Headgear of the Railway Police

Members of the Bahnpolizei wore two different service visor caps from 1933 until the end of the war.

The first cap, in the traditional "saddle" form, was of field-grey woolen cloth with dark green cap band and a black leather or fiber visor was worn with the hat. Officer piping was in silver-colored aluminum cord whereas other ranks caps were mousegrey.

The old style M-29 eagle in silver metal finish was worn on the upper crown of the cap until 1936. After that period, a Reichsbahn eagle was used. Secured to the cap band was a national cockade in a silver wreath, supported on a small winged wheel device. Officers wore caps using this insignia in silver wire with aluminum-colored whipcords attached to the body of the cap by pebbled silver buttons, Enlisted and NCO ranks wore metal insignia with black leather chinstraps and black enameled side buttons and fittings.

In 1941 a second pattern service cap of mottled blue color was introduced. This cap had a black velvet cap band for offcers and black wool for other ranks and used either gold, silver, or mouse-grey piping, depending on the rank of the wearer.

An embroidered or metal Bahnschutz eagle was worn below the crown of the cap and secured on the band was a national cockade flanked by a wreath having worked into it the flying wheel of the Reichsbahn service. This badge was either of gold, silver wire or metal composition, also dependent upon the rank of the owner.

Buttons secured either a gold, silver, or black leather chinstrap, and in the case of officer ranks the buttons were pebbled; enlisted and NCO buttons were of flat enameled black paint and were worn with a leather chinstrap.

The Commander of the Railway Police wore gilt embroidered insignia and piping on his cap with a gold-colored whipcord. Staff to Battalion Leaders wore silver embroidered insignia and silver piping; lower ranking officers also wore silver embroidered insignia and an aluminum cap cord with black flecking. NCO personnel and enlisted members of the Railway Police wore a leather chinstrap, naturally colored metal insignia, and their caps were piped in mouse-grey.


THE OVERSEAS CAP

An overseas cap was worn by all ranks of the Bahnschutzpolizei and was of mottled blue cloth having either gilt or silver piping along its crown and on the scalloped edges of the front side panels. A metal grommet was secured to each side of the cap for ventilation. Below the crown of the cap a Reichsbahn eagle was worn in either gilt or silver wire embroidery (machine woven white silk for lower ranks). A national cockade (embroidered or machine woven according to rank and affxed to a diamond shaped dark blue cloth patch) was flanked by a waffenfarbe of woolen material in a mouse-grey color.

The Chief of the Railway Police wore gilt embroidered insignia and piping; middle rank officers wore silver embroidered insignia and piping, and enlisted and NCO ranks utilized machine woven white silken insignia and no piping.


Tom Shutt, "Dress and Field Service Hats of the Third Reich, Vol.1", H.s.M. Publications, 1981

Gestapo ID - The Other Half of the Story

Over the years a number of articles have appeared in DG and and other militaria related books and periodicals concerning the Gestapo Warrant Disc (Gestapo Erkennungsmarke). These well researched and informative articles have examined virtually all aspects of the warrant disc from the orders which promulgated it, to its size, color composition, even the chain it was carried on and what type of leather tab the chain had.

However as insightful as these articles were, they told only half the story for, in addition to the warrant disc, Gestapo agents also carried a second type of identification, an identity card (Gestapo Dienstausweis). Little is known about the Gestapo ID card, not unexpectidly so. Knowing the Allies revulsion for the Gestapo, its agents could have had little doubt as to their fate if they fell into ''enemy'' hands. At war's end hundreds of Gestapo men and women tried to hide themselves among the populace in an attempt to escape retribution. For many this simply meant a change of cloths and moving to an area where they were not known. In the end however, most were captured after having been turned in by their own countrymen.

