German Colonial Uniforms

Tsingtao Polizeitruppe Chinese Police in German Service 1898-1914

Figure 1 Chinese Auxiliary Police Peking 1901	Figure 2 Gendarme in Summer Uniform Tsingtao Chinese Police	Figure 3 Mounted Gendarme in Winter Uniform Tsingtao Chinese Police	Figure 4 Gendarme in Greatcoat Tsingtao Chinese Police	Figure 5 Seesoldat in Winter Uniform Tsingtao German Police

Background of the Tsingtao Chinese Police
In 1898 six Chinese policemen were recruited in Tsingtao to maintain law and order amongst the growing Chinese population in the city. By October 1899 their number had grown to 28 and to 60 by 1914 with some being mounted. The Chinese Police force ("Tsingtau Polizeitruppe" with their Chinese policemen known as Gendarmes) was commanded by German NCOs and officers from the III. Seebataillon.

They are not known to have performed combat duties during the Siege of Tsingtao in the First World War although at least one Chinese police Gendarme (listed as Number 11) served as a spy behind Japanese lines disguised as a coolie he reported back to the Germans in Tsingtao on Japanese strengths and troops movements (see "Askari und Fitafita" by Thomas Morlang).

In Tsingtao there was another police force, a German force made up of personnel from the III. Seebataillon. They policed the German garrison and the European population of Tsingtao.

In Peking and Tientsin the German East Asian Expeditionary Corps also recruited small numbers of Chinese auxiliary police. I have so far been able to find very little information on them besides a few photographs.

Uniforms of the Tsingtao Chinese Police
The Tsingtao Chinese Police wore the khaki uniforms of the Chinese Company in Summer and dark blue/grey uniforms in Winter. As with the Chinese Company there appear to have been some irregular variations on the wearing of these uniforms. As with the uniforms of the Chinese Company, those of the the Tsingtao police are a difficult topic to study mainly due to a shortage of source materials and clear period photographs.

Summer Khaki Uniforms
The Chinese Police initially wore the same uniforms as the Chinese Company. The Summer uniform was khaki, with a standing collar, no pockets or shoulder straps and plain cuffs. The front was fastened with five yellow metal buttons and a simple Chinese style tie across the breast from each button (some photographs show six buttons and ties). Pietsch and Knötel illustrated the uniforms with braided cuffs and more elaborately decorated chest braids though no photographic evidence of these decorations has so far been seen. Trousers were matching khaki.

An oval bark blue patch was worn on the upper left arm with the policeman's individual number embroidered on it in yellow in both Arabic and Chinese characters. Rank insignia was shown as one to three dark blue bands on both cuffs. Some period photographs show an armband in the Imperial colours worn on the left arm. Photographs c1910 onwards show a similar khaki tunic worn but with a plain concealed front without ties.

Winter Blue/Grey Uniforms
The Winter uniform was dark blue/grey, with a standing collar, no pockets or shoulder straps and plain cuffs. The front was fastened with five yellow metal buttons and a simple Chinese style tie across the breast from each button (some photographs show six buttons and ties. The trousers or riding breeches for mounted police were matching dark blue/grey.

An oval bark blue patch was worn on the upper left arm with the policeman's individual number embroidered on it in yellow in both Arabic and Chinese characters. Rank insignia was shown as one to three yellow bands on both cuffs. Some photographs show armed members of the Tsingtao Chinese police wearing the dark blue/grey uniform with three light coloured stripes on their upper right sleeves. It has not been established what these signify.

I have not seen any evidence specialist insignia worn by the Chinese Police. Photographs of their musicians have no swallows nests.

Headdress
Distinctly different styles of headdress were worn with the Summer and Winter uniforms. With the khaki Summer uniform a traditional Chinese conical straw hat was worn with tassels in the Imperial colours hanging from the top. With the dark blue/grey Winter uniform a matching dark blue/grey turban was worn.

