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Entwicklung Felduniform

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The Evolution of the German Field Uniform
Field Uniforms for Enlisted. Whitout rank insignia and field equipment.

M1907
The first German Uniform concepted to stand for "modern" warfare. The new designed colour "Feldgrau" replaced the common dark blue, although many features of the dark blue uniform survived, as the red piping, arm cuffs and Pickelhaube (with a feldgrau coating). The piping of the shoulder straps shows the regimental colour.

M1915
This Uniform is basically the same as the M1907 but whitout cuffs. Some soldiers start to wrap bands on their boots. This particullar soldier already with M1916 Steelhelmet.

M1916
A uniform totally devoted to war time needs. A long piece of tectile is covering the buttons. The red piping disappears. The colour should be still Feldgrau but due to war time production this was harder and harder to achieve so many variants of the colour existed side by side. Most of the new field tunics tended to be a shade of dark grey or dark green. This was also the last uniform developed in imperial Germany.

M1919
This very rear piece of uniform was designed by the Reichswehr as the new German Uniform. Regardless of the rank the Uniform was for every soldier the same. The rank was shown by chevrons on the arm (enlisted and NCO's) and bars over the cuff (officers). Because of the chaotic situation in post war Germany the majority of the troops were never supplied with this uniform and so they continued to wear the M1916. Note that the colour is original Feldgrau again. The four pockets on the front were inspired by British uniform practices developed before WWI and worn by them until today.

M1920/21
Maybe the most pointing the way uniform development of the Reichswehr. This design lastet more than 20 years as the standard German field uniform. For the first time in German uniform tradition the rank was shown only by the shoulder straps and shoulder boards for officers. The M1916 helmet got a shield on the left side were the state colours of the unit were shown. In ths case black and white for prussia. The piping on the shoulderstraps shows the Waffenfarbe of the infantry: white.

M1936
The lower pockets were enlarged and the cuffs were led fall down so now the uniform had a straight arm. Since 1934 every uniform were decorated with the Reichsadler as a national emblem. For the first time a German uniform received just 5 buttons in a single row. Before that there were always 8. The M1935 helmet replaced the M1916 and got the sign of the Heer the Heeres Adler and the national colours in a shield on it's sides.
The colour of the colar and shoulder straps is dark green. The colour is the "new" Feldgrau which has more green in it as the old Feldgrau. The trousers are still in normal Feldgrau.

M1940
The only difference to the M1936 is that the whole uniform is in Feldgrau.

M1942
I skiped the M1941 because it was the same uniform as the M1940 but with 6 buttons. The M1942 lost the stripes to enlarge the pockets. Due to war production the green Feldgrau got hard to produce so the colour of the uniforms become a dark grey in all shades. The M1942 helmet lost its shields.

M1943
The pockets became straight. Here is annother colour variant shown.

M 1944
This is the first German uniform design different from the M1920/ M1936 models. The Jacket became very short with a integrated belt system. The jacket had only 4 buttons and 2 buttons for the belt.
the colour of the demanded Feldgrau turned into a dark shade between grey, green and brown. The M1944 is very very rare. Only a few soldiers got this new uniform. Most of the soldiers drafted in 44 or 45 by the Wehrmacht still get the M1943.

M1955 BRD and M1956 DDR
10 years after the war the now two German states were allowed to establish an army. The federal German forces choose a American appearence for their soldiers although in the first years of the Bundeswehr the standard field uniform was in M1931 Reichswehr Splintertarn pattern. But they replaced the charecteristic German helmet with the American M1 helmet and called them M1955.
The socialist German forces choose as their camouflage pattern for their field uniform a abrivation of the Waffen-SS Eichenlaubmuster developed during the war. Note that the DDR troops already had side pockets on their trousers. The Helmet is the infamous M1956 which is a development of the last Wehrmacht helmet experiment during the war. The colour of the helmet is imperial Feldgrau again.

M1960 BRD and M1965 DDR
The Bundeswehr proceeded to wear their oliv green working suits for field uniform. One reason was the comfortabillity and the popularity in the troops. Now they get side pockets on their trousers and the Waffenfarbe of the infantry was changed into green.
The NVA introduced the Strichtarn pattern for their Fielduniforms. This pattern was originally invented in Poland. The shirt colour is imperial Feldgrau.

M1990
The field uniform of the reunited Germany. The camouflagepattern is Flecktarn. The helmet is the M1992 which is basically the same design as the M1935 again. The main difference is that the helmet is made out of aramith and not out of steel.

Special thanks and credits to: Tounushi, Tounushifan and TheFalconette
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Comments18
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TheFalconette's avatar
Great set! BTW - why 1943 is like Steingrau? I thought year by year from 1943 to 1944 German uniform was becoming more and more olive-brown.