One of the first and most important things an agent going into hiding had to do was to rid himself of anything which would identify him, or her (there were also female agents) as having worked for the Gestapo. Warrant discs presented a problem as they couldn't easily be destroyed and many were simply discarded or perhaps they made an attempt at defacing them. This explains to some degree why, thought not common, original Gestapo warrant discs can be found in militaria collections today. The Gestapo ID card, on the other hand, presented no such problem and could and was easily destroyed, which accounts for the extreme scarcity of original documents today. Ease of destruction and the probable fatal consequences of being caught in possession of one goes a long way in explaining why original Gestapo identity documents, when they turn up at all, tend to be blank unissued cards, found in Gestapo offices. One of the first works to seriously examine the Gestapo ID card was a short book about German Police documents, ''Ausweis-Dokumente der Deutschen Polizei 1936-1945'' by Klaus D. Patzwall. While the book didn't describe the documents in any detail, it did cover the orders which promulgated them and governed their issue and showed examples which, not surprisingly, were blank issue cards. Since that time very little has appeared in print concerning this rare document. Don Bible, an acknowledged expert on the subject, in his book ''Warrant Disc of the Gestapo and Kripo 1934-1946'' and later in his article in DG, makes but a mentioning the Gestapo ID card existed. Nonetheless over the past few years some information has come to light. For example, it is now known that when arresting a suspect, a Gestapo agent would display his warrant disc as his authority to take someone into custody. The agent showed his ID card only in those rare instances when it was necessary to identify himself to superiors as a member of the Gestapo. It can be imagined that the number of times that an agent would be obliged to display his ID card would be few.

About five years ago a Gestapo ID card and warrant disc with matching serial numbers surfaced in South Africa, the war booty of a former British Army Major. After passing through a number of hands these items now reside in a private collection in America. Along with the Gestapo ID card and warrant disc was a note describing the date and place where the Gestapo agent was captured. Research into the combat unit to which the British officer belonged places it at the right place at the right time. In addition, the war diaries of the unit's superior formation state that the Major's unit captured a large number of Gestapo agents in the days and weeks after the end of the war. Third, at that time, the Major was serving as the unit's intelligence officer, so it is quite likely that he would have been actively involved in the interrogation of a captured Gestapo agent. Unfortunately the former British Army officer is no longer alive to confirm the provenance of the items, however, research, as much as it ever can, has established this Gestapo ID card as genuine.

The Gestapo ID card consists of a single piece of white medium weight card stockmeasuring 10cm wide by 7.5cm high. It is printed on both sides. The card has a background pattern consisting of tightly interlocking circles which produces a ''chain-mail'' effect. This background pattern which is red, completely covers both sides of the card except for two small places on the front. The left half of the front has space in the center for a photograph of the agent to be affixed. In the example, the photograph has been attached to the document using two rivets, each with a solid ring front and a split ring back. Below the photo is a box, for the signature of the bearer. This signature box is not covered by the circle background. Underneath the box is the inscription " Unterschrift des Inhabers"(Signature of bearer). The top left corner of the photo space is the other spot not covered with the circle pattern. There is a white circle for an authentication stamp to be placed partly on the card and partly over the photo. The photo has been authenticated by having a stamp placed over the upper right and lower left corners. The stamp is small, about the size of a quarter, round and in black ink. The design consists of a thin outer rimc ontaining a medium sized national emblem in the upper center. Around the inside of the upper rim, reading from seven o'clock to five o'clock is the wording: "Der Reichsfuhrer SS und Chef Der Deutshcen Polizei". At the bottom center, at the six o'clock position, is the number "3". Below the national emblem, in the center and reading horizontally, on three lines is the wording, "D. Chef d. Sicherheitspolizei u. SD" (The Chief of the Security Police and of the SecurityService). The background pattern makes it difficult to read the printing on the card which is probably why the area for the authentication stamp, with its tiny printing, and the area for the bearer's signature, were left free of the pattern. Inaddition, the background pattern serves as a security feature making it virtually impossible to alter the pass undetectable. The right half of the obverse consists of several fill-in-the-blanks lines. At the top, in lager letters, are the words, "Dienstausweis Nr." followed by a solid black line on which the Gestapo agent's serial number is to be entered. Below the serial member, in parenthesis, is a statement giving the date of validity of the ID card, "(gultig bis 1.1.1945)". To the right of the validity date, in very large and heavy print, is the last two digits of the year of issue. Below the validity line is the word "fur" (for) underneath which are two solid lines on which to enter the name and rank of the Gestapo agent. Roughly in the center of the page is the statement "bie der Staatspolizeileit-stelle in" (is assigned to the StatePolice Office in) followed by a solid line to enter the locaton of the office. The bottom third of the right half is taken up by an authentication block consisting of the place of issue (Berlin) followed by a solid line for entering the date of issue of the ID card ending in the preprinted year of issue (1944). Under the place/dateline is, in large letters, the pre-printed title of the authenticating official, "Der Chef der Sicherheitspolizei und des SD" (The Chief of the Security Police and the Security Service). Since its a safe bet that the Chief himself didn't sign these cards, the signature which appears on the card is that of some less exalted official. The reverse of the Gestapo ID card is completely covered by the chain-mail background pattern. In the center of the card is printed in bold black letters a statement authorizing the bearer to draw a weapon and amunition and to carry them in the performance of his duty, "Der Inhaber dieses Dienstausweises ist zum fuhren auch von eigenen Waffen sowie zum Erwerb der dazugehorigen Munition berechtigt". The Franz Glatz Gestapo ID card has had its length of validity extended by having a statement typed on the reverse, "weiter gultig bis zum 1.3.1945", and the place and date the extension was authorized, "Villach den 1.1.1945". Below these statements is a dotted line for the signature of the authenticating official. A large authentication stamp has been placed partially over the extension statement. This stamp is different from the one on the front of the card. It is a larger, about half-dollar size, and consists of a thin outer rim with a large national emblem in the center. Though faint, it appears that the wording around the inside of the upper rim is, "Staatspolizei-leit-stelle" (State Police office) from about nine o'clock to about three o'clock. At the six o'clock position inside the lower rim is the word "Villach", which is the location of the Gestapo office.