Period photographs also show traditional Chinese hats being worn such as the small peakless cap with a pom-pom as worn by the Chinese Company. Pietsch illustrates a taller embroidered cap being worn (as seen on the Traditionsverband website).

One uniquely Chinese characteristic was their being allowed to wear their hair long in pigtails trailing down their backs. The pigtails were then sometimes tucked into the back of the belt. When the turban was worn the pigtails were coiled inside.

Greatcoat
The greatcoat to accompany the dark blue/grey Winter uniform was single breasted in matching cloth with six yellow metal buttons down the front. It had the same dark blue/grey oval arm patch as the Summer and Winter tunics.

In a plate seen on the Traditionsverband website Pietsch illustrates a khaki greatcoat with five buttoned ties across the front and a buttoned hood. It has the usual dark blue/grey patch on the upper left sleeve. I have not yet seen period photographs of this greatcoat.

Footwear
The issue footwear was short brown boots with dark blue/grey puttees, mounted Gendarmes wore riding boots. Period photographs also show Chinese footwear in use such as straw soled sandals with white socks or fur lined boots with the Winter uniform.

Weapons
For patrol duties the Tsingtao police were usually armed with a wooden truncheon kept in a tubular leather holster on the left side of the belt. Mounted Gendarmes were armed with the Prussian Army 1889 Cavalry Sword.

Period photographs also show dismounted Gendarmes armed with the Gew88 rifle. One photograph (see below) shows a Gendarme armed with what appears to be an Austrian Mannlicher rifle. I have not seen found many clear period photographs of their bayonets but the few images I have seen appear to be of S71 or possibly Pfm71 bayonets. Bayonet and sword knots do not appear to have been used.

Equipment
The Chinese Police wore the same equipment as the III. Seebataillon, in brown leather from the early 1900s. Prior to then the III. Seebataillon and the Tsingtao Police had worn the same blackened leather equipment as the I. and II Seebataillone. For most duties they wore only a leather belt with a plain brass buckle. Some photographs show them wearing buckles which may have the Imperial crown of the Seebataillone and at least one period photograph seen close up shows them wearing Prussian other ranks buckles.

When armed they carried 1895 ammunition pouches and for marching order they wore backpacks with tent sections or blankets, water bottles and bread bags. Mounted Gendarmes had Sam Brown style belts with open buckles.

Uniforms of the German Officers and NCOs
The German officers and NCOs from the III. Seebataillon that commanded the Tsingtao Chinese Polizeitruppe wore standard Seebataillon uniforms.

Uniforms of the Tsingtao German Police
The German Police in Tsingtao wore standard Seebataillon uniforms. Period photographs show them wearing the peakless white naval onboard cap with a light blue hatband and small imperial cockade. This hat was issued to all Marine Infantry for wearing at sea but is rarely seen worn on land. The exception seems to be the German Tsingtao Polizeitruppe who wear it in the few photographs that I have found of them. Perhaps it was used as a way of instantly telling them from other Marine Infantry. The German police wore a white armband with the words for "Police" in German and Chinese characters (see below for photos and full translation). Another photo of the German police in khaki Marine Infantry uniforms with what appear to be single chevrons on the left sleeve, possibly in the imperial colours.

Period photographs show members of the German East Asian Occupation Brigade on local police duty in Tientsin or Peking wearing insignia similar to the Tsingtao Police in the form of dark ovals on the upper left arm with numbers and Chinese characters (see East Asian Occupation Brigade Page).

The Illustrations

Figure 1 is based on a photograph of a Chinese Auxiliary Police Soldier in German service in Peking in early 1901. He wears traditional Chinese costume with a large patch in the centre of his tunic bearing a German heraldic eagle and the word "Polizei" (or police). Interestingly the eagle used is the old Prussian one in official use up until 1871 when it was formally replaced by an eagle bearing another eagle in its centre shield rather than the Prussian quatrain. He is armed with what appears to be an antiquated Chinese musket. The original photograph upon which this illustration is based can be seen on the Boxer Aufstand website.

