Material Culture

Comparison photos showing 5 unaltered original enlisted issue wool Heer M43 tunics. This first photo shows the collar and lapel shape. To take these photos I unbuttoned the top button and held the collar open as if it were pressed open. Many differences are readily apparent. Sometimes the collar extends past the lapel, sometimes the lapel is wider than the collar. The relative widths of the collar and the angles of the various shapes are very visibly different.

This photo shows the sleeve shapes. I laid the sleeves as flat as I could to show the shape. They are not all the same. There is a persistent reenactor legend about “curved sleeves.” I’m not sure what is meant by that- but see for yourself.

A small sample of wartime enlisted issue tunics were examined to look at the button stitching and wool material, as part of an ongoing study of details of original uniforms. Previous articles in the series:

Wehrmacht Feldbluse Measurements
Internal Suspender Retaining Hooks
Small Buttons on the German Army Field Blouse

These photographs show original factory applied buttons. The thread used to apply the buttons is a thick button thread. The buttons appear to be hand sewn. The thread itself generally has a sheen that likely indicates linen content. The color varies, but is generally within the wide range of “Feldgrau.” Some of the thread may have shifted in color with time due to aging of the dyes. There are also variations in the stitching style, with some of them showing thread wrapped around the stitching, parallel to the wool surface; others lack this feature. All of these buttons are on dated garments, the year of manufacture of each field blouse is indicated in the photo.

The photos above also provide some details about the wool nap and weave. For comparative purposes, here are some photos of the wool used for garments dated in different years. The 1943 image only shows one garment, the other photos compare two different field blouses.

Seven original unaltered wartime enlisted issue tunics were examined and measured to look at similarities and differences in the cut and tailoring.

Some aspects of the cut of each garment appear to be constant. The rear skirt is always shorter than the front skirt, between 1 inch and 2.5 inches shorter. The waist measurement across the front is always smaller than the armpit-to-armpit measurement, though this difference is small as .75″ and as big as 2.5″.

Other measurements vary widely from one example to the next. This should be no surprise. These garments were not sized as small, medium and large. Each garment was sized five different ways: the length of the tunic back, the collar size, the chest size, the overall length, and the sleeve length. These numbers varied independently of each other, as we can see looking at the original marked sizes on these examples. There is no direct correlation between the various sizes; a tunic could have a larger chest size but a shorter overall length. There is also no readily observable correlation between sleeve length and overall length. Two of the garments are stamped with a height range indicating they were suited for people who were 171-175 cm tall. These garments have different stamped sleeve lengths.

Some of the variation is surprising. Variation in pocket size and shape is remarkable. The proportions are not consistent. Some lower pockets are wider than they are tall. On others, it is the opposite. Futhermore, the measurement from shoulder to shoulder seems to vary in a way that does not correlate with chest size. I do not believe that wear and stretching or shrinkage could account for all of these variations. I believe that they were different when made, and that some of these differences are either unintentional, or were manufacturer variations.

Here are the numbers for each garment. Measurements were rounded to the nearest quarter inch. The numbering is arbitrary and doesn’t correspond to the photo. I have included the original stamped sizes for reference only. The sleeve length was measured on the M43 models only. Both of the worn M40 tunics had repairs to the sleeve ends that might have altered the original length.

Field blouse #1
Model: M40
Stamped tunic back length: 41 cm
Stamped collar size: 40 cm
Stamped chest size: 90 cm
Stamped overall length: 88 cm
Stamped sleeve length: 61 cm
Stamped height range: none
Measured shoulder width (seam to seam at the top): 16.75″
Measured arm hole height (top of shoulder to armpit): 8″
Measured armpit-to-armpit: 19.5″
Measured waist (across the front at the lowest belt hook hole): 18.75″
Measured chest pockets: 5″ wide, 6.25″ high
Measured lower pockets: 8.5″ wide, 8″ high
Measured sleeve length: N/A (repaired)
Measured front length (top of shoulder at collar to skirt end): 27″
Measured back length (base of collar to skirt end): 25.25″

Field blouse #2
Model: M40
Stamped tunic back length: 41 cm
Stamped collar size: 41 cm
Stamped chest size: 90 cm
Stamped overall length: 68 cm
Stamped sleeve length: 61 cm
Stamped height range: none
Measured shoulder width: 16″
Measured arm hole height: 9″
Measured armpit-to-armpit: 19″
Measured waist: 17.5″
Measured chest pockets: 5″ wide, 6.75″ high
Measured lower pockets: 8.75″ wide, 8.25″ high
Measured sleeve length: N/A (repaired)
Measured front length: 27.5″
Measured back length: 26.25″