The fearful fate awaiting those who were caught with one of these documents is born out by an addendum to the note written by the former British Army Major. The addendum baldly states that Gestapo agent Franz Glatz was executed by hanging shortly after his capture.Who executed Glatz? Well, that's another story.

Bruce Eric Kipp, "Gestapo ID-The Other Half of the Story", Der Gauleiter, 1995

German Army Proficiency Badges

Heeres Leistunge Abzeichen

Certain military insignia was worn on the German Army uniform which, although representing a qualification, distinguished the wearer as possessing a special skill directly related to the type of military unit in which he was serving. These badges therefore tended to be regarded with more esteem by the recipient than was the case with the trade badges and specialist insignia.

These proficiency badges were:

1 . The Gebirgsjager Edelweiss arm badge in cloth (plate 86)

2. The Jager oakleaves arm badge in cloth (plate 87)

3. The Ski-Jager arm badge in cloth

4. The Bergfuhrer breast badge in enamelled metal (plate 88)

The Gebirgsjager arm badge was first introduced for wear on 2nd May 1 939. It was to be worn on the right upper arm 16 cm from the shoulder seam ont he Field Blouse, the uniform tunic and the Great coat by all qualified members of army mountain troop units.The badge consisted of an embroidered Edelweiss flower with white petals and yellow stamens, and with a pale green stem. and leases. Surrounding the flower was a twisted mountaineering rope in matt grey thread with a silver-white piton (spike and ring). The entire design was worked on a dark green oval background. Two forms of this badge exist; the superior quality silk machine-woven type and the felt embroidered version (plate 89). Reference has been seen to an all pale green machine-woven example of this badge as well as a copper-brown Afrika Korps version also silk-woven.

The Jager arm badge. Is with the Gebirgsjager arm badge, the Jager oakleaves arm badge was issued to be worn on the right upper arm of the Great coat, the Service Tunic and the Uniform Tunic by those personnel of Jager divisions and Jager battalions. The badge was first introduced by an order dated 2nd October 1942. It had three green oakleaves and one green acorn attached to a small brown twig all of which was embroidered on to a dark green oval background edged with a pale green rope.

Again this emblem exists in two qualities, the felt embroidered version and the quality silk machine woven example (plate 90).

The Ski-lager arm badge was an emblem much rarer than either of the preceding two. Similar in design and colour to the paper emblem, it had the addition of a pair of copper-brown coloured skis entwined with the green oakleaves. This emblem was also worn on the right upper arm of the military uniform by those personnel from rifle units qualified in the use of snow skis (plate 91 ).

The Bergfuhrer breast badge was a coveted award as well as being a mark of proficiency, worn only by those Army mountain troops who acted as a mountain guide, and had had one year's qualifying experience in this active role. It was a small metal and enamelled pin-backed badge worn on 'the left breastpocket of the Service Tunic and on the lower left breast of the Uniform Tunic. It had a silver (with gilt centred) metal Edelweiss flower, without stem, set in a small white enamelled oval rim bearing the words HEERESBERGFUHRER in gothic lettering on the lower portion of the rim (plate 92). This badge was first introduced for wear by an order dated 10th August 1936.

