relic Feldgendarmerie traffic paddle

[Danmark]

I picked up recently a nice relic FG traffic paddle / wand. This is the type mainly used by the FG rather than the logo'd one that seems to be regular polizei issue.

These turn up regularly as relics ( rarely in good condition probably because they continued to be useful as they had no banned symbols ) but not always as clean as this example.

These are reproduced for reenactors but even though the handle is missing, I thought it good to show because of the fixing rivets - copies are often done differently to an original.

Cheers, Dan

[Danmark]

With his eye firmly fixed on the incoming birdie, Heinrich makes a valiant effort to return volley during the March 1942 Demjansk shuttlecock tournament........

[MAP]

He looks miserable. I would be too directing traffic in that weather out on a wind swept barren plain!

Nice pick up. I almost pick one up with the logo last year but turned out to be fake!

M

[Danmark]

Yes there are a lot made for the living history movement Michael and those paper covered 'Halt Polizei' ones are 99% fake.

[Watchdog]

Yes there are a lot made for the living history movement Michael and those paper covered 'Halt Polizei' ones are 99% fake.

Hi Dan,

Who knows what tales a piece like that can tell?

I think these will always be difficult to authenticate as they continued in use post war for many years by German Civil Police, Bundeswehr and all NATO MPs in Germany as well as military units regulating their own movements. Initially they were old Wehrmacht items then remanufactured followed by the addition of the words Halt Polizei (only used by actual police or MP personnel). We had dozens of them in every unit but nobody wanted them once the really "Gucci" battery powered electric lit white plastic model came along

Do you have any provenance for this relic?

Regards

Mark

It is true that they are re-produced for re-enactors but there is no need with so many floating around even yet on the surplus market.

[Danmark]

HI Mark,
Thanks for your insight and experience – I have seen more period photos of these types than any other although I realise that they would have been used well into the next decades … ( no need to scrap something so utilitarian )

Provenance – well none, only that I got it from a seller in Volgograd that I have bought good stuff from before so I have a level of confidence that it is a period piece found in Russia, nothing more concrete than that.

Cheers, Dan

[earlymb]

I believe they might have been part of quite a few vehicle tool/equipment kits too?

[Watchdog]

I believe they might have been part of quite a few vehicle tool/equipment kits too?

Yep, for sure! Along with the NATO convoy flags (blue,green,red,yellow and black/white)

Mark

[earlymb]

I meant in earlier times ;-)

[Danmark]

I meant in earlier times ;-)

There are many odd scratches on it that could well have been from storage bin rough handling. More than just because it was in the ground.

Dan