Germany, Ordnungspolizei. A Schutzmannschaft Oberwachtmeister Service Tunic

(Schutzmannschaft Waffenrock). This is a very well-preserved Schutzmannschaft Oberwachtmeister service tunic, constructed of Police-green cotton twill. The collar is adorned with postwar replacement tabs added by a Soviet film studio, both measuring 32 mm (w) x 65 mm (l). Each shoulder is adorned with a slip on-style board constructed of a cardboard-reinforced green cotton base, bearing two rows of silver aluminum wire piping interspersed with dark brown threading, set around two bands of brown-threaded piping. The boards each measure 35 mm (w) x 110 mm (l) and are held in place by an integrated cotton loop at the outer edge and by a pebbled magnetic metal button on the inner edge. The upper left arm bears a Schutzmannschaft insignia consisting of a field-grey rayon backer, bearing a machine-embroidered green mobile swastika, circumscribed by an inscription of “TREU TAPFER GEHORSAM” (“LOYAL BRAVE OBEDIENT”) and surrounded by a laurel wreath. The insignia measures 80 mm (w) x 85 mm (h). Each breast of the tunic has two pockets opening with stylized horizontal flaps with reinforced buttonholes, each meeting a pebbled aluminum button. The tunic is closed with six buttons, of identical construction, on the right flap meeting an equal number of reinforced buttonholes on the left flap. All buttons are maker marked “WILH. DEUMER” for the Lüdenscheid-based firm.

The exterior features are completed by dual belt hooks at the rear of the tunic, similarly constructed of aluminum. The interior features a single pocket located at the lower left breast flap, opening with a horizontal slit bearing an olive-green bakelite button meeting an integrated loop on the tunic. The interior features are completed by dual integrated cotton loops set into each armpit. The tunic is marked on the interior with an inscription of “PO 1942”, “4552”, “4332”, an illegible maker’s mark with size chart, and an illegible Cyrillic inscription, the latter indicating that the tunic saw postwar use as a prop in a Soviet film studio. It measures approximately 440 mm across the shoulders, with an arm length of 535 mm and an overall body length of 655 mm. With the exception of the replacement collar tabs, the tunic presents in an extremely fine condition.