Feuerschutzpolizei (Fire Protection Police) lined up for a propaganda picture.
The Second World War is all about the armed forces for most of us but when the Nazi's rose to power many aspects of German and European society changed One was emergency response services. which brings us to today's topic of the fire department in Nazi Germany.
The Feuerschutzpolizei
Before the second world war, most nations had a mix of local and private fire brigades that acted separated or in chaotic cooperation. Germany was one of those with only the Prussia region having standardized training and organization. But in 1938 the "Law on Fire Extinguishing" nationalized the municipal and private fire brigades into a technical police force. The new Feuerschutzpolizei then adopted the Prussian training and organization changing the previously red vehicles and blue uniforms to green (excluding reservists).
The Feuerschutzpolizei (Fire Protection Police) became a branch of the Ordnungspolizei (Order Police) which encompassed virtually all of Nazi Germany's law-enforcement and emergency response organisations during the second world war. Altough officially a branch of the Ordnungspolizei, the Feuerschutzpolizei was mostly a municipal institution. Until in 1939 when war was declared on Poland.
Fire engines built from 1940 onwards were painted in the fir green.
During The War
After war was declared on Poland the Feuerschutzpolizei was reorganized in six motorized firefighting regiments. Tasked to follow the German army's advance having the responsibility for the occupied territories fire protection and civil defence. By 1941 the Feuerschutzpolizei had expanded its services to 86 cities in Germany, occupied Austria and occupied Poland. Outside these cities, the fire services consisted of volunteers in cooperation with compulsory and industrial fire brigades.
likely part of a Feuerschutzpolizei regiment before 1943 (simple ai colourization).
With the allied bombing campaign well underway In 1943, the regimental system was abolished, Becoming nine independent units. Each having 400 firefighters in four groups with the fourth being made up of non-citizens Volksdeutsche, Ukrainians and Poles. Some cities which were frequent targets of night raids created special brigades with black vehicles.
fire fighting vehicle for the air raids.
Possibly Feuerschutzpolizei reservists (simple ai colourization).
After The War
After the end of the Second World War, most of the fire brigades continued to operate as community facilities. The German legal provisions in the field of fire extinguishing were repealed and the state legal regulations were reinstated.
Video of the Feuerschutzpolizei
Thank you for reading!
I hope you enjoyed this post and maybe even learned something new about the second world war. If you did or didn't let me know down below!
Add comment
Comments
I have recently come into possession of a German world war two helmet but I don't know nothing about it so somebody please help me with that.