The gigantic KdF-Seebad Prora on the island of Rügen in the Baltic Sea was the Nazis' idea of a wholesome holiday resort. For more information, see here:
Prora - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Documentation Centre Prora - information
As for the person in this interesting photograph, I would say that he is a firefighter.
The uniform matches the dark-blue, crimson-piped uniform retained by the German fire brigades until the end of the war, whereas the German police switched to green uniforms in 1936. (The year when construction only began at Prora.)
Furthermore, an autonomous police detachment only in charge of the KdF-Seebad - with unique insignia, too - seems quite unlikely to me, whereas its own firefighting service makes perfect sense, considering the facility's location, size, expansion, property value and projected number of guests and staff.
Some aspects of his insignia are unusual, though, such as the absence of a sleeve eagle or his plain cloth shoulder straps instead of fire brigades' shoulder boards. Perhaps this is an early/transitional photo.
Another possibility is that this is a actually a Hitler Youth firefighting auxiliary. (He does look quite young.) This would explain the shoulder straps and the absence of a sleeve eagle, although in that case he should be wearing a sleeve triangle and no collar Litzen. (Although uniform anomalies were not unsual for this group.)
That person looks remarkably like a young Dangermouse , forum member
My LONGSHOT guess is that this is an early Herman Goering Police Regiment that eventually went on to become one of the Luftwaffe Field Divisions. If I recall the police book correctly the color and insignia seem to match and the script looks like a Herman Goering Style script.
Do you know what I am talking about HPL2008? I am at work right now and don't have the details to quote.
-Martin
After searching through numerous books, I came across a photo on P486 of the Angolia/Taylor Vol1 on the German Police, which shows a group of Landespolizei wearing what appears to be a similar tunic, dark coloured with collar litzen, no sleeve eagle and "Army" type shoulder straps. Wouldn't explain the KdF cuffband though.
Note the unusual schirmute being worn without a chinstrap. The picture presents another conundrum that will likely never be solved.
BOB
LIFE'S LOSERS NEVER LEARN FROM THE ERROR OF THEIR WAYS.
I beg to differ. At first I had thought the cap was without a chinstrap, too, but looking closer we can tell there is one.
Note the left edge of the cap band and the reflection of light to the right of the cap eagle. Apparently, the chinstrap is attached by black buttons which are not visible in the photograph:
Last edited by HPL2008; 03-23-2012 at 08:28 PM.
In February of 1933 as Prussian Police President Göring formed the "Landespolizeigruppe General Goering". In December of 1933 the Gruppe was authorized the "L.P.G. General Göring" cufftitle.
The construction of the uniform and the cufftitle is what reminded me of this unit. Obviously its not that.
But I do think its an early Landespolizei Unit that was assigned to the island.
Honestly, the early years of all the polizei were so chaotic I think there was much "uniform".
-Martin
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