German military uniform of the second world war. Military uniform of a Wehrmacht soldier

In the Second World War, many items of equipment were used that were developed back in the late 19th and early 20th centuries: some were radically improved, others with minimal technological changes.

The Reichswehr of the Weimar Republic inherited the ammunition of the Kaiser's army. True, they began to make it from better materials, improved, modernized, customized to the standard. With the beginning of the second world! already outdated equipment was supplied by militia and rear units, and with the transfer of hostilities to German territory, Volkssturm formations.

Ammunition was produced by state-owned enterprises in the system of the General Directorate for Uniforms and Equipment of the Wehrmacht, as well as various private companies. Outwardly, the products of the latter sometimes differed from the standard state-owned ones - for example, the best finish, the quality of the seams, and well. of course, labelling. Some items were issued centrally, others, mostly for officers, were acquired privately. with monetary compensation.

Field equipment was distinguished by the rationality of the design, strength with a relatively low weight, and ease of use. By the end of the war, the quality of the materials used deteriorated: various ersatz, low-grade raw materials were used. Leather was replaced with tarpaulin and plastic; tarpaulin in turn canvas, etc. At the end of 1944, an attempt was made to completely standardize equipment in terms of materials and colors, to introduce a single one - of the general army type. But six months later, the question fell away - along with the fall of the Reich.

By the beginning of the march to the east, a significant part of the metal and parts - bowlers, shovels. cases of gas masks - began to be painted not in dark gray, as before, but in olive green. Since 1943, dark yellow has become the predominant color for all military equipment - as a natural basis for applying darker camouflage, ocher coloring was carried out directly at the manufacturer's factory.

Along with the marked colors in the ground forces, a bluish-gray, widely used in the Luftwaffe, was also used to paint some details.

Many elements of the equipment were covered with leather, both black and all shades of brown - up to natural. Black and dark brown tones were used in soldier and special equipment, light brown in officer's. Leather of different colors in one item was usually not used.

Tarpaulin belts and bands are also characteristic of pre-war ammunition, but they have become especially widespread since 1943. Sometimes the tarpaulin was replaced by cotton fabric folded in several layers and stitched. Such products were painted in the color of field gray, gray, green, brown, beige. Metal fittings: buckles, staples, washers, rings and half rings - had a natural metal tone or were covered with field gray or another shade of gray. An attempt to introduce a single dark gray color for all military branches was not entirely successful.

This stamp, embossed on the skin, along with information about the manufacturer, also indicated the place and year of issue. Manufacturer's stamp on the bowler. Under the abbreviated name of the company, the last two digits (41) indicate the year of manufacture. The stamp of acceptance of the military department on a camp flask.
Infantry shooter. He carries two ammo pouches for a 98k carbine.	Reserve captain with brown waist belt.	Company commander of an infantry regiment in field uniforms. He carried 2 bags with magazines for the MP machine gun. binoculars, wiauuiuem and holster.
Shooter of an infantry regiment in 1940 with typical weapons and equipment.	Different types of machines for a combat backpack, "trapezium" and bags for combat display.	Sergeant Major of the 91st Mountain Rangers Regiment, Hungary 1944
Usually the pouches for the MP-38 and MP-40 submachine guns were worn in pairs. Each pouch had 3 slots, and each pouch was placed both on them and on 32 rounds of 9 mm caliber. The pictures show pouches made of brown canvas, a small pocket is visible on the side. Here lay a device for loading the store. On the reverse side of the pouch are visible knee straps for attaching to the waist belt.

Officer equipment

Genuine leather of various shades of brown: light, orange, reddish, was worn on a wide waist belt with a double-pronged frame buckle and an adjustable shoulder harness. The instruction that followed in July 1943 to blacken items of equipment for camouflage was not always carried out: as already noted. the brown belt was revered as a symbol of officer dignity.

The belt of the 1934 model was worn not only by military officers, but also by military officials of an equal rank, doctors, veterinarians, bandmasters, and senior fenrichs. The frame of the buckle was made of aluminum alloy with a grained surface in matte silver or gray, the general's was covered with matte gold. A two-piece shoulder strap with a movable buckle was equipped with two flat carabiner hooks for fastening to the half rings of the couplings.

A pistol holster was hung from the belt. and at the front, a field bag - a service tablet of the 1935 model, or one of its many commercial versions purchased by officers at their own expense, or - at the end of the war - a simplified one made of artificial leather "press-shtoff". If necessary, a bayonet in an officer's brown blade, a saber, and a dagger were hung on the belt.

From the end of September 1939, senior officers of the active army were forbidden to wear a shoulder belt, and soon this ban extended to all officers of combat units. Instead, they were allowed to use in combat conditions: lieutenants - a soldier's belt with a badge and shoulder straps with auxiliary straps: captains and above - cavalry-type belts, with narrow straight shoulders. (Later, in 1940, the relevant standards changed somewhat, but on the Eastern Front, officers wore belts with a frame buckle, sometimes with a shoulder belt.) And in November 1939, officers in the active army were ordered to wear soldier's belts in combat conditions: a black belt - up to and including the regiment commander: supporting shoulder straps (both infantry and cavalry models) - regardless of rank. But the officers preferred their own, "primordial" - brown equipment.

