Warsaw Ghetto Police metal cap badge
Record status
Individual type · partial
Period
early 1940s
This official metal cap badge served as identification for the Jewish Ghetto Police (Jüdischer Ordnungsdienst) in Warsaw, Poland, during its operation between 1940 and 1943.
Measuring 35 mm in diameter, the badge is hexagonal in shape. The central design features a prominent Star of David with the letters J, R, W, and Z positioned within its points, standing for the Jüdischer Religionsverband Warschau – Zentrale (Central Office of the Jewish Religious Association of Warsaw). The border of the badge contains a bilingual inscription in German and Polish: ORDNUNGSDIENST, SŁUŻBA PORZĄDKOWA, which translates to "Order Service."
Because the Jewish police force in the Warsaw Ghetto did not have an official uniform, such badges or armbands were necessary for identification. These policemen were tasked with enforcing the directives of the Judenrat, ranging from collecting valuables and labor quotas to guarding the ghetto walls and facilitating deportations. This historical artifact shows distinct signs of wear, reflecting its use during the early 1940s in the occupied territory.
Evidence at a glance
- Linked sources
- 1
- Photograph views
- 1
- Catalogue references
- 0
Counts describe this entry’s documentation, not authenticity, rarity or completeness. Photographs may show one specimen; check each caption and licence.
Physical characteristics
- Size
- 35 mm
- Material
- metal
Design
- Motif
- Star of David
- Shape
- hexagonal
- Inscription
- ORDNUNGSDIENST, SŁUŻBA PORZĄDKOWA, J, R, W, Z
Identification
- Source note
- Described from a single auction-house listing published on Invaluable (reproduced with Invaluable's permission). Details apply to that one example; other examples of the type may differ, and the listing is supplementary evidence, not authentication.
Catalogue references
No catalogue numbers recorded. Numbers are only published once transcribed from a verified edition of a standard catalogue — they are never inferred.