It should be noted that worn with the Gebirgsjgerg the Jager and the Ski-lager arm badges were cap badges of a similar design. Information and details regarding these cap badges can be found in the section dealing with the subject of head-dress insignia.

Brian L. Davis, "German Army Uniforms and Insignia 1933-1945", The World Publishing Company, 1971

The Waffen-SS Indian Legion

Collecting items from the era of the Third Reich is interesting. Research on these events reveals much about the nature of the individuals and formations who participated in the war. Many examples can be found, of men in desperate situations who earn respect with their actions, even from the enemies they fought against. Other formations earn shame, notoriety, and eternal disgust for their despicable and inhuman behavior.

In the closing stages of World War II, as Allied and French resistance forces were driving Hitler's now demoralised forces from France, three senior German officers defected. The information they gave British intelligence was considered so sensitive that in 1945 it was locked away, not due to be released until the year 2021. Thousands of Indian soldiers, who had joined Britain in the fight against fascism, betrayed the oath to the King of England. They then swore to serve Adolf Hitler. This betrayal threatened to rock British rule in India, known as the Raj. The story the German officers told their interrogators began in Berlin on 3 April 1941. This was the date that the left-wing Indian revolutionary leader, Subhas Chandra Bose, arrived in the German capital. Bose, who had been arrested 11 times by the British in India, had fled the Raj with one mission in mind. That was to seek Hitler's help in pushing the British out of India. Bose hoped to raise a force of about 100,000 men which, when armed and kitted out by the Germans, could be used to invade British India. He decided to raise them by going on recruiting visits to Prisoner-of-War camps in Germany which, at that time, confined tens of thousands of Indian soldiers captured by Rommel in North Africa.

This photo shows a battle equipped unit of the legion. Various uniforms, overseas caps, trousers are in uses. Of particular note are the supposedly "Luftwaffe" or "SS" or Heer Tropical boots, and the use of grenade bags. None of them seem to be wearing the sleeve shield.

The Legion Freies Indien / Indisches Infanterie Regiment 950 was organized as a standard German army infantry regiment of three battalions each of four companies. They were issued Standard German Army tropical uniforms and weapons. Many wore the traditional Indian turban , others chose the Hats, caps, and helmets of the German army.

The Indian Legion Flag

All commissioned officers of I.R. 950 (ind) were German, but after a brief course some Indian NCO's were commissioned, in October 1943.

The unit was partially Motorised, being equipped with 81 motor vehicles and 700 horses, and was later referred to as Panzergrenadier Regiment 950 (indische) presumably to reflect its semi-Motorized status.

Members of the Free India Legion during training for duties on the Atlantic Wall, circa 1943.

The German High Command despatched them first to Holland and then south-west France, where they were told to help fortify the coast for an expected allied landing. The Legion Freies Indien was deployed in France on coastal defense duties in the area of Lacanau near Bordeaux where they were inspected by Generalfeldmarschall Rommel. Rommel was responsible for their original capture in North Afrika.

On 8th August 1944 the Free Indian Legion (now comprising about 2,300 men), like all the national legions of the German Army, was transferred to the control of the Waffen-SS as the Indische Freiwilligen Legion der Waffen-SS. A new commanding officer, SS Oberführer Heinz Bertling, was installed.

Despite the change in authority from Army to Waffen SS, the Indian Legion continued to use Army ranks and uniforms. The notorious SS map of February 1945 does show SS collar tabs featuring a tiger's head for the Free Indian Legion but it is unlikely that it was even manufactured and almost certainly it was never actually worn. However the Sleeve Shield for the legion was widely worn, though not universally.

Legion members wearing the shield on their greatcoats .

After D-Day, the Free India Legion, were in headlong retreat through France. They suffered their first and only combat casualties during this retreat while being engaged by French resistance fighters. They lost one man dead and a few wounded.

It was during this time that they gained a loathsome reputation amongst the civilian population. The former French Resistance fighter, Henri Gendreaux, remembers the Legion passing through his home town of Ruffec: "I do remember several cases of rape. A lady and her two daughters were raped, and in another case they even shot dead a two-year-old little girl."