Cloak-tent arr. 1931 with camouflage. One side of the raincoat was covered with dark "fragmentation" camouflage, and the other side was covered with light. It is clearly visible in the picture. Three short tension cables were secured with pegs.	Reich, 1935. Artillerymen wear straps for cartridge bags. After the introduction in 1941 of a harness with additional belts, in the future, only officers had it.	In front of the camouflage tent is a soldier of the sanitary service. Medical personnel often wore very conspicuous insignia (a red cross in a deed circle) to carry out their tasks on the milking floor. He usually had a metal box with medicines for first aid. Helmets with red crosses ceased to be used in the second half of the war.

Pistol holsters

The German army was saturated with pistols like no other. The pistol was not only the personal weapon of each officer, but also an additional one for the machine gunner, squad leader, tanker, paratrooper. sapper, motorcyclist, military policeman, as well as soldiers and non-commissioned officers of many other specialties.

The officer holsters had smooth leather, about the same color as the waist belt; for soldiers, non-commissioned officers and all SS - black. And at the end of the war, various ersatz were used on those, others and thirds. The most widespread - respectively pistols - were holsters for P-08 Luger, better known as Parabellum, iodine Walter P-38 of two types, and for 7.65 caliber pistols - for "long Browning" 1910/22. Walter PP and PPK. Mauser and some others. Many holsters for small pistols were suitable for several systems.

Holsters iodine 9-mm "Parabellum" and Walter were similar - wedge-shaped. with a deep hinged lid of a complex rounded shape, with a pocket for a spare clip on the front edge of the case. The first, under R-08, was fastened with an oblique strap with a buckle; the second, under R-38. had a deeper lid and a vertical fastening strap, either locked with a button or passed through a bracket in the slot of a metal plate on the valve (there were other options for attaching it). Inside the lid there was a nest with a lid for wiping, and an exhaust strap was passed through the slot in the case. Two loops for a waist belt were sewn on the back. There was also a swing version of the holster for Walter - with a side pocket for a spare magazine. The lid in the form of a flat valve with rounded corners was fastened with a strap to a peg button on a triangular valve that covered the trigger guard.

The Model 1922 Browning holster had resilient straps riveted to the flat flap of the lid; a wide sleeve for a waist belt slid over them. A hinged strap was fastened to the peg of the lid, attached to the body by a quadrangular ring; in the nose of the holster there was a small grommet for a retaining cord. The pocket for the clip was located on the front on the rib, as on the P-08 holster.

Large holsters were worn, as a rule, on the left - it was more convenient to pull out a long pistol. Small ones - which were mostly used by senior officers and generals, as well as rear ranks - could also be worn on the right. A wooden holster for the Mauser K-96 with leather fastened pockets and straps was worn on the shoulder with a suspension or behind a belt, like similar holsters for Browning 07 and UP. to the long Luger.

The Wehrmacht used various types of pistols, including examples of captured weapons. Officers had to carry pistols and more often chose the 7.65mm caliber, such as the Walter pistol (pictured #1), which was carried in a brown leather holster. The holster for other pistols P 38 (No. 2) and P 08 (No. Z), both caliber 9 mm, was sewn from black leather. All three holsters had a pocket for a spare clip.		The sample plate of 1935 could be made of brown or black gauge. It had two knee loops for attaching to the waist belt and the doll was worn on the left according to the charter. On the front, it had slots for pencils, rulers, and an eraser. There were two compartments inside the bag, in which the cards were stored in a protective case.

Tablets, bags, binoculars, flashlights

An officer's field tablet, or bag for maps, of the 1935 model was made of smooth or grained leather: brown in different shades - for the army, black - for the SS troops. It was also used by senior non-commissioned officers. During the war, the color changed to gray, and natural leather to artificial.

Inside the tablet there were partitions, transparent celluloid plates for cards. On the front wall of the case were leather pockets for pencils - usually along the pocket for the coordinate ruler - and nests for other tools. There were different options for their placement: along with standard state-owned ones, commercial products were used.

The valve could cover the tablet entirely, half or only its upper third, fastened either with a leather tongue with a buckle, or with a bracket passing through the slots in the plates riveted to the valve - the lid tongue was passed through it. Domestic field bags were closed in a similar way. They wore German tablets or hung them by loops on a waist belt, or on an overstretched strap with an adjustment buckle.

Almost all binoculars were equipped with a neck strap with a fastened leather or plastic cap to protect the eyepieces and a leather loop attached to the body frame for fastening to the jacket button. State-owned binoculars were covered with black ersatz leather and painted in field gray or dark yellow; frequent firms used natural leather and black lacquer for these purposes. Cases were made of natural or artificial leather - black or brown, as well as plastics such as Bakelite; half rings were attached to the sidewalls for fastening a belt, on the back wall - leather loops for a belt. The clasp of the lid was elastic. with an eye on the tongue and a peg on the body of the case; there were also spring ones, as on cases of gas masks. The place of the binocular case was determined by the presence of other equipment.

There were many samples of service flashlights with colored signal or camouflage filters. The rectangular case, metal or plastic, was painted black, field gray. dark yellow, and whitened in winter. A leather loop was attached to the back of it for fastening to a button of clothing or other similar devices.

The bag of a hauptfeldwebel - a company foreman, in which he kept report forms, lists of personnel, writing materials. - did not have fasteners and, according to tradition, was worn overboard with a tunic or jacket.

Infantry equipment

The standard equipment of an infantryman was the base for many other branches of the military. Its basis was a waist belt - mainly made of thick smooth leather, black, less often brown, about 5 cm wide. A stamped aluminum or steel (and at the end of the war, bakelite) buckle with a grained or smooth surface, silver or painted in silver, was worn on the right end. feldgrau, khaki, grey. In the center was stamped a round medallion with an imperial eagle surrounded by the motto "God is with us." The buckle was adjusted using a tongue sewn to the belt with paired holes, which included the teeth of the inner sleeve. The hook of the left end of the belt was hooked on the buckle loop.

