Chinesen-Kompanie (Boxerwar)

Discussions on all aspects of the German Colonies and Overseas Expeditions. Hosted by Chris Dale.
User avatar
Reichskolonialamt
Member
Posts: 91
Joined: 10 Oct 2005, 10:15
Location: Germany
Contact:

Chinesen-Kompanie (Boxerwar)

#1

Post by Reichskolonialamt » 03 Apr 2006, 12:33

For a very short time served chinese soldiers in a german military unit: The Chinesen-Kompanie (1900-1901). When the unit was liquidated, some of the soldiers changed to the Tsingtau-Police. The museum is writing 1908..?

Does anyone know, where I could find their uniform regulations? The Imperial War Museum is showing a belt-buckle with a dragon on, which allegedly belongs to this unit. Is this right???
Attachments
SCHNALLE.JPG
SCHNALLE.JPG (20.71 KiB) Viewed 4871 times

User avatar
Peter H
Member
Posts: 28628
Joined: 30 Dec 2002, 14:18
Location: Australia

#2

Post by Peter H » 03 Apr 2006, 14:12

This photo was on Wehrmacht-awards.com.

"Chinese levees.."

I dont know if they are members of the Chinese company.

Image

Regards,
Peter


User avatar
Reichskolonialamt
Member
Posts: 91
Joined: 10 Oct 2005, 10:15
Location: Germany
Contact:

#3

Post by Reichskolonialamt » 03 Apr 2006, 14:46

Nice picture. This fits to a discription, that I have:

"Jacke und Hose aus grünlichgrauem Drell, auf der Jacke gelbe Verschnürung über der Brust. Mütze mit Ohrenklappen, die nach oben gezogen und dort festgebunden waren, sowie Wickelgamaschen von dunkelblauem Tuch. Schnürschuhe aus naturfarben-braunem Leder. Koppelzeug schwarz."

Unfortunatly no comments to the belt-buckle. But later on, when the Chinese-Police (Chinesen-Gendarmerie) in Tsingtau was esthablished, they took over most of the equipment. The police got blank buckles!
---> http://www.traditionsverband.de/magazin/chinesen.html

Here is a pic "Chinesen-Kompagnie" from a book of 1905. At this time, I presume, they had already changed from a military unit to a police unit. But look at their hats...?
Attachments
Chinesen-Kompagnie 1905.jpg
Chinesen-Kompagnie 1905.jpg (78.19 KiB) Viewed 4904 times

User avatar
lettow4beck
Member
Posts: 105
Joined: 03 Nov 2005, 03:34
Location: N. Virginia

#4

Post by lettow4beck » 04 Apr 2006, 04:02

I thought the belt buckle was worn unofficially by Germans serving in China. As for the Chinese companies serving with the Germans, there were more than one. One was attached to the III. Seebataillon and was later converted to a police company, but I believe this happened have read that there were numerous Chinese companies attached to the Ostasiataiche Expeditionskorps during the Boxer Uprising. I think the picture of the Chinese in Chinese-style uniform represents this, because the Germans in the picture don't appear to be III. Seebataillon. I think the last picture may be of the Chinese company attached to the III. Seebataillon. According to the same source as the uniform description the unit was converted to a Gendarmerie unit in 1908.

User avatar
Reichskolonialamt
Member
Posts: 91
Joined: 10 Oct 2005, 10:15
Location: Germany
Contact:

#5

Post by Reichskolonialamt » 04 Apr 2006, 09:15

lettow4beck wrote: As for the Chinese companies serving with the Germans, there were more than one. One was attached to the III. Seebataillon and was later converted to a police company, but I believe this happened have read that there were numerous Chinese companies attached to the Ostasiataiche Expeditionskorps during the Boxer Uprising.
Yes, I think most of these confusions are because the Chinesenkompagnie of the III.Seebataillon was a case of mistaken identity with the regular chinese troups, who fought loyal with the international Expeditionskorps. Falkenhayn wrote 1904 about 1200 chinese, who stood loyal to the international troups.
It is known, that some chinese lords bought equipment and weapons in Germany at the end of the 19th century. So perhaps these chinese(!) units are equipped with swords and buckles in a german style, but with dragons on, like this (attached)

lettow4beck wrote: I think the picture of the Chinese in Chinese-style uniform represents this, because the Germans in the picture don't appear to be III. Seebataillon. I think the last picture may be of the Chinese company attached to the III. Seebataillon. According to the same source as the uniform description the unit was converted to a Gendarmerie unit in 1908.
As far as I know, this convertion to a police-unit happened definitly 1901. Perhaps later the police changed their organisation one more time and the Chinesenkompagnie lost its name. Yesterday I found this website with very good photos of the (military) Chinesenkompagnie:

http://www.seitengewehr.de/chinesen1.html

http://www.seitengewehr.de/chinesen3.html

And this Foto, after changing to a police unit, with very similar uniform (blank buckle!)

http://www.seitengewehr.de/chinesen2.html
Attachments
China-IOD.JPG
China-IOD.JPG (219.56 KiB) Viewed 4806 times
China-KD.jpg
China-KD.jpg (17.76 KiB) Viewed 4805 times

User avatar
Peter H
Member
Posts: 28628
Joined: 30 Dec 2002, 14:18
Location: Australia

#6

Post by Peter H » 04 Apr 2006, 10:08

The British 1st Chinese Regiment at Weihaiwei also had a short life(from 1898-1905) and its members were converted to police.