Field blouse #3
Model: M43
Stamped tunic back length: 43 cm
Stamped collar size: 62 cm
Stamped chest size: 104 cm
Stamped overall length: 72 cm
Stamped sleeve length: 45 cm
Stamped height range: none
Measured shoulder width: 18″
Measured arm hole height: 9.5″
Measured armpit-to-armpit: 22″
Measured waist: 20.5″
Measured chest pockets: 5″ wide, 6.25″ high
Measured lower pockets: 7.75″ wide, 8″ high
Measured sleeve length: 23″
Measured front length: 27.5″
Measured back length: 26.25″

Field blouse #4
Model: M43
Stamped tunic back length: 43 cm
Stamped collar size: 43 cm
Stamped chest size: 96 cm
Stamped overall length: 72 cm
Stamped sleeve length: 62 cm
Stamped height range: 171-175 cm
Measured shoulder width: 16.5″
Measured arm hole height: 9″
Measured armpit-to-armpit: 21″
Measured waist: 18.5″
Measured chest pockets: 5.25″ wide, 7″ high
Measured lower pockets: 8.25″ wide, 8.75″ high
Measured sleeve length: 24″
Measured front length: 29″
Measured back length: 28″

Field blouse #5
Model: M43
Stamped tunic back length: 43 cm
Stamped collar size: 40 cm
Stamped chest size: 88 cm
Stamped overall length: illegible
Stamped sleeve length: 64 cm
Stamped height range: none
Measured shoulder width: 14.75″
Measured arm hole height: 9″
Measured armpit-to-armpit: 18″
Measured waist: 16″
Measured chest pockets: 5″ wide, 7.5″ high
Measured lower pockets: 8.25″ wide, 8″ high
Measured sleeve length: 25.5″
Measured front length: 29″
Measured back length: 28″

Field blouse #6
Model: M43
Stamped tunic back length: 43 cm
Stamped collar size: 42 cm
Stamped chest size: 92 cm
Stamped overall length: 72 cm
Stamped sleeve length: 64 cm
Stamped height range: none
Measured shoulder width: 16.5″
Measured arm hole height: 9.25″
Measured armpit-to-armpit: 19″
Measured waist: 17.25″
Measured chest pockets: 5.25″ wide, 7.25″ high
Measured lower pockets: 9.5″ wide, 9″ high
Measured sleeve length: 25.5″
Measured front length: 30″
Measured back length: 27.5″

Field blouse #7
Model: M43
Stamped tunic back length: 43 cm
Stamped collar size: 40 cm
Stamped chest size: 88 cm
Stamped overall length: 72 cm
Stamped sleeve length: 64 cm
Stamped height range: 171-175 cm
Measured shoulder width: 15″
Measured arm hole height: 9.5″
Measured armpit-to-armpit: 17.25″
Measured waist: 16.5″
Measured chest pockets: 5.25″ wide, 7.5″ high
Measured lower pockets: 8″ wide, 8.75″ high
Measured sleeve length: 25″
Measured front length: 29.25″
Measured back length: 28.25″

A small sample of original WWII German Army enlisted issue uniform jackets was examined to assess what kind of small buttons were applied at the factory. M36, M40, M42 and M43 jackets were examined, as well as one factory converted Dutch reissued field blouse.

M36, M40, M42 and M43 field blouses each had ten small buttons in addition to the larger pebbled metal front placket and pocket closure buttons. These small buttons measured approximately 14 mm in diameter. Five were used in the collar to affix the collar bind, one closed the internal bandage pocket, and two were used to secure each cuff closure. The following types of buttons were observed in this small sample.

 On an M40 field blouse:

 On an M43 field blouse made in 1944:

 This was on an M43. A different color shade.

Black plastic button on the converted Dutch jacket. The collar and buttons were added for Wehrmacht issue.

This M40 field blouse had black plastic buttons inside but horn buttons for the cuff closures. Two jackets had different button types for the cuffs as for the buttons inside this garment. It was not possible to determine if these left the factory in this configuration, or if the cuff closure buttons were replaced.

Every soldier in the Wehrmacht was issued a paybook and identification document called the Soldbuch. Original Soldbücher commonly had additional pages pasted in to record things for which the book had no space. Here are a few which we have reproduced and used.

The insert is printed on both sides and folded in the middle to make four pages. It is loose in the book, it may have been glued in at one time. Only one of the four pages has entries. Both sides are exactly the same.

