Update of HWIS – S.D. Police Markings

[Don M]

A combination of new information and reconsideration leads me to believe that the Type 3 (1932) markings S.D.I, II, III, IV and VI represented the large Schutzpolizei commands in Essen, Wuppertal, Düsseldorf, Duisburg-Hamborn and Oberhausen, respectively. This augments material in History Writ in Steel, Chapters 4 and 7. The bases for these identifications are as follows:

1. S.D.I is convincingly identified in the book as the Schupo command at either Essen or Düsseldorf. Upon further consideration, I believe it is more likely to be Essen as that city was the location of the headquarters of the police general responsible for the Ruhr region and probably would have been designated by the Roman numeral I. This is however a tentative identification.

2. S.D.II is convincingly identified in the book as Wuppertal (Elberfeld-Barmen prior to 1930).

3. If S.D.I was Essen, S.D.III would have been Düsseldorf. This identification must also be considered tentative.

4. Recent information from Klaus Merzbach has confirmed that S.D.IV was Duisburg-Hamborn http://(http://luger.gunboards.com/s....php?p=115963).

5. S.D.VI very probably was Oberhausen. As indicated in Appendix D of HWIS, there were five large Schupo commands in the Düsseldorf district. Four of these are accounted for above, leaving Oberhausen. Of the three remaining commands, only S.D.VI has recorded property numbers suggestive of a large command (HWIS, Table 7-7).

This leaves the mid-size commands located in Krefeld-Uerdingen and München-Gladbach as S.D.V and VII, although it is not yet possible to say which was which.

[klaus 3338]

Don, great work- thank you very much!
One thing: I can not belief that Mönchen Gladbach was ever written München Gladbach.
Correct is that Mörs is today Moers (by the way: my parents are living there).
I think that the map is from the 20th.
Thanks again- Klaus

[Don M]

Klaus,

The map is from a 1932 German atlas and represents Germany as of 1925 (see legend on endpapers of HWIS). According to this Wikipedia article (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M%C3%B6nchengladbach), the name was München-Gladbach from 1888 to 1950.

[klaus 3338]

Don, I´m living about 35 kilometer north of Mönchengladbach (near Lintfort) and I´m surprised that I don´t know that. Thanks Klaus

[Don M]

Gern geschehen, Klaus! I hope this has your curiosity aroused. You are in a perfect location to try to determine the locations of S.D.V and VII. You have already provided the evidence that allowed the determination of the locations of S.D.IV and VI.

[klaus 3338]

I will try that!
Regards Klaus

[suum cuique]

Originally Posted by klaus 3338

Don, I´m living about 35 kilometer north of Mönchengladbach (near Lintfort) and I´m surprised that I don´t know that. Thanks Klaus

Klaus,
it is hard to believe that Moenchen Gladbach was called Muenchen Gladbach.
But on the other hand, Muenchen (Munich) got his name from the German word Moench (Monk).
For example the city of Coethen (with ue) was renamed in Kothen (with Umlaut) in the 1920s.
Maybe we should check wikipedia to find out more about Moenchen-Gladbach.

[suum cuique]

Originally Posted by klaus 3338

I will try that!
Regards Klaus

Moenchengladbach was called Muenchengladbach before.
It was changed to avoid a mix up with the city of Muenchen (Munich)
http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/M%C3%BCnchen-Gladbach