User avatar
Paul kyre
Member
Posts: 130
Joined: 23 May 2006, 08:30
Location: Philippines

#7

Post by Paul kyre » 31 May 2006, 08:53

Good uniforms. But are there any chinese wearing german uniforms as well as wearing western military headgear instead of turban or straw hats?

User avatar
Chris Dale
Host - German Colonies
Posts: 1955
Joined: 21 Apr 2004, 15:48
Location: UK
Contact:

#8

Post by Chris Dale » 31 May 2006, 14:22

Hi Paul,
No, not to my knowledge. Although it's still an area of discussion and confusion about which units were where, under whom and wearing what, I've never seen a photo of them wearing German headgear and uniforms yet....
Cheers
Chris

User avatar
Chris Dale
Host - German Colonies
Posts: 1955
Joined: 21 Apr 2004, 15:48
Location: UK
Contact:

#9

Post by Chris Dale » 23 Aug 2006, 12:44

Here's another page with photos of the Chinese Police I found...

http://www.kukri.de/china-polizei.html

That website is really good if you look around it with photos of other colonial police from Togo, DOA, DSWA etc...

Cheers
Chris

User avatar
lettow4beck
Member
Posts: 105
Joined: 03 Nov 2005, 03:34
Location: N. Virginia

#10

Post by lettow4beck » 20 Oct 2006, 15:13

Here's a picture I found on ebay recently. It doesn't look like the Chinese soldiers are wearing any form of uniform. That is a member of the german OAEK in the middle though.
Attachments
cb_1.jpg
cb_1.jpg (30.73 KiB) Viewed 4095 times

User avatar
soldat_m56
Member
Posts: 693
Joined: 25 Jun 2004, 06:37
Location: North America

#11

Post by soldat_m56 » 17 Nov 2006, 23:05

In regards to the dragon belt buckle, it was apparently not worn by Germans or Chinese police, but by the regular Chinese army.

From German Colonial Uniforms website:
A Chinese Dragon Belt Buckle. There has previously been some doubt as to whether these buckles (and German-made swords with similar decorations) were issued to the German East Asian Expeditionary Corps for the Boxer Rebellion in 1900 or maybe to the Chinese Companies raised by the Germans in Peking and Tsingtao.

In fact they were made in Germany for the regular Chinese army and were not worn by any German forces.

This buckle with is made from two metal pieces: a brass back plate and a nickel front plate bearing the Dragon design. Other similar buckles were made from one piece of stamped brass.
Last edited by soldat_m56 on 21 Nov 2006, 03:18, edited 1 time in total.

User avatar
Chris Dale
Host - German Colonies
Posts: 1955
Joined: 21 Apr 2004, 15:48
Location: UK
Contact:

#12

Post by Chris Dale » 20 Nov 2006, 04:55

Hi Nick,
Thanks for that information, can you tell me where you found it on the Imperial War Museum website? I can't seem to find it there.
Cheers
Chris

User avatar
soldat_m56
Member
Posts: 693
Joined: 25 Jun 2004, 06:37
Location: North America

#13

Post by soldat_m56 » 21 Nov 2006, 03:17

Chris,
Sorry, I found it on a search. I was not the Imperial War Museum website, the buckle is just in their collection.

The correct website is: http://www.germancolonialuniforms.co.uk

Look under "London Imperial War Museum Collection".

Hope that helps,
Nikolas

User avatar
Chris Dale
Host - German Colonies
Posts: 1955
Joined: 21 Apr 2004, 15:48
Location: UK
Contact:

#14

Post by Chris Dale » 21 Nov 2006, 04:32

Hi Nikolas,
Thanks for that. http://www.germancolonialuniforms.co.uk is my website, I thought the text looked familiar and wondered if the IWM had quoted me... that's OK then. I originally found the information on these buckles from the http://www.traditionsverband.de website run by another of our members...
Cheers
Chris

User avatar
Peter H
Member
Posts: 28628
Joined: 30 Dec 2002, 14:18
Location: Australia

#15

Post by Peter H » 12 Jun 2007, 14:08


Post Reply

Return to “German Colonies and Overseas Expeditions”