Original Item: Only One Available. This is an exceptionally rare German World War Two National Forestry Service Administration officer tunic with a Hessen and Baden State Forestry Service Official Belt and Buckle. This is a prewar uniform of exceptionally high quality. This early style tunic features deep scalloped pockets, dark green twill wool gold washed pebbled buttons, lapels and pockets flaps. Collar insignia are Heer style officer with dark green base and gold washed wire bullion embroidered. The shoulderboards are sew-in style, green based with the green/gold herring bone patter and single gilt pip to each with administration eagle pin. The tunic has a Iron Cross 2nd class button hole ribbon.  Interior is fully lined in a light satin black with cream lined sleeves and has a dagger slot as well. The tunic is in excellent condition, and shows very light use.

Also included is a Hessen and Baden State Forestry Service Official Belt & Buckle 1934-1937 Buckle is Type II, right facing eagle, in stamped silvered tombac with bronze clip marked NSP, on dark brown leather belt with green felt interior.

Approximate Tunic Measurements:
Collar to shoulder: 10”
Shoulder to sleeve: 24”
Shoulder to shoulder: 16”
Chest width: 17”
Waist width: 17”
Hip width: 21”
Front length: 33"

The Forstschutzkommando (FSK), or simply Forstschutz was a uniformed and armed para-military security formation raised in late 1939. Composed of some 10,000 volunteers, it was recruited from forestry officials and forest workers and headed by Landesforstmeister Ernst Boden. Hermann Göring, as the Reichsforstmeister, was its "supreme commander".

After having received brief training, the first 2,000 so-called Forstschützen were put into action in wooded areas in occupied Poland. Here, they provided security for lumber transports and -storage places and sawmills, as well as being employed to combat wood-thieves and poachers and to arrest "unauthorized" persons in the forests. They were authorized to use firearms in the case of resistance or attempted escapes.

In July 1941, the Forstschutz took charge of the Bialowies forest, a former hunting ground of the Czar and important area for the lumber industry. The civilian population was evacuated from Göring's new Reichsforst, with their villages and farms being burnt to the ground and two small Jewish communities being liquidated as well.

In the summer of 1942, Forstschutz units were dispatched to the Reichs Commissariats of "Ostland" and the Ukraine. Here, they were used in anti-partisan operations, suffering significant casualties in the process themselves.

Apart from their original security tasks and anti-partisan operations, Forstschutz personnel were involved in the capture and liquidation of Jews, who had managed to keep from being arrested or who had escaped from Ghettoes and were hiding in the forests. Apparently, Forstschutz men were also actively involved in the liquidation of Jewish Ghettoes if regular SS- and Police forces were not available.

Later, during the large-scale German fighting retreat, Forstschutz units even participated in military combat engagements in an infantry role.