Figure 2 is based on a photograph of a Gendarme of the Chinese Tsingtao Police taken c1910-14. He wears the later style of khaki Summer uniform seen from c1910 onwards with a plain concealed front (see Chinese Company Page for illustrations of the earlier khaki tunic with Chinese ties across the front). He has a brassard in the Imperial colours on his left arm. His headdress is the Chinese style conical straw hat with tassels in the Imperial colours. He wears dark blue/grey puttees over brown leather boots. His equipment consists only of a brown leather belt with the Marine Infantry Imperial belt buckle (or possibly a Prussian buckle as seen in some period photographs of the Chinese police in Tsingtao). He may well carry either a truncheon or a bayonet on his left side as seen in some period photos.

Figure 3 is based on a photograph of a Mounted Gendarme of the Chinese Tsingtao Police. He wears the dark blue/grey Winter uniform with five yellow metal buttons and Chinese ties across the front. On his left arm can be seen the identification number with his personal number, 71 in yellow Arabic and Chinese characters. His headdress is the dark blue/grey turban. His matching riding breeches are tucked into brown leather riding boots. His Sam Brown style equipment is also in brown leather with an open belt buckle and a Prussian 1889 Cavalry Sword without a sword knot.

Figure 4 is based on a photograph of a Gendarme of the Chinese Tsingtao Police. He wears the dark blue/grey Winter uniform with the single breasted greatcoat five yellow metal buttons and Chinese ties across the front. On his left arm can be seen the identification number with his personal number in yellow. His headdress is the dark blue/grey turban. He wears dark blue grey puttees with short brown leather boots. His equipment is a brown leather belt with a blank yellow metal belt buckle. He carries a signalling horn.

Figure 5 is based on a photograph of a Marine of the III. Seebataillon on Police Duty taken in China shortly after the Boxer Rebellion. He wears the dark blue M1893 Litewka tunic commonly worn by the Seebataillone on overseas active winter service at the time of the Boxer Rebellion. It has a concealed front, no exterior pockets and gathered cuffs with one small horn button fastening each. Note the Seebataillon white shoulder straps with yellow Imperial crown, crossed anchors and battalion numeral as on the home and tropical uniform and white collar patches with the Seebataillon yellow double Litzen. On his left arm he wears the white armband identifying him as being in police service in German and Chinese (see below).

While most of the III. Seebataillon in Tsingtao wore the dark blue peakless cap on land based duties the German Tsingtao police usually wore the on board cap. It was a white peakless naval style cap with a light blue hatband and a small imperial cockade.

The trousers are those to match the dark blue tunic with white piping tucked into brown leather marching boots. the equipment has 1895 ammunition pouches on a brown leather belt fastened with the Marine Infantry Imperial belt buckle. His company coloured bayonet knot can be seen hanging by his left side.

Brassard worn by the German Police in Tsingtao
Photo © Doppler Collection

"Polizei" is the German word for police, that's the easy part. Ken Kopp of the Center for the Pacific Rim, University of San Francisco kindly translated the Chinese for us.

"The Chinese characters, read from right to left, are- "DE JIE XUN BU".

"DE" is the shortened form for Germany, "Deyizhiguo" (Deyizhi is phonetically "Deutsche") which is normally shortened further to just "Deguo" (GUO is nation or country, hence FAguo for France, MEIguo for America etc).

JIE is a zone, region or territory, here indicating the concession area. XUN is to patrol and BU is to catch or arrest.

Interestingly, the Chinese did not use this word (xunbu) for anything but the concession police employed by the various Powers in their own
zones, whether native or foreign.

For their own police forces operating in the territory not occupied by foreigners they used the formulation JINGCHA the individual words mean "guard" and "observe" but really it is just a compound that means "police") and this is the modern word used today in Taiwan, China and Hong Kong."

