UBB.threads Forums Uniform & Accessories Police Uniforms Forum Berlin City Symbol

Some month ago I got this Berlin Shako Front Plate .

...and the front shows the symbol for the coat- of-arms for Berlin

Just last week I got this nicely carved wooden Cigarette Case showing the same Berlin City coat-of-arms. I feel this little case ,4 1/2 x 3 x 5/8 inches ,was carved as a souvenir for a GI and traded for cigarettes or food on the black market . You have to picture the bombed-out city of Berlin and people starving or close to it ! As you can see on the front it is dated 1946 ; the US occupation forces did not get to Berlin until July 1 , 1945 !

...And a close-up. A true piece of history !

Nice interior ; on the side it has the initials "I L D ". The back is curved .

Bernd

Both very nice period pieces. The Tschako plate is the 1st style "High" crown version and not easily found.

Congratulations !!!

Andrew

Bernd,

A very nice early Tschako plate. Can we see the back?

Here is a Berlin Police cap that was given to me by a fellow in Abschnitt 27 that I did a ride-along with some ten years ago. It has a nice well worn insignia with the later crown.

I have a chance to purchase an EN/NCO belt buckle with the Berlin City crest on it. What is the best way to tell if it is pre/post war manufacture?

Tom,

I would go on the assumption that the belt buckle is postwar as that was the regulation buckle after WWII and most that one sees are postwar. Early ones will have a tall crown while later ones will have a shorter crown as shown here. I would expect most prewar buckles to be nickle and the postwar buckles to be aluminum as a general rule of thumb. If you can show us a picture of the back we can probably help you better.

I don't have a picture of it, it is still at the shop where it is for sale. The buckle has a pebbled finish all over. I think it might be nickel. It has a welded brass (small guage rod) loop catch like you see on some war time buckles.
I can't remember if the crown is tall or short. The bear is painted black. My gut tells me it is war time just by the catch alone but I am not sure. The price is $47.00. Even if it is post war, it's a nice looking piece.

Tom

A wartime police buckle will have the lettering Gott Mit Uns on top with a 1/2 wreath underneath, both encircling a Swastika.

A buckle with the Berlin logo in the center is going to be a postwar item. The first issue is the Berlin High Crown. This was switched in the 50's to the now current Berlin Crest with the lower crown (see photo below).

Production methods between TR pieces and post war are the same.

In all honesty, $47.00 seems high to me. I'd bet $10-$15 for the one in the photo and more like $25.00 for a high crown.

Andrew

George : Sorry it took so long --but here is the backside of my Berlin shako star .

..and a close-up of the soldering . Bernd Ps. NO HLMK.

UPPS ! Looks like an 'A' for Assmann on the upper star arm .