ID Tags 'Erkennungsmarken' of the Schutztruppe and Polizeitruppe

by Klaus Ahlf


Background
The first Erkennungsmarken were introduced in rectangle form in the 1860s to the Prussian Army but the familiar oval type date from 1878 and would change several times after 1915 to become basis of all German ID tags until today. Naturally the Schutztruppe in each colony also issued Erkennungsmarken to both their native and European soldiers but this area of research is very neglected. The Schutztruppe models varied sometimes considerably from the standard model used in Europe. 

Deutsch-Südwestafrika
There were two different types of
Erkennungsmarken issued to the Schutztruppe of South West Africa. A rectangular type with rounded corners that was unique to South West Africa and the standard 50x35mm oval ‘Modell 1878’ as used by the army and navy in Europe. They had two holes punched for a neck cord and were stamped with either the wearers unit or more generic ‘SCHUTZTR SWA’ followed by the soldier's service number 'Stammrollennummer' with the ‘R’ prefix (possibly for 'Reich[struppe]'). The latter is more typical for the rectangular type. According to the Swakopmund Museum, they were introduced “quite early” in various forms, zinc for enlisted and NCOs and nickel silver alloy (Neusilber) for officers. Cords varied and were either black/white/red, colours of the wearers home regiment or neutral colour.

 

 


Rectangular Schutztruppe Erkennungsmarke
Stamped ‘SCHUTZTR SWA’ followed by 'R' and the service number
Photo from 'Marken und Token der ehemaligen deutschen Kolonien' by Nils Leipner


Rectangular Schutztruppe Erkennungsmarke
Stamped ‘SCHUTZTR SWA’ followed by 'R' and the service number. This is the only known example with the black/white/red cord surviving.
Photo www.militaria-online.de


Oval Schutztruppe Erkennungsmarke
Stamped ‘SCHUTZTR SWA’ followed by 'R' and the service number
 Photo: Swakopmund Museum


Oval Schutztruppe Erkennungsmarke
Stamped 'F.A.A.2.' for a member of the 2. Feldartillerie-Abteilung. This M1878 tag and its stamp follow closely the pre-1915 German army format.
Photo from Numismatik-Cafe and MA Shops


Oval Schutztruppe Erkennungsmarke
Another oval model from the 2. Feldartillerie-Abteilung. This example is however also stamped with the battery (2. Ersatz-Batterie).
Photo from 'Marken und Token der ehemaligen deutschen Kolonien' by Nils Leipner


Oval Schutztruppe Erkennungsmarke
This example is marked for
the staff of the Schutztruppe's Southern Command, 'Etappenkommando (süd) Stab. The South West African Schutztruppe was divided into two staff commands, north and south.
Photo from MA-Shops

 


Deutsch-Ostafrika
Less researched is the use of Erkennungsmarken in DOA and no known originals survive.

Schutztruppe
There are however surviving drawings of the appearance of Schutztruppe Askari Erkennungsmarken and references to them in contemporary accounts. Leipner illustrates a round zinc tag of 39mm diameter stamped ‘Deutsch-Ostafrika Sch.Tr.’ and note the “Askari unit” (=Feldkompanie) is also possible. It is unclear, when these were introduced. Morlang and Haupt both mention, that the Askari were required to wear tags at all times on a cord around the neck. This requirement was notable enough, that Dr. August Hauer mentioned an instance of its lack it in his memoirs during the First World War: 

"Then I faced the first dead man. The Askari had sat down on an isolated tree, cut open his shoe and was apparently about to bandage his ankle - the dressing pack was open next to him - a bullet had entered the side of his chest. His  weapons and ID tags were missing."
Source: Hauer, August: Kumbuke: Die Erlebnisse eines Arztes in Deutsch-Ostafrika, 3. Aufl., Berlin: Reinmar Hobbing, 1923, P122

 


Drawing of an Erkennungsmarke used by East African Schutztruppe Askaris
From 'Marken und Token der ehemaligen deutschen Kolonien' by Nils Leipner


Paybook Template for Askaris
A sample entry, note the entry for the Erkennungsmarke.
Source: ‘Löhnungs- und Verpflegungs-Ord. f. d. farbig. Soldaten d. ostafrik. Schutzgebietes. 1. Jan. 1904’

 

Polizeitruppe
An order of the colonial government from 1 Feb 1892 mention Erkennungsmarken for Askari of the newly formed Polizeitruppe were to issue by every Polizeiabteilung and marked with the letter of the district (T = Tanga, D = Daressalam, etc.) and a running number. Moyd mentions that these tags were often a target for thieves to sell as scrap metal and Polizeiaskaris had to be reminded in a 1908 order to always wear their Erkennungsmarken, because the “usual keeping of these by women and boys [was] not allowed and punishable.” The punishment for a lost ID tag was a ½ Rupie fine.
 