The next important component of the equipment was the Y-shaped support belts - two overstretched and dorsal. Similar ones were used back in the First World War, and in 1939 new ones were introduced, with riveted side straps for a satchel of the same year or a combat backrest. The narrowed ends of the shoulders with sewn-on leather stops had a number of holes, which included the teeth of the adjustment buckles: the galvanized buckles ended with wide stamped hooks that clung to the semicircular or quadrangular rings of pouches or movable belt couplings. The length of the side straps with rings was adjusted with cufflinks and slits, as with the back strap, which was hooked from below to the middle of the belt, and for a tall soldier, by the ring of the movable clutch. The backrest was connected to the shoulder straps by a large round ring with a lining leather washer. Back on shoulders. above the central ring, large half rings were sewn for attaching the upper hooks of a marching or assault pack, as well as other ammunition.

Simplified canvas equipment of a similar purpose was used in North Africa along with leather equipment, and after the surrender of the Africa Army in May 1943, it began to be produced for continental troops, mainly in the western theater of operations. However, at the end of the war, canvas belts, from greenish-yellow to dark brown, were also found in abundance on the Eastern Front.

Chief sergeant major of the 3rd motorcycle rifle battalion (3rd tank division). Various items of military equipment are visible on the carriage.	Soldiers of the reserve army in most cases carried only one cartridge bag.	On occasion, army units also adopted camouflage patterns like the Luftwaffe or C S troops. In the picture, two officers are wearing the camouflage jackets of a Luftwaffe field division.
Second number (right) with a carbine and a pistol. Behind him are two boxes of ammunition (300 rounds each) for a machine gun and accessories for a Type 36 light grenade launcher.	Hand grenades with handle arr. 24 and packing boxes for their transfer.	Several ammo boxes, a field telephone and a hand-held anti-tank cumulative magnetic mine.

Pouches for clips and magazines for small arms

Three-section pouches for clips for the Mauser rifle model 1884-98. were used during the First World War. Standardized in 1933 as an all-army. the pouch of the 1911 model differed from the similar one of the 1909 sample ... with a smaller capacity - six clips (30 rounds). In combat units, the arrows wore two pouches - to the left and to the right of the buckle; the troops of the second echelon made do with one, which was located depending on other equipment. The hook of the shoulder strap clung to the ring on the upper part of the back wall of the pouch, the lids were fastened with straps on the pegs on the bottoms of the pockets. There were belt loops on the back.

Soldier. armed with a pistol and machine gun model 1938-40. (usually one per squad of shooters with rifles), kept stores to him in twin triple pouches but on both sides of the belt buckle. They also carried magazines for submachine guns of other systems chambered for a 9-mm cartridge. Each pocket for a 32-pack magazine had a flap with a leather tongue fastened to a peg. The pouch was canvas khaki or beige, before the war there was also a leather pouch - with a pocket for equipment, sewn onto the left pouch in front. On a canvas, a pocket with a flap on a button was sewn on the back side. On the back wall of the pouch there were leather loops sewn at an angle for the waist belt, so the pouches were worn obliquely, with the lids forward. Leather straps with half-rings went perpendicularly from the sides for fastening to the i support belts.

Soldiers armed with a self-loading rifle of the 1943 model wore four spare magazines on their belts on the left in a two-section pouch, usually canvas, with leather-trimmed edges. On the right was most often an ordinary three-section black leather pouch.

		Machine gunner (1st number). For self-defense, he had, in addition to the MG-34 machine gun, also a pistol, which was located on the waist belt on the left. On the right side, he carried a bag with tools for the MG-34 machine gun.
The MG 34 machine gun was a wide range weapon: it could be used as a light and as a heavy machine gun. Its theoretical rate of fire was 800-900 rounds per minute. Machine gunners wore a tool bag on their waist belt, which housed a cartridge case ejector (1), a sight for firing at aircraft (2), a cartridge case extractor (3), a fragment of a machine-gun belt (4), an oiler (5), an assembly key (6), rags (7) and muzzle pad (8).
In the second half of the war, the MG 42 machine gun appeared, which was also used as a light and heavy machine gun. The new machine gun was lighter, stronger and cheaper to manufacture than the MG 34. Its theoretical rate of fire was 1300-1400 rounds per minute. He gained legendary fame and still remains the best machine gun of this caliber. His modified samples are still used in various armies.

Equipment worn on the belt

The blade for the bayonet of the 1884/98 rifle was made of leather, usually black, with a grained surface. On the tapering glass of the blade there was a slot for a hook holding the scabbard, and at the upper end, forming a loop for the waist belt, there was a swivel with a button for fastening the hilt. A lanyard was tied over the glass (he almost never met on the Eastern Front).

A small infantry shovel - a folding German one with a pointed end, a non-folding Austrian one with a pentagonal blade, a straight non-folding German one, a captured Polish one, or some other one used in the German army - was hung from one or two belt loops on the left thigh from behind - in framed case made of black or brown leather, black ersatz “press-stoff” or canvas tape. A bayonet was attached to the blade in the blade, the loop of which was located between the loops of the blade cover. The bayonet could be placed in front of the shoulder blade if its cover was with a single loop.

