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German East
Africa
Polizeitruppe
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Figure 1
Polizeitruppe Wachtmeister
c1910 |
Figure 2
Polizei-Askari
c1890 |
Figure 3
Polizei-Askari
c1905 |
Figure 4
Polizei-Ombascha
c1914 |
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| The police force ("Polizeitruppe") of German East Africa was formed on 1st
March 1892.
Prior to then police duties had been carried out by members of the
Wissmanntruppe/Schutztruppe. From 1894/95, the Polizeitruppe were a
separate force from the Schutztruppe, coming under the command of the
colonial governor, rather than the Schutztruppe's military command.
They
were primarily intended for police duties, collecting taxes and
maintaining law and order, although they did at times take part in combat
actions during times of rebellion and war in the colony. Many of the
Polizeitruppe other ranks were former Schutztruppe askaris and while they
were armed with the same Jägerbüsche 71 rifles (and later Maxim machine
guns- and at least one period photograph shows them using artillery- see
right), they were not fully trained up to Schutztruppe standards and were considered
as second class soldiers. On the outbreak of the First World War they were
incorporated into the Schutztruppe, forming additional Feldkompagnien. |
Polizeitruppe Artillery
(see
Full Version of this Photograph)
Photo
©
Karsten Herzogenrath |
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| Uniforms of the German
Officers and NCOs of the Polizeitruppe of East Africa |
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The First Police Officers in East
Africa
I have seen no photographs of Schutztruppe officers and NCOs on police
duty prior to 1892. It seems reasonable to assume they would have worn
their Schutztruppe Uniforms,
possibly sometimes with the addition of a red sash worn over the right
shoulder as worn by their askaris and by their counterparts in
South West Africa at this time.
I have likewise seen no photographs or uniform regulations for the
Polizeitruppe dating from their formation in 1892. As the first
Polizeitruppe NCOs were drafted from the Schutztruppe it seems
reasonable to assume they continued to wear Schutztruppe uniform until
issued new Polizeitruppe uniforms. |
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White Tropical Uniform
Later a white tropical uniform (see right) was introduced specifically
for the Polizeitruppe of most colonies. The tunic was based on the
Schutztruppe 1896 tunic but without the blue piping. It had a stand
and fall collar, four buttoned pleated patch pockets (the breast ones
of which were slightly sloped inwards) with six brass buttons down the
front each bearing the imperial crown. Privately purchased tunics
often had slight variations such as higher standing collars, five
buttons rather than six or omitting the hip pockets. Matching white
trousers were worn.
Rank Insignia
The rank insignia of the
German NCOs and and officers in the Polizeitruppe of all colonies was
worn on the shoulder straps on a red backing and consisted of yellow
metallic thread edging and possibly a brass imperial eagle. The exact insignia for
each rank is still a mystery to me, please
email me here if you have any
information to help on this topic.
Tropical Helmet
White tropical helmets were worn with an imperial cockade on the
front. On 27th October 1906 as small yellow metal eagle was authorised
to be worn above the cockade. On 16th March 1912 a cord in the
imperial colours was authorised to be worn around the hatband for
those with Wachtmeister rank.
Recommended Reading - "Tropenhelme der kaiserliche Marine, der
Ostasiatischen Truppen und der Schutzruppen"
by Ulrich Schiers (see
Book
Reviews Page)
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German Polizeitruppe NCO
(see
Full Version of this Photograph)
Photo
©
Tobias Weber |
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Field Cap
Field caps worn by the Polizeitruppe were white with black leather
chinstraps and peaks, red hatbands and piping, and a small imperial
cockade on the front.
Khaki Tropical Uniform
On active service a khaki uniform identical in cut and insignia to
the white uniform was authorised. It appears from photographs that
Polizeitruppe officers and NCOs sometimes
wore a combination of the white and khaki uniforms and that mounted
personnel may
have worn corduroy riding breeches. A khaki cover could also be worn
over the tropical helmet on active service.
Footwear
Short brown leather boots were worn, sometimes with leather gaiters.
White leather shoes were worn on parade.
Weapons and Equipment
Germans of all ranks in the Polizeitruppe were entitled to carry a
sword. These are often seen in photographs but were probably not
carried in action. Pistols were presumably carried in action as the
side arm of preference, though I have found no records of which
pistols or revolvers were issued. Most photographs show the
Polizeitruppe officers wearing very little equipment, often simply
an other ranks Schutztruppe belts- plain brown leather with an
imperial belt buckle (see
Belt Buckle Details Page).