One of the three matching badges
attaching the brassard
Note the Chinese design
Photo © Doppler Collection

Rank Insignia of the Tsingtao Chinese Police


	As with so much about Chinese police in German service there is still a lot for me to find out about NCO ranks and their titles. What is certain is that there were at least three grades of NCO, that they wore one to three bands around their cuffs and that these were dark blue on the khaki uniform and yellow on the dark blue/grey uniform.

Figure A shows the single dark blue band around the cuff worn by junior NCOs. Knötel illustrates the rank insignia of these 1st grade NCOs with khaki lace or stitching under the rank insignia on the braided khaki uniform. This NCO also wears the arm badge bearing his personal number.

Figure B shows the two dark blue bands around the cuff worn by intermediate NCOs. This NCO has plain cuffs also wears the arm badge bearing his personal number.

Figure C shows the three yellow metallic lace bars around the cuff wore by Senior NCOs. One photograph on the Kukri website shows a senior Chinese Gendarme wearing the dark blue/grey Winter uniform with three rank bars on his cuffs. He wears a small Chinese peakless cap with a pom-pom. Like a German senior NCO, he carries a sword rather than a bayonet and and has six metal buttons down the front of his tunic without the Chinese ties and no personal number badge is worn.

Figure A
Junior NCO

Figure B
Intermediate NCO

Figure C
Senior NCO

Period Photographs

Chinese Tsingtao Polizeitruppe
Photo © Doppler Collection

This is a photograph showing the Tsingtao Chinese Police at what looks like a swearing in ceremony for new recruits.

The police are all wearing light khaki summer uniforms. Their Chinese style tunics have four or five tie attachments down the front, and small standing collars. The trousers are matching and are tucked into dark blue/grey puttees. Most of the men wear German leather marching boots but some have Chinese sandals with white socks. The figure in the centre foreground has an armband in the German imperial colours. None of the Chinese wear any headdress, presumably for the purpose of the ceremony.

On the right of the photograph is their German commander. The Tsingtao Chinese Police were commanded by German officers and NCOs from the III. Seebataillon and Naval Batteries. It is difficult to make out the details of this figure's uniform. He is certainly wearing a white summer uniform and dark peaked cap, and could belong to either the Marine Infantry or Imperial Navy.

Chinese Tsingtao Polizeitruppe
Photo from Bundesarchiv / Wikipedia

This is a photograph showing the Tsingtao Chinese Police on parade with their German Officer and NCO from the III. Seebataillon. The police are all wearing light khaki summer uniforms. The trousers are matching and are tucked into dark blue/grey puttees. They wear Chinese conical hats.

Chinese Polizei-Soldat from the Tsingtao Polizeitruppe
Photo from Bundesarchiv / WikiCommons

He wears the blue/grey Winter uniform the front ties of which can clearly be seen. It appears that he is wearing the winter uniform over the khaki Summer uniform for extra warmth. He wears matching trousers and turban.

Curiously his rifle looks like an Austrian Mannlicher 86 or 88 rather than the standard German Gew88 usually carried by the Chinese Polizeitruppe. He carries full marching equipment with Austrian ammunition pouches, a bread bag slung over his left shoulder and the handle of an entrenching tool visible over his right shoulder.

Other Chinese Police Uniforms seen in Period Photographs
Several photographs have been seen showing Chinese police in other styles of uniform labelled as under German command or seen alongside German soldiers. It is not certain in all these cases which units the Chinese belong to and if they are under German command. Some of these photographs are discussed below.

One photograph which appeared on the Axis History Forum sometime ago showed an armed Chinese soldier alongside members of the East Asian Occupation Brigade wearing a uniform which may be khaki judging from the similar shade of the German uniforms in the same grouping with a matching turban. The tunic has a concealed front, standing collar and dark coloured shoulder straps. He wears a single chevron in the Imperial colours on the left sleeve and wears a sash around his waist. The sash may be red as worn by colonial police units in the African colonies. He may possibly be an auxiliary policemen employed by the German forces in Peking and Tientsin. The uniforms of the German soldiers in this photograph dates the photograph between 1901 and 1905.