Small infantry shovel - folding German with a pointed end, non-folding Austrian with a pentagonal blade, straight non-folding German, captured Polish, or some other one used in the German army. - hung by one or two belt loops on the left thigh at the back - in a frame case made of black or brown leather, black ersatz "press-stoff" or canvas braid. A bayonet was attached to the blade in the blade, the loop of which was located between the loops of the blade cover. The bayonet could be placed in front of the shoulder blade if its cover was with a single loop.

A characteristic feature of German equipment is a bread bag, or bread bag. With some modifications, it has been used since the last century. A large valve with a semicircular bottom completely closed the bag of the 1931 model, fastening with internal straps with slots for buttons. Outside, it had two leather loops for straps that protected the bag from swinging. In its upper corners, near the loops, leather ears with half rings for a bowler hat, flask and other items were sewn on. The bag, belt loops, strap with a hook between them were canvas or canvas, usually gray or field gray. At the end of the war, brown tones prevailed. khaki, olive. Some bags were additionally equipped with a shoulder strap. A pocket with an external flap for gun accessories was sewn to the products of the latest releases. Bread or crackers were stored in the bag (hence its name) - part of dry rations or NZ ("iron portion"). toiletries, shaving and cutlery, an undershirt, gun accessories, caps, etc. In fact, in the field, with a lightweight layout, it served as a small duffel bag, largely replacing a knapsack. Always worn on the right back.

An aluminum flask of 1931 with a capacity of 800 ml, with a screw cap and an oval cup, was painted gray or black, later olive green. A strap with a buckle, which was included in the brackets on the cup and went around the flask but vertically in front and behind. It was worn in leather loops on a cloth, felzgrau or brown, case, which was fastened on the side with three buttons, and its flat carabiner hook was fastened to the half rings of equipment or a bread bag. At the end of the war, steel flasks appeared - enameled or covered with red-brown phenolic rubber, which protected the contents only from frost - in this case, the flask had an additional strap around the circumference. Cone-shaped drinking cups could be steel or black Bakelite; they were also attracted by a strap stretched into brackets. Mountain troops and orderlies used one and a half liter flasks of a similar device. discontinued in 1943

The combined kettle of the 1931 model, copied in many countries, including the USSR, was made of aluminum, and since 1943 - of steel. Until April 1941, 1.7-liter bowlers were painted gray, then they switched to olive green (however, the paint was often peeled off on the field). A fastening strap was passed into the brackets of the folding bowl-lid handle. In the presence of knapsacks of old samples, the bowler hat was worn outside, with later ones - inside them. With a lightweight layout, he either fastened to a bread bag next to a flask, or clung to a back strap or to a webbing combat satchel. NZ was stored inside the cauldron.

Introduced in April 1939, black shoulder straps were intended to support the infantryman's ammunition. The backrest was connected to the shoulder straps with a leather-lined knee. A satchel of the 1939 model was attached to it. In the photo - different angles of the infantryman's harness belts, including Y-shaped belts - two overstretched and back.
	A bowler hat of dark green color from two parts - a cover and the body.
A camping flask equipped with a black lacquered aluminum mug was produced until 1941. It was placed in a felt bag. The picture on the right clearly shows the fastening of the flask with a leather strap and a carabiner to a bread bag. The picture below shows a later edition flask with a small black Bakelite tankard and a canvas strap.	The gas mask equipment for each soldier consisted of a gas mask in a cylindrical test case and a protective cape against liquid poisonous substances. Soldiers. glasses wearers were given special goggles that could be fixed inside a gas mask. 1. Gas mask sample 1930. 2. Special glasses with a flat case, below is the prescription of an ophthalmologist. 3-5. From left to right: gas mask cases, model 1930 (Reichswehr model), model 1936 and 1938

Chemical and protective equipment

The cylindrical gas mask case-canister had a longitudinally corrugated surface and a lid on a hinged loop and a spring latch. To two brackets at the lid, a shoulder strap made of braid leaned, and to the bracket at the bottom - a strap with a hook that clung to a belt or equipment rings.

In the case of the 1930 model, a gas mask of the same goal was usually placed with a mask made of rubberized fabric, with a round filter screwed on the stigma and with tightening elastic straps made of rubber-fabric braid. The case for the gas mask of the 1938 model was with a cover of less depth. and the mask is completely rubber.

A box with a degassing agent and napkins was placed in the lid. The factory coloring of gas mask cases is field grau, but they were often repainted on the Eastern Front. and in winter they covered it with whitewash or lime. Cases of the sample 1930 and 1938 were interchangeable.

According to the rules in the infantry, the gas mask was placed with the lid forward over the bread bag, slightly below the waist belt, but also with the lid back - like. for example, machine gunners or those whose special equipment was blocked by a gas mask. A shoulder strap and hook strap kept the case in a nearly horizontal position. Drivers and motorcyclists wore a gas mask on a shortened strap horizontally on the chest, lid to the right; cavalrymen - on the right thigh, passing the strap under the waist belt; in the mountain troops - horizontally, behind the backpack, lid to the right. In transport vehicles, the gas mask case, releasing the strap, was placed on the knee. Well, in combat conditions, it was located as it was more convenient for anyone - both on the left side, and vertically, and on the shoulder strap, and attached to the equipment.

An oilcloth bag for an anti-chemical (“antipritic”) cape was fastened to the strap of the gas mask case or directly to its corrugated canister.

