Post War Police Uniforms

[Fritz]

Uniform from the early 1950s till around 1966

Postwar Hamburg police

The uniform of the mid-60s, this one for Nordrhein-Westfalen

Next  photo of Police uniforms, in this case, Buchloe, Bavaria. The man on the left has the old police uniform of the 1980s and 1990s. Around 2005, new dark blue uniforms were introduced in Northern Germany, these looked like a combination of New York police, a pyjama suit and a sports tracksuit (dislike). The dark blue cap has the typical New York "Batman" shape., which I find is ultra-horrible and very ungerman. Bavaria has been more conservative up till now, and has retained the old green and beige combination, the cap usually with a white top. Each Länder police force has its own arm patch.

The previous green/beige combination had replaced the earlier postwar uniforms, which varied very much from Land to Land. In Hamburg  these had been dark blue with open collar, shirt and tie, the traditonal belt was worn with the Hamburg motive, these were all from ancient stocks and handed down from the one to the next.

N.B.; No Bundeskokarde is worn on the headdress in Bavaria! Because Bavaria is a "Freistaat", at least officially. The remaining police forces, apart from Saxony all wear the Bundeskokarde beneath a star with the appropriate symbol of each Land. Saxony has also officially "Freistaat" status. Originally, before introduction of the old green uniform, the cockade was worn above the badge.

This photo depicts two higher police charges, one in the old green uniform, the other in the new dark blue uniform. Both of the Berlin police force.

The most horrid uniforms imagineable and a nightmare for traditionalists.  Batman caps next to Baseball caps. Here Berlin.

Bavaria's Amtsbüttel for the future as planned...sehr Bürgernahe - (we are the Dialeks) Bavarian Innenminister Joachim Herrmann presents the uniforms planned.

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Police uniforms Hamburg, old and new.  The Weimar and 3rd Reich uniforms have been deliberately left out (denial or political correctness?)

Hamburg Anti-Terror Unit. Science fiction or music of the future? Like something from Mars or outer space. Their "life-saving equipment" looks rather menacing.

Police recruiting poster: Zielsicher - nothing like a good shoot-out in a peacefull city. Perhaps the next Warsaw uprising will be in Hamburg?

[Kenny Andrew]

I like the Daleks  

[Gildwiller1918]

Looks like they are wearing plate carriers, I can see one on the sides, on the groin and chest, probably on the back too. The plates can be porcelain or steel. But it does hamper you movement. I wore a lot of this stuff before, and it does wear you out over a period of time. Only downside of using this stuff is that the bad guys dont always aim for the body armor....

[Kenny Andrew]

Were you using it in the police or army Gildwiller? 

[Gildwiller1918]

I wore mine while in the military service, which also had military police as well. I worked in both areas incidentally. Wearing the armor all day, for months at a time can wear you down and cause all kinds of joint and skeletal issues. Our versions were much more heavier and offered better protection than the ones shown above. We had protection from explosions as well as incoming fire. I do not miss wearing it.

[Fritz]

I believe, today, the plates are of high grade plastic or nylon, which is lighter and stronger than steel, just as the helmets are no longer of steel (Kevelaer)

[Gildwiller1918]

Yes, depending on the application. Most plates are a multi-layered material, designed to slow or stop the projectile, but it will still hurt from the impact. Of course it depends on the ammunition and distance if the plate is effective or not. 

[Fritz]

Better sore than sorry.

[Gildwiller1918]

Yes, most people assume the armor is for stopping bullets, it is designed to stop fragmentation. The helmet can stop a pistol round depending on circumstances, not rifle ammunition however. Of course this is assuming the fragmentation or bullets hits the armor and not anywhere unprotected.