it until the Anschluss.
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Ik ga de mijne verkopen
coert65
Well-known member
I just made some photo's of the Polizei haube, which arrived here yesterday. It is an officer one, and if I understood correctly from @SCHUPO ,
an Excutivepolizei one. But then again, I really am a novice when it comes to these helmets. But I really like this one.
Here are some pictures of it:
But since I know virtually nothing about these helmets, any info about this one is very welcome!
Have a great Christmas friends,
Regards, Coert.
an Excutivepolizei one. But then again, I really am a novice when it comes to these helmets. But I really like this one.
Here are some pictures of it:
But since I know virtually nothing about these helmets, any info about this one is very welcome!
Have a great Christmas friends,
Regards, Coert.