The triangular raincoat of the 1931 model was cut from impregnated cotton gabardine with a three-color "comminuted" camouflage - dark on one side and light on the other (at the end of the war, the pattern was dark on both sides). The slot for the head in the center was blocked by two valves. The tent could be worn like a poncho, and with the flaps buttoned up, it was a kind of cloak. There were ways to wear it for hiking, riding a motorcycle and riding. The tent was used as a bedding or pillow, and two - stuffed with hay and rolled into a bagel - served as a good watercraft. With the help of loops and buttons on the edges, sections of tents could be joined into large panels for group shelters. Eyelets on the corners and on the sides of the middle seam at the base made it possible to stretch the panel with ropes and stakes during installation. A rolled-up tent and a bag with accessories for it were worn, attached either to shoulder straps, or to an assault pack, or at the waist. They attached it to the backpack - or put it inside it. At the end of the war, tents were delivered only to selected field units. Therefore, the German army did not disdain the old square times of Kaiser Wilhelm II and the captured Soviet ones with a hood.

Infantry special equipment

The quadrangular black leather pouch for accessories for the MG-34 and MG-42 machine guns had a flip-up lid with a strap. fastened with a button on the bottom, and on the back wall - fasteners for belts: two loops - for the waist and a four-legged or semicircular ring - for the hook of the shoulder support belt. At the end of the war, pouches began to be made from black or light beige "press stock". An asbestos tack for removing a hot barrel was often placed under the outer strap of the pouch box.

Interchangeable barrels were stored in cases swinging along the length, for 1 or 2 each, which were worn over the right shoulder with a strap and worn behind the back. The commander of the calculation of a heavy machine gun in the same way placed a case with two optical sights. All machine gunners were armed with "Parabellum" (less often - Walter P-38), worn in a black holster on the left side.

Hand grenades were kept in double canvas flat bags with valves and a connecting strap worn around the neck: subsequently they were worn only by the canvas handle. They also placed M-24 grenades with a long wooden handle, for which, however, there were also special bags (for 5 pieces each) made of coarse burlap with a tied neck and two straps: one was thrown over the neck, the other went around the waist. But much more often, these hand grenades were thrust into the belt, over the tops of boots, over the side of the tunic. tied to a trench tool. A special vest for wearing them - with five deep pockets. stitched in front and behind and fastened with straps - it was rarely used at the front.

From November 1939, officers of the active army were required to wear a belt on their field uniform. The waist belt was made of black leather with holes and ended with a buckle with two pins.	Lemon hand grenades sample 1939	Eastern Front, 1941. A messenger on a motorcycle is talking to the commander of a Panzer 1 Ausf.V. The motorcyclist has a gas mask bag in front. This way of wearing around the neck was common for motorcyclists.
Machine gunner (1st number) of the infantry regiment.	Trench tool. A short shovel and a bag for carrying it. The small picture below shows how to wear it.	Different angles of a folding shovel and the way it is worn. When assembled, the shovel bayonet is fixed with a special nut. The bayonet of this shovel can be fixed at a right angle and used as a hoe.

In the form, in addition to the external, visual component, the functional one is also important. A soldier of any country on the battlefield should be comfortable and practical outfit.

According to the art historian M. R. Kirsanova, in war, uniforms are used to recognize friends and foes. S. V. Struchev, costume designer, supplements this statement as follows: “To make it clear who to shoot at. Because the contact between the shooter and the enemy is visual.”

USSR

The soldiers of the Red Army were well equipped at any time of the year. In the summer, caps and helmets were used. The most common was the SSH-40 helmet. Semyon Budyonny participated in its creation, checking the helmet with checkers and shooting from a revolver. In winter, hats with earflaps were introduced with falling earmuffs that protected the neck and ears from frost. The composition of the lightweight uniform also included cotton tunics with breast welt pockets, harem pants. For storage, a backpack or duffel bag was used. They drank water from glass caps hung in a bag from a belt. Grenades were also worn on the belt - in special bags. In addition, the uniform set included a bag for a gas mask, cartridges. Ordinary Red Army soldiers wore raincoats that could be used as a raincoat. In winter, the uniform was supplemented with a sheepskin coat or a padded jacket with a padded jacket, fur mittens, felt boots and padded pants.

The uniform of the Red Army soldiers seemed to be thought out to the smallest detail: in the duffel bag of the 1942 model there was even a compartment for an ax. This is how one of the Red Army soldiers described the condition of his clothes in a letter: “My clothes are pretty shabby and have no value for the house.” And this is how professor P. M. Shurygin, a participant in the Battle of Rzhev, commented on the army uniform: “Soon we will get quilted trousers, padded jackets, warm underwear. Boots will be given with snow. The material is solid, so you wonder where so much of this beautiful material comes from. From the memoirs it is clear that the uniform of the Red Army was of high quality and practical. Numerous pockets, bags for ammunition greatly facilitated the conduct of hostilities.

Germany

The uniform of the German soldiers was sewn at the factory of Hugo Boss. It included: a steel helmet with a double-sided cover, an overcoat, a gas mask case, a harness, rifle pouches, a cape, and a bowler hat. The uniform of the Wehrmacht was complete for the European territory. The frosty Eastern Front required a completely different approach. The first winter the soldiers were freezing. By the second, there were changes, and insulated jackets, quilted pants, as well as woolen gloves, sweaters and socks were introduced into the uniform. But this was not enough.

