Dear Bernd,

I have seen so many photos of police uniform anomalies that NOTHING really surprises me. If we assume that police officer's white tunics had no pleats on the lower pockets then we must conclude that this is NOT a regulation "police" tunic.

JoeW has pointed out on the other forum that he seems to be wearing a Sudentenland ribbon, which would put the time when this photo was taken outside the period when NCO white tunics were authorized in 1936.

If that is the case then this tunic is either "retained" from when they were authorized, or this "fashion conscious" NCO has purchased an army or SS white tunic and badged it with his police insignia.

This photo is very strange if not unique and I doubt we will ever know what is really going on here.

White tunics are so rare I have never owned one, and cannot offer an opinion as to whether or not they were ever produced with lower pocket pleats. It would really NOT surprise me though. If an NCO went into a uniform shop in 1936 and said he wanted a white tunic I can see the tailor copying a standard army NCO summer cotton tunic, which DOES have lower pleats. I don't think that the regulations stipulated pattern for the NCO white tunic. It was so short lived I'm sure there were no "standards" written.

Regards,
Bill Unland