A photograph in "Uniforms of the German Soldier - 1870 to the End of World War One" by Alejandro M. De Quesada shows soldiers of the III Seebataillon alongside Chinese troops wearing short brimmed straw hats with dark hatbands and khaki uniforms with the usual Chinese ties across the chest. They have unidentified dark shoulder insignia and the NCOs have dark chevrons on their left sleeves. The photograph is not clear enough to positively identify the weapons but they look like Austrian Mannlicher rifles with German exported 1907 bayonets. An NCO carries a larger unidentified bayonet. These soldiers may be from the regular Chinese army but do not appear to be from the German led Chinese Police or the Chinese Company.

Another photograph dated between 1909-10 (which has been discussed by Rolf Selzer on the Traditionsverband website) shows what may well be Chinese armed police guarding the Tsingtao railway. They wear peaked caps with dark hatbands and a large metal star badge on the front. Their khaki uniforms have five buttons down the front, loops of dark coloured ace on the cuffs, dark shoulder straps with Chinese characters and a standing collar. On the right sleeve they wear a badge with their number in Arabic and Chinese characters. Their khaki trousers have broad dark stripes down the seems and are worn with Chinese style lined boots. None of their uniforms or insignia looks German. They are armed with what look like Gew71/84 rifles and German exported 1907 knife bayonets. These were made specifically to order for the Chinese army.

Numbers of other Chinese were employed by the German military in China as labourers, guides, drivers, cooks, servants and even aircraft ground crew to Günther Plüschow. They were not usually uniformed although von Matuschka illustrates a Chinese artillery driver working for the Marine Expeditionskorps during the Boxer Rebellion wearing a Chinese peakless cap, a Marine Infantry khaki tunic with dark blue Marine Artillery riding breeches and riding boots. He carries a Sam Brown style belt and German artillery sword.

Main Sources

"Askari und Fitafita - Farbiger Söldner in den deutschen Kolonien" by Thomas Morlang (Published by CH Links)

The following articles in Zeitschrift für Heereskunde-
"Ergänzung zur Bewaffnung und Uniformierung der Chinesenpolizei in Kiautschou" by Rolf Selzer
"Chinesische Polizeisoldaten" by H Ehlers illustrated by H Knötel
"Die Polizei in Kiautschou/Tsingtau" by Karlheinz Bühler

The following articles on Traditionsverband-
Polizeiuniform by Arne Schöfert with illustration by P Pietsch
Militaer Polizei China by Rolf Selzer
Polizeitruppe Kiautschou by Rolf Selzer

"Unsere Marineuniform" by J. Zienert (published by Helmut Gerhard Schulz Verlag, Hamburg 1970)
"Deutsche Expeditionstruppen und Schutztruppen" illustrated by Edgar Graf von Matuschka (available from Historischer-Bilderdienst )
"Imperial German Field Uniforms and Equipment 1907-1918 Vol 3" by Johan Somers (Published by Schiffer)
"Uniforms of the German Soldier - 1870 to the End of World War One" by Alejandro M. De Quesada (Published by Greenhill)
Polizeigeschichte - German Police History, including the Tsingtao Chinese Police
Seitengewehr for another photo of the Chinese Polizeitruppe.

Special Thanks to Rolf Noeske, Arne Schöfert, Chris Wood, Ken Kopp and Thomas Morlang for their help on this page.


Askari und Fita-Fita Thomas Morlang with a chapter on the Chinese in German service	Imperial German Field Uniforms and Equipment 1907-1918 Vol 3 Johan Somers with a section on the Chinese in German service	Uniforms of the German Soldier 1870 to the End of World War One Alejandro M. De Quesada with photos of the Chinese in German Service	Unsere Marineuniform 1816-1969 Josef Zienert with information in the Chinese in German Service

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