Here are genuine original examples of the special sleeve insignias manufactured and issued to the members of the Indian Legion. Any other varieties should be considered reproductions.

The Printed Version on Linen

Three legion members wearing various tunics, with the legion shield on their right upper sleeves.

The "BEVO" Woven Version made with Rayon

Legion members in the Westwall Dunes.

Sandar e Jang (War Lord) Breast Badge, for "great personal bravery against the enemy". Obviously Manufactured, but likely never presented considering their battle history.

The 2nd class medal . A version without swords, Vir i Hind (Hero of India) was to be awarded for "distinguished service"

Charles Warriner, "The Waffen-SS Indian Legion", Militaria Blog, 2009

Maria Therisa Waffen-SS Division

In September 1939, German Panzer Divisions made mincemeat out of Poland’s finest Hussar formations. With the advent of this type of mechanized warfare., the downfall of the horse cavalry seemed to be assured. But the Russian-German War was to alter that judgment.

The wide open steppes, wild marshes, and thick forests of Russia, required a certain type of mobility that motorized vehicles, dependent upon fuel and roadways, were unable to provide. When utilized properly, both the Russian and German cavalry formations fulfilled this requirement. For example, the German conquest of the Pripet Marshes in 1941 was achieved largely by cavalry units.

The Red Army enjoyed an overabundance of cavalry troops but generally used them in a reckless manner. The carnage and toll taken of the Soviet Cossack forces was so great that the Germans were almost convinced that horse cavalry units were an anachronisms. As a result the Wehrmacht began upgrading its cavalry into motorized formations. By l943, the excellent 1st. Kavallerie Division had been reshaped into the 24th Panzer Division.

On the other hand, the Waffen-SS had employed “traditional" cavalry regiments in Russia from l941 onward. By 1943, four SS Kavallerie Regiments in two brigades were fighting in Russia as part of the 8th SS Division "Florian Geyer”. This division, under the command of SS Brigadefuhrers Bittrich and Fegelein, traveled nearly 1500 miles deep into Russia and considerably distinguished itself.

In 1943, when the Waffen-SS began a major expansion of its foreign units, the lesson learned from "Florian Geyer" was not forgotten. The cavalry offered a cheap, efficient way to obtain high mobility without having to worry about good roads, vihicle parts and petrol.

Most of the East European SS Divisions being formed were basically foot infantry. This alone made them inferior to the motorized, panzer or panzer-grenadier elite formations. Thus the prospect of forming cavalry units offered a way to bridge the gap between the grenadier and the panzer-grenadier troops.

1. Waffen—SS collar patch for the 22nd SS Kavallerie Division.

2. Official vehicle identification shield for "Maria Theresa".

3. Unofficial vehicle identification sign of the 22nd SS.

All of the insignia above bear the design of a "Karstblume" which became designated as a Cornflower.

VI. DIVISIONAL INSIGNIA

In early I944, the supply office of the 22nd SS Division received a shipment of collar patch insignia bearing the design of the Alpine Karst flower. Considering these to be the new "Maria Theresa" insignia, they were distributed to the troops. As it turned out the Karstblume collar patches were ment for the 24th Waffen-Gebirgs Division der SS “Karstiager", operating in Italian Tyrol. They had been accidently sent to the wrong location. “Karstjager" never did get them and "Maria Theresa" wore the patches for the rest of the war. Once it became apparant that the 22nd SS Division was stuck with the Karstblume insignia, it was decided to identify the design on the patch as a variety of cornflower. It was felt that this would be more appropriate

for a “lowland" formation.

Inevitably, the Katstblume or cornflower was adopted as the Divisional emblem and appeared on vehicles and directional signs: Two different designs of varying format were used. One showed the flower enclosed in a shield and the other showed the flower without the shield.

While the Waffen-SS never awarded a cufftitle to the 22nd SS, post-war manufacturers issued them "posthumously". As a result several bogus designs of "Maria Theresa" cuffbands are in circulation today. There are no other distincttive Divisional insignia known.

For photographs of the Divisional collar patch and members of the unit, see Waffen-SS, Its Divisional Signs, by Beadle and Hartmann, (Bromley, England: Key Publications) 1971.

Richard Landwehr,"SS Cavalry: 22nd Fieiwilligen Division der SS "Maria Therisa", 1944-45", Military Collector's News, 1972

Dedication