Despite the fact that the Soviet uniform was much heavier and easier to manufacture, it was considered more suitable for military operations in winter. Yury Girev, the reenactor of the Eastern Frontier club, comments on the difference in the uniforms of the key powers as follows: “The uniform of a soldier of the Red Army was much warmer than the uniform of the Germans. On their feet, our soldiers wore cowhide boots. Winding boots were used more often. One of the German representatives of the Wehrmacht wrote in a message to relatives: “Passing through Gumrak, I saw a crowd of our retreating soldiers, they are trudging in a wide variety of uniforms, wrapping all kinds of clothing around themselves, just to keep warm. Suddenly one soldier falls into the snow, others indifferently pass by.

Britannia

British soldiers wore field uniforms: a collared blouse or woolen shirt, a steel helmet, loose trousers, a gas mask bag, a holster with a long belt, black boots and overcoats. By the beginning of World War II, a new uniform was adopted. The regular units of the British army received it last, because it was necessary to equip recruits and those whose clothes had already lost their decent look. In the course of the war, minor changes took place, during which a lining appeared at the collar and other elements of clothing that prevented the friction of coarse twill, buckles began to be produced with teeth.

It was not uncommon for British soldiers to wear heavy tropal cloaks lined with down. In order not to freeze, they put on knitted balaclavas under their helmets. Russian historian Igor Drogovoz appreciated the British uniform: “The uniform of the soldiers and officers of the British army has become a role model for all the armies of Europe. The entire European military class very soon began to change into khaki jackets, and Soviet soldiers took Berlin in 1945 in boots with windings.

USA

The uniform of American soldiers is objectively considered the most comfortable and thoughtful in the conditions of the Second World War. It was guided by the development of uniforms even in the post-war period. The uniform included a woolen shirt, a light field jacket, trousers with linen leggings, low brown boots, a helmet or cap. So many things have replaced the twill jumpsuit. All the clothes of US soldiers were distinguished by their functionality: the jacket was fastened with a zipper and buttons, and was equipped with cut-out pockets on the sides. The Arctic kit, consisting of a warm parka jacket, lace-up boots with fur, allowed the Americans to become the best equipment. The command of the US Armed Forces is convinced that the American soldier has the best equipment. One of the Red Army men spoke of their shoes with special reverence: “What good lace-up boots they had!”

Japan

During the Second World War, the Japanese had three types of uniforms. Each of them included a uniform, trousers, an overcoat and a cape. For warm weather, a cotton version is provided, for cold weather - woolen. The outfit also included a helmet, boots or boots. For Japanese soldiers, operations in winter conditions were considered clashes in northern China, Manchuria and Korea. The most insulated form was used for combat operations in these places. Naturally, it was not suitable for a harsh climate, because it was an overcoat with fur cuffs, woolen quilted trousers, underpants. In general, it is difficult to call Japanese uniforms functional. It was suitable only for certain latitudes with a tropical climate.

Italy

Italian soldiers during the Second World War wore a shirt and tie, a single-breasted tunic with a waist belt, breeches with windings or woolen knee-high socks, and ankle-length boots. Some soldiers were more comfortable using breeches. The uniform was not suitable for winter campaigns. The overcoat was sewn from cheap coarse cloth, which did not warm at all in the cold. The army was not equipped with winter clothing. Insulated options were available only to representatives of the mountain troops. The Italian newspaper Provincia Como noted in 1943 that only a tenth of the soldiers during their stay in Russia were provided with a uniform suitable for this. In their memoirs, the fighters wrote that at times the temperature reached minus 42 degrees, so many died due to frostbite, and not during military operations. Italian command statistics report that 3,600 soldiers suffered from hypothermia during the first winter alone.

France

French soldiers fought in colored uniforms. They were outfitted in single-breasted button-down tunics, double-breasted overcoats with side pocket flaps. The floors of the overcoat could be buttoned back to make it easier to walk. The clothes had belt loops. Foot troops wore breeches with windings. There were three types of hats. The most popular was the kepi. Adrian's helmets were also actively worn. Their distinguishing feature is the presence of an emblem on the front. In addition to the appearance, this helmet could hardly boast of anything else. It did not provide protection from bullets. In very cold weather, the French uniform expanded its range to a sheepskin coat. Such clothes can hardly be called optimal for different weather conditions.

The best uniform of American soldiers became the prototype of all modern field clothing. It was distinguished by its functionality and thoughtful appearance. It did not freeze, and this was one of the decisive factors in the war.

Waist belt and buckle

Waist belt with steel buckle painted in light gray, on the strap of the buckle you can clearly see the brand - "Vienna, 1940". The waist belt was a mandatory part of the uniform of all soldiers and non-commissioned officers of the Wehrmacht ground forces and was worn by them with any form of clothing.

Brass, old model (Reichswehr).

Belt and additional belt loops

Leather harness, all metal parts of which are made of steel and painted in gray. The widespread use of steel in various items of equipment began in 1940, when Germany was faced with the issue of saving strategically important aluminum, or, as it was also called, "flying metal".

Various options for additional belt loops. "Dopniks" were mainly intended for attaching the front harness belts to the waist belt if the soldier did not wear cartridge bags, as well as for attaching the rear harness belt to the waist belt if the rear belt was not long enough, for example, for tall soldiers. Additional hinges were made mainly from black or brown leather, although there were canvas hinges and hinges from "pressstoff" (leather substitute); metal rings were made of aluminum or, more commonly, steel, and could be in the shape of the letter "D", as well as square or rectangular. In most cases, the "add-ons" were without any hallmarks, but sometimes there are specimens with hallmarks or codes from manufacturers.

