Article about: Hello all! I have here a bayonet, and I wonder if anyone here can be so kind and tell me more about this item.. What are you guys thoughts on the insignias etc, did the REAL Waffen SS really
The German Railways were a part of the RVM and Himmler faced successful resistance from the RVM where the Bahnschutz was concerned, although it did cooperate with the police establishment in some situations. The SS-Postschutz were Sonderpolizei primarily tasked with guarding postal properties that was considered more of a police function, that as far as I’ve been able to determine was not considered a function of the Waffen-SS. Of course I’m always interested in new information, my question being was this mentioned in the circa 1940 directives regarding the SS? Best Regards, Fred
Last edited by Frogprince; 11-29-2019 at 10:29 PM.
Reason: clarification and typo corrections
Originally, the postal service services to guard institutions of the post. So object security tasks. This resulted from the turmoil of the Weimar Rebuplik.
The Postschutz was subordinated to the general SS in March 1942 and to the Waffen-SS in May 1942. There were also smaller missions in the east.
The rail police was officially always subordinated to the Reich Ministry of Transport. However, from 1936 she was subject to the instructions of the SS Reichsführer and the police. From 1938 the railway police could be subordinated as a special police also the police and the Wehrmacht.
In 1944, the SS set up its own SS rail protection.
Here is the ordinance that specifies that equipment and equipment will be supplied by the Wehrmacht.
"Delivery of weapons, ammunition and army equipment, supplies, operating materials and cleaning agents during the deployment of the Wehrmacht.
For the duration of the special mission of the Wehrmacht, weapons, ammunition and army equipment, as well as supplies, operating materials and cleaning agents, must be handed over to troops and departments of the Wehrmacht against reimbursement of documents without reimbursement. The same arrangement applies to the following units under the Wehrmacht:
1. the SS-Verfügungstruppe (note: later renamed Waffen-SS in 1941)
2nd the SS-Totenkopf Division and
3. the Polizei-Division
For the sake of clarity, it should be noted that these associations do not count:
The replacement units of the organizations mentioned under 1 to 3, the SS-Totenkopfverbände, the police formations (SS-Police reinforcements, reinforced police protection) as well as the other divisions of the NSDAP.
In divisions of the Reichsarbeitsdienst, weapons, ammunition and equipment etc. may only be handed in for free for the duration of their use within the framework of the Wehrmacht.
Some excellent information which I very much appreciate. I will have to take another look at some of the information that I have which (as I recall) had the SS taking control of the Railway Police that was separate and apart from the Railway Bahnschutz. Best Regards, Fred
Thank you for that excellent period photo that shows what a typical Bahnschutz group from that time might look like. Very briefly, I don't think anyone would question that the W-SS of 1940 did not look like that of 1944. Or that from the start Himmler was focused on empire building using the SS to accomplish that goal with an initial emphasis on any police/security type agencies that might help build and control that empire. Subject to fact checking from period sources: I believe that the SS-Bahnschutz (as more of a police type element) and the SS-Postschutz were formed in 1942 and placed under the command of SS-Obergruppenführer Gottlob Berger who was the Chief of the SS Central Office. No mention of the W-SS that I've been able to find, I believe it was under the Allgemeine SS. The 1944 date previously mentioned I found on a couple of online websites but did not find a period source that could be verified. Then in an old hard copy reference I found that there was a reference to a joint decree on March 1, 1944 between the Reich Minister of the Interior and the RVM giving both Reichsbahn workers and Bahnschutzpolizei "Bahnschutzpolizei Kombattanten Status" the same as the Wehrmacht and SS. If there is period documentation available out there that describes the what, who, and when differently I'm always ready to learn and correct my previous assumptions. Best Regards, Fred
A good thought and I agree. BTW: I probably should have mentioned that the Russians were reported as not treating German Railway personnel as being under the Geneva Convention, and that they could be summarily executed. That being the underlying reason for their "Combatants Status ". Best Regards, Fred
Excellent discussion on interesting bayonets, thanks SW for sharing the document, nice comments by Fred too, the Bahnschutz period photo looks still M16 helmets there. b.r.Andy
Combatant status when wearing a
green armband with eagle and the inscription "Reichsbahn" of members of the Reichsbahn.
The yellow armband "German Wehrmacht" for civil servants of the Wehrmacht was also worn by members of the Reichsbahn in the occupied territories. This gave them the combatant status.
The green Reichsbahnarmbinde was issued in the German Reich also to railway workers who did not get a uniform or said, were not obliged to wear a uniform.
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by Anderson
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