Germany, Schutzpolizei. A Protection Police EM/NCO’s Service Tunic

(Schutzpolizei Waffenrock). This is a very well-preserved Schutzpolizei (Protection Police) EM/NCO’s service tunic, constructed of thick police-green wool. The collar is constructed of dark brown wool and is fully trimmed with green piping. It is flanked by tabs, constructed of green cotton twill, trimmed with twisted and rolled silver aluminum wire piping, and bearing dual machine-embroidered silver aluminum wire insignia. Each tab measures 30 mm (w) x 65 mm (l). Each shoulder is adorned with a board, constructed of cardboard-reinforced green wool, which bears two bands of silver aluminum wire piping, interspersed with brown threading, and two bands of rolled brown thread. Two additional bands of sliding silver and brown piping are located at the outer edge of the boards. Both boards are affixed to the tunic by machine stitching at the outer edge and by a pebbled, silvered aluminum button on the interior. Stitched into the top left arm is a Schutzpolizei insignia, constructed of a police-green wool background, bearing a machine-embroidered, green-threaded Ordnungspolizei- (Order Police) style German national eagle clutching a wreathed black mobile swastika, within an oval oak wreath, and topped by an inscription of “Wien” (“Vienna”). The insignia measures 90 mm (w) x 100 mm (h). The lower right arm bears an additional insignia depicting a machine-embroidered, green-threaded snake coiled around a pole, set on a police-green wool backer, indicating that the tunic was worn by a Medical Assistant. The cuff of each sleeve is constructed of dark brown wool, is adorned by two pebbled, silvered aluminum buttons, and is trimmed with green piping. Each breast flap has two pockets, all opening with stylized horizontal flaps with reinforced buttonholes meeting pebbled, silvered aluminum buttons. The breast flaps are closed by eight pebbled, silvered aluminum buttons on the right flap meeting an equal number of reinforced buttonholes on the left flap. The lower reverse has a vertical slit, trimmed with green piping, bearing decorative pebbled, silvered buttons at the bottom, topped by dual belt hooks of identical construction. The interior of the tunic is fully lined with an olive drab cotton twill, transitioning into a pinstripe rayon through the arms. There is a single interior pocket located at the upper left breast. The top of each armpit bears a cotton loop emanating from the liner. The right side of the collar has two magnetic metal hooks meeting an equal number of loops on the left, facilitating a flush fit with the wearer’s neck. A date of “1942” is stamped onto the interior pocket, while the upper right breast bears a stamp of “Ha-Gra, Wien 14” with sizes “44, 44, 106, 63”. The tunic measures approximately 735 mm in body length, with a shoulder width of 485 mm and an arm length of 590 mm. Material fatigue is evident to the wool, along with some soiling, but the tunic is in an otherwise better than very fine condition.