The Postschutz [Postal protection] was created by a decree of March 7, 1933 within the Reichspostministerium in order to protect the infrastructure of the Deutsche Reichspost (DRP). By the end of 1933, 26,000 postal employees had volunteered for the Postschutz. They were armed with small arms like pistols, rifles and light machine guns and would receive new and modern weapons and it seems that they also made use of the new cleaning equipment.
Numerous Rg34s examples with DRP markings have survived to this day, mainly from 1935.
A 1935 Rg 34 with DRP (Deutsche Reichspost) marked on the inside of the main lid. |
As for the markings, most of them, with a few exceptions (see photo above), in addition to the DRP markings, also show a city code, which may correspond to the city or area of the corresponding Postschutz unit. It appears that these two markings were stamped using separate dies. Normally these markings were present inside the lid of the main compartment, with a few exceptions as well.
The observed city codes/identification/lid markings are:
- DRP Gmb - Gumbinnen - G. Appel 1935 - (1)
- DRP Klrh - Karlsruhe - G. APPEL - (2)
- DRP Kln - Köln - G. Appel 1935 - (3)
- DRP Lzg - Leipzig - G. Appel 1935 - (4)
- DRP Hnvr - Hannover - G. Appel 1935/WaA139 - (5)
- DRP Schw (outside) - Schweinfurt ? - G. Appel/WaA139 - (6)
- DRP Mind - Minden - unmarked and also G. Appel 1935 - (7)
- DRP Dssd - Düsseldorf - G. Appel 1935 - (8)
- DPR zg (outside) - ? - G. Appel 1935 (9)
- DRP Hbg - Hamburg - G. APPEL - (10)
- DRP Bswg - Braunsweig - unmarked and also G. Appel 1935 - (11)
- DRP Dssd - Dusseldorf - G. Appel 1935 - (12)
- DRP rh - ? - G. Appel 1935 - (13)
Images obtained from various sources, so many thanks to: Wulf, George, Richard, trinxet, k98k forum,...(sorry if I forgot anyone !) |
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