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Figure 1 is based on a
photograph of a German Polizeitruppe NCO taken sometime between
1906 and 1914. He wears the white tropical uniform described above
along with a white tropical helmet bearing an imperial eagle
(authorised in 1906) and imperial cockade. He does not appear to be
wearing the imperial coloured cord around the helmet band (authorised
in 1912). He wears the white tropical uniform without piping as worn
by German Polizeitruppe NCOs in most colonies. Curiously it appears
that he has a rank chevron on his left sleeve, not usually worn by the
Polizeitruppe. Perhaps it shows his previous Schutztruppe rank, if he
was one of the personnel transferred from the Schutztruppe prior to
1906 when police NCOs were recruited from Germany. Or perhaps it is to
show his equivalent Schutztruppe rank while serving alongside them.
His police rank ("Wachtmeister") is shown on his red shoulder straps
with yellow metallic braid. He carries a sword on parade, but
presumably would not have done so in action. His trousers and shoes
are in matching white as also only worn on parade. |
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| Uniforms of the Askaris of the
Polizeitruppe of East Africa |
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| The askaris of the Polizeitruppe wore the same uniforms as those
of the Schutztruppe (see Schutztruppe Askaris 1890-96 and
Schutztruppe Askaris 1896-1914) but with several small differences.
The first Polizeitruppe were only distinguished from the
Schutztruppe by the wearing a a red sash over the right shoulder.
The red sash was a distinguishing item worn by police forces in
several German colonies (see South West African Landespolizei,
Cameroon Polizeitruppe and
Togo Polizeitruppe
pages).
Later a white oval patch with a
red letter "P" was worn on the upper left arm. The sash was
generally discarded although at least one period photograph
shows a Polizeitruppe askari wearing both the red sash and oval
patch together.
The eagle worn on
the front of the tarbush headdress was also larger than that of
the Schutztruppe and made of yellow metal rather than the
Schutztruppe's white metal. Tunic buttons for the Polizeitruppe
were also yellow metal, again rather than white metal buttons as
worn by Schutztruppe askaris.
When the First World War broke out
the Polizeitruppe were incorporated into the Schutztruppe to form
additional Feldkompagnien. Their Polizeitruppe insignia would
presumably have been removed at this time (I have so far not seen
any "P" badges worn on the arm in photographs taken after
August 1914) and gradually their
appearance would have become as irregular as that of other
Schutztruppe askaris during the war (see
Schutztruppe Askaris
1914-18). |
Polizeitruppe Askaris
Note the Large Eagles and Arm Patches
(see
Full Version of this Photograph)
Photo
©
Tobias Weber |
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Figure 2 is based
on a photograph of a Sudanese Schutztruppe Askari in Police service taken
in about 1891. He wears the short lived white askari parade uniform
(see
Schutztruppe Askaris 1890-96),
dark blue/grey puttees and brown leather boots. His headdress seems
to be some from of loose turban. He is armed with a Jägerbüsche 71
rifle and his equipment consists of a single large box ammunition
pouch suspended on a brown leather belt. In short, he is dressed
fairly typically for a Schutztruppe askari of the period, only the
red sash worn over the right shoulder shows that he is currently on
police duty.
Figure 3 is based on a
photograph of a Polizeitruppe Askari taken around the time of
the Maji-Maji Rebellion in 1905. He wears the red felt fez
with black tassel issued to all askaris for off duty or light duty
wear instead of the tarbush. He wears the khaki uniform worn by all
askaris from the early 1890s onwards with white oval Polizeitruppe
patch on the upper left arm. He wears the same brown leather equipment
with a plain brass belt buckle as worn by the Schutztruppe but as a policeman involved in light duties
(in the photograph upon which this illustration is based he is escorting African prisoners) he only carries one 1895
ammunition pouch for his Jägerbüsche 71 rifle. Like
Schutztruppe askaris of the period he wears dark/blue grey puttees.
Although like the Schutztruppe most Polizeitruppe askaris wore boots,
this particular askari does not either through preference or shortage.
Figure 4 is based on a
photograph of a Polizeitruppe Askari NCO taken in 1914, either
shortly before or after the outbreak of the First World War. He wears
the same khaki uniform, tarbush, grey puttees, brown boots and
equipment as worn by Schutztruppe askaris of the period but with a
larger yellow metal eagle on his tarbush and a white oval
Polizeitruppe patch above his rank chevron. His single red chevron
denotes him as an Ombascha or Lance Corporal. Rank insignia for
Polizeitruppe askari NCOs was the same as for Schutztruppe askaris
(see
NCO Rank Insignia Page).
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