Cartridge bags for the carbine "Mauser 98k"

Cartridge bag of an early sample with the hallmark "Karl Boecker Waldbroel 1937". Pay attention to how the waist belt loops are formed - in the form of straps passed through small loops on the back of the bag. All metal parts are made of aluminum, and the straps of the flaps of the pockets protrude from the base of the bag by about a centimeter, also, the name of the manufacturer and the year of issue are on the stamp. All these details are typical for cartridge bags of early samples.

A pair of late-model ammo pouches, stamped "0/1032/0001". Bags produced since the end of 1942 were characterized by such details as loops for a waist belt made in the form of separate parts, metal parts from steel, shorter straps of pocket flaps and encryption of the factory, instead of the brand of the manufacturer and the year of issue.

Sugar bag

Sugar bag arr. 1931 early issues. On the inside of the valve there is an illegible brand-encryption of the manufacturer of this bag.

A bread bag in the 19th and 20th centuries became a traditional piece of equipment for a German soldier; they carried such items as a carbine cleaning kit, cutlery and sewing utensils, a margarine bowl, rations and other little things a soldier needed.

field flask

Field flask arr. 1931

Field flask, 1943. The glass of the flask is painted in olive green, the cover of the flask is not made of felt, but of dense cotton material. All metal parts of the flask and case are steel, and the hinges on the case are made of leatherette and are attached to it with rivets. On the flask and on the cup there are different hallmarks - "SMM 43" and "MN 43", respectively.

Bakelite cup. In the stowed position, it was attached to the flask with a strap. The maker's mark is on the bottom of the glass.

aluminum mugs

Height-8.5 cm, oval shape. They are quite common in German positions. In the stowed position, it was attached to a flask. On the mug is usually a stamp - the abbreviation of the plant and the year of issue.

bowler hat

Wehrmacht bowler arr. 1931. It was possible to wrap either the pot itself or its contents in aluminum-impregnated paper, which was issued complete with a pot, in both cases the paper served as a thermos and kept food warm.

Folding fork-spoon

There are aluminum, metal, and also, they say, stainless steel.

shoulder blade

Small sapper shovel with a cover with a "closed back". A spatula similar in design has been the standard trenching tool for German soldiers since the end of the 19th century.

The German folding sapper shovel was an innovative solution for its time; even during the war, many armies of the world copied the design of this shovel. Please note that the cover for this blade does not have a top valve, the blade is fixed in it only with a narrow vertical strap.

Bayonet for carbine "Mauser 98k"

Bayonet for Mauser 98k carbine made by Carl Eickhorn. The sheath of the bayonet-knife is inserted into a special case with a fixing strap for the handle, which was originally designed exclusively for cavalrymen, but since 1939 was issued to all Wehrmacht servicemen.

Ceremonial bayonet-knife for the Mauser 98k carbine with a long blade. Wehrmacht servicemen could order such bayonet-knives at their own expense from various commercial manufacturers of edged weapons.

raincoat tent

Wehrmacht camouflage cape arr. 1931. In the corner of the cloth, you can clearly see the stamp with the full name of the manufacturer, its postal address and the year of manufacture - 1942.

A set for setting up a tent, which included: a black two-meter rope, consisting of four parts, a wooden pole (but there is only one in this photo) and two pegs (there are three in the photo). All these accessories were stored in a special canvas bag, which was usually worn along with the roll of the raincoat itself (in the photo, an early sample bag with two leather straps).

Mask

Gas mask arr. 1915 was one of the first gas masks in the world and was intended to protect the respiratory organs, eyes and face from toxic substances. He was worn, like all subsequent models of German gas masks, in a cylindrical metal box, which was supposed to reliably protect the gas mask from contamination and external damage.

Gas mask arr. 1918 had a rather successful design, and after the First World War it was used in the Reichswehr, then in the Wehrmacht, produced under license in Lithuania and Belgium (and was used by the armies of these countries until the beginning of the Second World War). And in 1940, Germany donated all gas masks arr. 1918 to his ally - the army of Romania.

Gas mask arr. 1924, unlike all other German gas masks, was connected to the filter with a long hose, and was carried not in a metal box, but in a wide canvas bag. In the Second World War gas mask arr. 1924 was used in limited quantities only in training and reserve units.

Gas mask arr. The 1930 was made of rubberized fabric and leather, had wide eyepieces and a more versatile head mounting system, and the filter, like on early gas masks, was attached directly to the gas mask. A gas mask was worn in a corrugated metal gas mask box mod. 1930.

Gas mask arr. 1938 was a more unified version of the gas mask mod. 1930 and unlike it was completely made of rubber and had a more advanced valve system. A gas mask was worn in gas mask boxes arr. 1938 and 1941, which slightly differed from each other in height and width (in the photo - a gas mask box arr. 1938).

Options for gas mask boxes for gas masks arr. 1930 and 1938:
1, 2) Boxes for gas masks arr. 1930, which were produced for civilian purposes by "AUER"
3) Box for a gas mask arr. 1930
4) Boxes for gas masks arr. 1930, which were produced for the Legion "Condor"
5) Box arr. 1936 for gas mask arr. 1930
6) Box arr. 1938 for gas mask arr. 1938
7) Box arr. 1935 for gas mask arr. 1930
Box for civilian gas masks arr. 1930 firm "AUER"
9) Box arr. 1941 for gas mask mod. 1938
10) Experimental plastic box for gas mask arr. 1938. Presumably, such gas mask boxes were produced for the needs of the Kriegsmarine, but now it is rather difficult to say how many of them were produced and how often they were used.