Regulations for Polizeiaskari Erkennungsmarken
Source: ‘Gouvernementsbefehl, betreffend Theilung der Kaiserlichen Schutztruppe in eine eigentliche Schutztruppe und Polizeitruppe. Vom 1. Februar 1892.’ 

 

 

Kamerun, Togo, Deutsch-Neuguinea, Samoa
No information exists on Erkennungsmarken for these colonies except a brief mention in a paybook template from 1906 accounting directives for the Kamerun colonial administration. Leipner notes that surviving examples from these colonies are unknown.

 


Paybook template for African Cameroon Soldiers
Note the space for the Erkennungsmarke number.
Source: ‘Geschäftsanweisung für die Kassen des Kaiserlichen Gouvernements von Kamerun. Vom 12. April 1905 und 27. Februar 1906.)

 


Tsingtau & Seebataillone
The III. Seebataillon was technically a regular unit stationed abroad, so would use the same Erkennungsmarke as other regular units in Germany. The same is also of course the case for the expeditionary forces of I. and II. SB during the Boxer Rebellion. An example for III. Seebataillon is not known but it would most likely be same as M1878 Erkennungsmarke for army units while noting 'III. SB' in place of an army regiment. 

Oblt. Reinhard in ‘Mit dem II. Seebataillon nach China!’ mentioned that the number of the Erkennungsmarke was supposedly to match the number of the rifle and bayonet. This claim seem questionable, because normally the ID number was the enrolment number of the wearer, which would probably not match the weapon at least in the army and Schutztruppe.

 


Standard Army Markings for the M1878 Erkennungsmarke
 It is assumed III. Seebataillon would be noted as III. SB in place of the JR20 of the 20th Prussian Infantry Regiment shown in this example. Several variations on this design have been seen, including the Stammrollennummer as a third line or “K” stamped as “Komp.” etc.


II. Seebataillon M1915 Erkennungsmarke
From 1915 a new style of Erkennungsmarke replaced the simple M1878 type. The new type was also a zinc oval but listed the wearer's rank, name, address and birth date along with full unit details. The above example is stamped '5.K'. for 5th Company, the wearer's number in that unit, 'M.J.R.1' for 1. Marine Infanterie Regiment, then below that 'II.ERS. SEEBATL for the II. Ersatz-Seebataillon. The II. Ersatz-Seebataillon was a replacement unit of the II.SB, that existed during Boxer Rebellion 1900-01 and again briefly in 1914 before being split into two battalions. The III. SB in China would of course not have worn M1915 tags. 
Source: Ebay.de auction, 2018


Regulations for Erkennungsmarken in the Kaiserliche Marine
It is unclear, if the year applied also to land units or not. It is not on later examples for Seebataillone.
Source: Marineordnung vom 12. Nov. 1894, Anhang 6 

 



 

Bibliography
 

“Geschäftsanweisung für die Kassen des Kaiserlichen Gouvernements von Kamerun. Vom 12. April 1905 und 27. Februar 1906.” Die deutsche Kolonial-Gesetzgebung: Sammlung, 10. Band/Jahrgang 1906.


Hauer, August: Kumbuke: Die Erlebnisse eines Arztes in Deutsch-Ostafrika, 3. Aufl., Berlin: Reinmar Hobbing, 1923.

Haupt, Werner: Die deutsche Schutztruppe 1889/1918, Utting: Dörfler, 1989.

Leipner, Nils: Marken und Token der ehemaligen deutschen Kolonien, Uelzen: Nils Leipner, 2017.

Löhnungs- und Verpflegungs-Ord. f. d. farbig. Soldaten d. ostafrik. Schutzgebietes. 1. Jan. 1904. Die deutsche Kolonial-Gesetzgebung: Sammlung, 8. Band/Jahrgang 1904.

Marineordnung vom 12. November 1894, Anhang 6, “Bestimmungen über die Erkennungsmarken.”

Morlang, Thomas: Askari und Fitafita: “farbige” Söldner in den deutschen Kolonien, Berlin: Ch. Links Verlag, 2008.

Moyd, Michelle R.: Violent Intermediaries: African Soldiers, Conquest and Everyday Colonialism in German East Africa, Ohio: Ohio University Press, 2014.

Reinhard, Oberleutnant im II. Seebataillon: Mit dem II. Seebataillon nach China! 1900-1901, Berlin: Verlag der Liebelschen Buchhandlung, 1902.


Numismatik-Cafe forum threads about Schutztruppe Erkennungsmarken.

Erkennungsmarke Kaiserl. Schutztruppe
 

Frühe Erkennungsmarken der Kaiserl. Schutztruppe

 

 
     

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