Hi Frederic -
Although I lack SES's personal recollections of those times (
), I concur with his answer. The minute he mentioned fire apparatus/equipment, I began to remember the downward-pointing red arrow painted on the inside walls of barracks (Kaserne Gebäude), warehouses, messhalls, etc., wherever a fire extinguisher was hung or sitting in a niche built into the wall. That was in Germany 12-13 years after the war ended, so even though these buildings had changed hands and had been repainted inside, the use of this symbol was retained. It apparently was required by German laws covering fire warnings, fire precautions, fire fighting, etc.
L.