Personal identification mark of the military personnel of the German army (medallion token)

The personal identification mark of the 1935 model of the year 70x50 mm in size for the ground forces, the Air Force, the SS troops, the police and a number of auxiliary organizations of the Wehrmacht had three through holes separating the two halves of the LOZ. It contained information about the unit, the personal number in it of the owner and his blood type. The personal number was sometimes preceded by the designation Nr., and before the blood group Bl. Gr., while the blood type was often placed on the reverse side of the VOS. The indication of the blood type on the personal identification mark has become mandatory since 1941. In addition, in practice, one had to deal with the fact that in a number of cases the full name of the owner was scrawled on the reverse side of the LOZ. The upper half had two holes for a lace on which a medallion was worn. There is only one hole on the bottom, through which the broken signs of the dead soldiers were strung by the funeral team on the wire. Then these signs were transferred to the headquarters of the divisions, and from there they sent death notices to the relatives of the dead soldiers. Beginning in 1941, zinc alloy became the main material for the manufacture of the 1935 sample LOZ, before that they were mainly made of aluminum. LOZ was usually worn around the neck on a cord 80 cm long, or in a special leather case, also hung around the neck. In practice, one had to deal with cases of wearing LOS in the left breast pocket of a uniform or in a purse.

german token

The badge has the number 10 on one side and the inscription "INF.RGT.8*III BATL." on the other side, which means the 3rd Battalion of the 8th Infantry Regiment.
The size of a token is about the size of a modern ruble coin.
Your thoughts, dear readers, regarding the purpose of this token, please send to the address.

The original collectible copies of captured German weapons or equipment carry a special energy. Military equipment, aviation, artillery, firearms, weapon accessories and equipment- all this, in general, is the level of development of science and technology of a particular power. After all, it is military technology always go one step ahead of civilians. Military trophies are, first of all, material proof of the military prowess and strength of the winner. Technical superiority armies of the Third Reich in many areas of military affairs it is impossible to deny. The victorious march of the Wehrmacht across Europe, the huge losses of the Red Army in the first years of the Second World War - all these are indicators of the unprecedented power of the German military machine, using advanced technologies from all over Western Europe and innovative methods of warfare. And what strong opponent did our grandfathers defeat? Collecting trophies of the Third Reich: equipment, uniforms and weapons has nothing to do with ideological views and national socialist ideas. On the contrary, it is necessary to preserve the trophies of the Second World War - the cultural and historical value of which cannot be underestimated.

This page of our online catalog presents items of German equipment for reconstruction:military equipment of the Wehrmacht and Luftwaffe, made according to original samples and patterns, remake ammunition of soldiers of the Third Reich, copies accessories for German firearms from the Second World War, copies of holsters and pouches, copies of shoulder straps for a Mauser rifle and an MP40 submachine gun,

You can order from us:

• a copy of the German sword belt from the times of the Second World War;
• restored gas mask tanks;
• German flasks for reconstruction;
• copies of belts and buckles of the Third Reich;
• brand new German satchels;
• various accessories for small arms;
• holsters and cartridge belts for reconstruction;
• shoulder straps (copies);

Reconstruction of the equipment of German soldiers of the Second World War.

Long gone are the days when reenactors were confused with roleplayers. Today, historical reconstruction is often no longer just a hobby, but also serious work - research, study of crafts and restoration, regular intensive training, work with youth, performances in front of the audience and much more. The reconstruction movement has existed for more than one century. Back in the 17th century, certain historical events and victories were recreated for the public so that the people would not forget their history. In post-revolutionary Russia, in 1920, the first reconstruction was carried out - the storming of the Winter Palace, a costumed military "show", in which about 10 thousand people took part. Reconstruction of the Second World War in the Soviet Union originated in the 80s, when the first attempts were made to create mass events. Almost every re-enactor has a sufficient number of original antiques, since it is customary for us to make everything look as authentic as possible. Particular attention is paid, in particular, to the life of a soldier: so that money of those times, wallets are in the pockets, soap, a razor, and a toothbrush are with you. Many have a duffel bag or knapsack fully equipped, some food is in their bread bags, some have old German newspapers.

Obbergrenadier Martin Eichenseer, appointed commander of the 916th Grenadier Regiment (352nd Infantry Division), fought against US Army units on June 6, 1944 in Normandy during the American landings on Omaha Beach. After the war, he recalled the following: “I was loaded like a pack donkey, about 7 cartridge belts for MG, 20 m39 grenades (“eggs”), stuffed into all pockets and 20 m24 grenades (“beater”), which I I put it in my belt, in the tops of my boots and in my backpack. A rifle was hanging behind my back and about 500 rounds of ammunition in each hand, that's how I prevented the advance."
Waffen-SS navigator Konrad, who during the war was a sapper and later a panzergrenadier in the 2nd SS Panzer Division Das Reich, simply notes the fact: "Our pockets were always filled with what was necessary for survival at the front. Very often we went into battle light, leaving some of the equipment, but at the same time our pockets were densely stuffed with ammunition and food.
Karl Wegner was a simple private grenadier in the 914th Grenadier Regiment (352nd Infantry Division), when asked what he carried in his pockets during the war, he replied: "A wallet, a penknife, a crust of bread, a small book, like a Bible , and my French dictionary. These were all useful things."

Buy copies of the 3rd Reich

We are always ready to help you in purchasing copies of certain rare accessories and items from the times of the First and Second World Wars, that is, replicas. made from original antiques. Please contact our online catalog at any time, leave orders that will be completed as quickly as possible.