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Article created: Monday, 14 May 2018
Article modified: Wednesday, 6 June 2018

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1926 Feld= und Forstpolizeigesetz

Featured herein is a 1926 dated Weimar era German Police manual titled: Feld= und Forstpolizeigesetz or 1926 Field = and Forest Police Law, which, is possibly an updated version of The Field and Forest Police Act of April 1, 1880. The updated document as promulgated, or widely made known, being published on January 21, 1926, is an unusual police document dealing with German national forests, protected areas of historical importance. A police blue ink stamp on the first page Polizei Verwaltung - Stadt Attendorn indicates that the subject manual was the property of the police administration of the city of Attendorn. Pictured is a 1923 city of Attendorn 100,000-mark banknote, ink stamped on the rear with Siegel Der Stadt Attendorn or Seal of the City Attendorn.

This is a rather obscure 1926 dated German police related manual, and though the original 1880 publication is known of, the 1926 printing has never been seen or known of outside of Germany, with this particular original manual being obtained directly from Germany in 2018. The pale green hardbound manual is 5-inches W x 7½-inches L x 0.7-inches D with 181 numbered pages, all text and no pictures or illustrations. On the black binder edge, in gold lettering is the author and title: Daude ● Das Feld= und Forstpolizeigesetz.

The manual involves the enforcement and protection of established Conservation Areas in Germany, apparently the responsibility of local German Police. Below is an excerpt of the history, located on the internet, which appears to be somewhat accurate, addressing the original April 1, 1880 publication, but not the subject 1926 Feld- und Forstpolizeigesetz manual. There is sufficient modern day interest in Germany of the original “manual” as German language copies of the original 1880 document are offered for sale, although there is no mention of the 1926 printing.

The German Police Luger and accessories collector may have no interest in this manual, however, a translation may yet reveal important information regarding this Weimar era of German police involvement.

History

Nature conservation areas have been established first by a Prussian law for field- and forest police, the "Preußisches Feld- und Forstpolizeigesetz (PrFFGG)", in 1920. The "Neandertal" can be recognized as the first German nature conservation area (established on 9 August 1921), followed by the Lüneburg Heath (established on 29 December 1921) and "Siebengebirge" (established on 7 June 1922). In 1923 already 12 sites were protected as nature conservation areas.

The implementation of the category nature conservation area by law throughout Germany, occurred by the German Nature Conservation Act the "Reichsnaturschutzgesetz" (Reichs Nature Protection Act), in 1935. In 1936 already 98 sites were established as nature conservation areas.

Nevertheless, various activities in nature conservation before 1920 resulted in protected areas. The first sites, which were protected similar to nature conservation areas, are:

  • "Drachenfels", located in the "Siebengebirge" (1836)
  • "Hochstein/Totenstein", located in the "Oberlausitz" (1844)
  • "Neuenburger Urwald", located in "Ostfriesland" (1850)
  • "Teufelsmauer", located at the foot of the "Harz" mountains (1852)

Sites protected under the Field and Forest Police Act of April 1, 1880:

  • "Hasbruch", located near Oldenburg (1889)
  • "Plagefenn", located in the "Schorfheide" (1907)
  • "Sababurg", located in the "Reinhardswald"(1907)
  • "Arterner Solgraben", located in the "Kyffhäuserkreis" (1908)
  • The island "Trischen" and ”Hallig Norderoog" in the Wadden Sea of Schleswig-Holstein (1909)
  • The island "Langenwerder" in the bay of Wismar (1910)
  • Special region for conservation of plant species in the Berchtesgaden Alps (1910)
  • Land designated as conservation areas in Germany

The below list is intended to give an overview of the different types of Polizei (police) forces that was in existence in Germany during the Weimar and Third Reich era and give an idea about which types of crimes and regulations were handled by them.[1]

There are so many categories of Weimar and Nazi era polizei organizations that defy the imagination; many are well-known, while many are obscure with no identified or surviving, recognized emblems or documents/publications. It is not certain that instruction manuals or publications were made for every police organization, however, any information or items attributed to these multitude of polizei “organizations” are highlighted in the below list of those organizations.

A document titled: Befehlsblatt des Chefs der Sicherheitspolizei und des DD is a 1943 Bulletin memorializing fallen police in a Hamburg terror attack, used by a collector in evidential support or proof of women serving in the woman’s branch of the Criminal Police. The bulletin cites Bertha Launhardt as a member of the Criminal police, however, the description translates her status in the Criminal Police as an office employee, which may not qualify her as an actual female member of the Criminal Police.

There is one particular German Police related document titled: Die Märzunruhen 1921 und die preutzische Schutzpolizei or The March unrest in 1921 and the Prussian Police that chronicles the 1921 Berlin riots between the communists and the German state.

Weimar and Nazi era Polizei Siegelmarken


Sources used

  • John R. Angolia & Hugh Page Taylor - Uniforms, organization & history of the German Police, Volume 1
  • Brian L Davis - The German Home Front 1939-45
  • Phil Nix & Georges Jerome - The Uniformed Police Forces of the Third Reich 1933-1945
  • Supreme Headquarters Allied Expeditionary Force - The German Police
  • Gordon Williamson - German Security and Police Soldier 1939-45
  • Gordon Williamson - World War II German Police Units
  • Another Weimar era German police manual in the collection is dated 1929 titled: Vorschriften für die Staatl.- Polizei Preußens (B.s.d.B.)Polizeiverwendung Tiel I, which translates to Regulations for the State Prussian Police. Police use, Part I, and seems to be associated with crowd control. On the cover page is green ink stamped:
    Der Regternungs – Präsident (The governing President)
    I Pol. Nr. 54729.                                                             

  


[1] Information obtained from Axis History Forum.

[2] Verlagsrecht bei Bernard & Graefe.

[3] Publishing right at Bernard & Graefe.

[4] Zollgrenzschutz was an organization under the German Finance Ministry from 1937 to 1945. It was charged with guarding Germany's borders, acting as a combination Border Patrol and Customs & Immigration service.

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