German Bayonet Portepee 13th Company

A German bayonet  portepee is a cotton or wool portepee attached to the bayonet holder (frog). Originally, these cords (like the saber portepee) served to secure a weapon to the wrist, but in German tradition, they became a complex system of color codes to indicate the soldier's unit and rank.

Parts of a Portepee

A Portepee consists of five specific parts, each of which may have its own color:

• Band: The loop/strap.
• Schieber (Slide): The small ring at the top.
• Stengel (Stems): The vertical connecting piece.
• Kranz (Wreath): The ring directly above the troddel.
• Quast (Tass/Ball): The actual plume at the bottom.

Meaning of the Colors

The color combinations helped soldiers to immediately see which battalion or company they belonged to. A well-known mnemonic for the company colors was: "Wir Rauchen Gerne Brasil" (White, Red, Yellow, Blue).

Color Number Unit

• White  1st, 5th, or 9th company
• Red  2nd, 6th, or 10th company
• Yellow 3rd, 7th, or 11th company
• Blue 4th, 8th, or 12th company
• Green Often staff personnel or 13th company

Variants

• Mannschaftsportepee: Simple wool versions for lower ranks.
• NCO/Portepee: Non-commissioned officers and officers often wore more luxurious versions with silver or aluminum accents.
• Faustriemen: A variant used specifically by cavalry or mounted units.

Portepee is in heavily used condition.