 

     The link between German soldiers serving in the Wehrmacht and loved ones at home during the war years was the military mail system, Feldpost. Feldpost was regarded as crucial for morale and in Wehrmacht supply lines, it was regarded as a higher priority than any form of supply with the exception of ammunition. Many millions of letters were sent through the Feldpost system during the war. Writing and sending letters and receiving news from home through the mail was an experience common to virtually every Landser.
     An immeasurably vast array of paper and envelopes were used for Feldpost during the war. By 1944 paper was often in short supply and old envelopes were being turned inside out for reuse. Stationery from occupied countries like France and Italy was used, in all sizes and colors. Most envelopes were made from a rough natural-colored paper, brown and blue paper was also common. Soldiers were issued or could buy plain paper and envelopes and also pre-printed letters and cards formatted for Feldpost mailing. We have reproduced a number of these, below are links where these can be downloaded in PDF format, ready to print.
     These first two are simple postcards. They were printed on one side only, the address side. The other side was blank and would be used for the message. These were printed on thin, flimsy card stock that was easily creased.

     Here are some letters home, written by soldiers. Note that in the addresses, the town or city name is the second line in the address, the street address is the third line- the reverse of the way this is done today.

     People in the 1940s wrote with fountain pens or with simple dip pens. Ink was in short supply and people used what was available, mostly black, blue or blue-black, sometimes watered down to save ink. For soldiers in the field, the most common writing instrument was probably a simple pencil.

     Wool uniforms issued to most soldiers in the wartime German army were to be made of “Feldgrau”-colored wool uniform cloth. The actual range of fabric color used for wool uniform fabric was vast. Early in the war, bluish-green predominated for field blouses. As the war progressed, this color shifted to grayish-green, to greenish-gray and eventually to brown. But there was always a lot of variation in these shades and there were countless exceptions to these generalities. Blue and steel-gray Italian fabrics were also widely used after 1943.
     Below is a photograph of uniform jackets from a member’s collection. With the exception of the tailor-made NCO field blouse at top left and the officer service blouse directly below it, all of these are issue uniforms.

     The Wehrmacht “Zeltbahn” shelter quarter was issued as part of a set of gear called Zeltausrüstung- tent equipment. According to the German military regulation HDv 205/1, the Zeltausrüstung consisted of one Zeltbahn 31, one Zeltleine 92 (tent rope), one Zeltstock 01 (tent pole) and 2 Zeltpflöcken 29 (tent stakes).
     The Zeltausrüstung does not include a bag for the pole and stake. The 1895-pattern Tornister as used in WWI and then through the 1930s by civil, political and paramilitary organizations did have a bag for tent accessories. This bag had integral straps with buckles, that were intended to be fastened to two leather loops inside the pack. Tornister packs intended for issue in WWII (the 1934 and 1939 models) did not have these loops inside and did not include a tent accessory bag- these were not general issue items in the Wehrmacht. Presumably it was not considered necessary to issue a bag for the purposes of holding the rope, 1 pole and 2 stakes.
     Here are some original examples of the Wehrmacht-issue Zeltstock 01 tent pole.

          The poles are marked with various maker markings and dates. This maker used a script logo inside a triangle, these are from 1940 and 1941.

     This early pole is faintly stamped “WEGA 35.”

     These are stamped “W.T.E. 42” and “ggl 41.”

Another typical marking. “H.W.H. 1938.”

     Each pole is 37 centimeters long. It takes four poles to make a tent. Four poles together measure approximately 134 centimeters long. There is some variation in how the poles fit together, with these original examples. The poles in the pictures below are fit snugly together. You can see that much more of the blued steel ferrule fits into the socket in the top picture.

These photos show the issue type pole sections in use.

These poles were copied by other armies after the war and these post-war copies may be available as surplus today. Both Norwegian and French poles can be found that look almost identical to the Wehrmacht type. The length of these poles is not exactly the same as the German originals. The Norwegian poles (which are often marked “Haeren”) are slightly longer; the French poles (unmarked) slightly shorter. Here is a comparison.

     For reenactment use I avoid using original wartime items which are in most cases now fragile and no longer suitable for field use. At the current time (2023) quality reproduction poles that are very close copies of the Wehrmacht-issue originals are available from vendors of reenactment kit items. In the past, when reproduction tent pole sections were not available, we used poles consisting of 3 Norwegian poles and one French pole. When the poles were assembled, the fact that one is slightly shorter is virtually unnoticeable. Here are some pictures of how an original tent looks erected with original poles.

     In the reality of WWII, the Zeltstock 01 was not always used. Sometimes the soldiers would simply cut a sturdy branch to the correct length. The last photo shows something of an anomaly- what appears to be a bamboo pole.