Need Help From German-speakers

[Don M]

I need some help from the German-speaking members of the forum.

Several months ago, I posed the question â??What does â??Râ?? mean?â?� on both Luger forums in an attempt to better understand the meaning of the term Revierhauptmannschaft used to refer to certain Prussian police. As a result of those discussions, I accepted the translation â??precinct main forceâ?� used by G�¶rtz & Bryans. This I understood to mean a particular, perhaps elite, group of police officials within a police precinct (Revier).

However, in researching Weimar police unit marks, I have learned that the governmental structure of the state of Saxony was divided into five (later four) districts known as Kreishauptmannschaften and that these were further divided into Kreise. From what I can deduce, the Saxon Kreishauptmannschaften were comparable to the Prussian Regierungsbezirke (administrative districts). I concluded that the term Kreishauptmannschaft must refer to an association or grouping of Kreise.

The similarity of these two terms makes me believe that they should be understood similarly. If Kreishauptmannschaft means a group of Kreise, then Revierhauptmannschaft must mean a group of precincts. This is quite different from a group of men within a precinct.

I have been unable to find either of these terms in any German-English dictionary. Any comments on my interpretation will be appreciated.

[Vlim]

Hi Don,

I tend to agree. Found a few references of 'der revierhauptmann' or 'the precinct leader' rather than ' ein reveirhauptmann'. Which seems to indicate that a city or area had someone who oversaw all the districts, as you suggest.

[Don M]

Gerben,

I think I've got my answer. See this thread: http://www.gunboards.com/luger/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=4510