If you do not take into account the dress uniform, then the most important component of military uniforms is its functionality. During combat operations, soldiers must be provided with uniforms and equipment for convenience and practicality. Since ancient times, by the uniform they recognize their own and others. The goal is pursued one - to be seen where to shoot and recognize their comrades and the enemy.

In ancient times, when the uniform of a warrior was pretentious and replete with decorations and decorations, there were curious cases. A historical fact is the case of a partisan of the Patriotic War of 1812, Denis Davydov. The peasants, who were poorly versed in uniforms, mistook his detachment for French marauders or food masters and fought back, which almost cost the life of the brave partisan and his subordinates. The whole thing was in the hussar uniform, which was similar to the hussar uniform of the French. After that, Denis Davydov was forced to change into a Cossack, which was the uniform of Russian Cossacks.

During World War II the personnel of the army of the warring parties were uniformed in accordance with the traditions and economic capabilities of a particular state. At the same time, it should be noted that uniforms and equipment changed depending on the time of year and the theaters of hostilities.

Workers' and Peasants' Red Army

On the equipment and uniforms Red Army soldiers were influenced by the Winter (Soviet-Finnish) War of 1939-1940. It was during the fighting on the Karelian Isthmus and north of Lake Ladoga that it turned out that the soldiers of the Red Army were not equipped for winter conditions. “The equipment of the troops, primarily riflemen, did not meet the conditions of the winter, and even as severe as the past one. There were few felt boots, there were not enough sheepskin coats, mittens; the old helmet turned out to be of little use for wearing in great cold and it needed to be replaced with a hat with earflaps.

The soldiers of the Red Army were equipped according to the time of year. In the summer, caps and helmets were used. The most common was a steel helmet. In the initial period of the war, the old SSH-40 helmet was still used, which had an overlay on its top. It was provided in order to protect the head from a saber strike. According to legend, Marshal of the Soviet Union Semyon Mikhailovich Budyonny took part in its development. However, it was replaced by a lighter and more comfortable steel helmet. The war has shown That the enemy will not reach saber attacks.

The personnel of the rifle units were shod in cowhide boots or boots with canvas windings. During mass mobilization, cowhide boots were replaced with tarpaulin boots.

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0 - Soldiers of the Red Army during the fighting in Stalingrad

2 - Soldiers of the Red Army at the end of the war

In winter, hats with earflaps were introduced with falling earmuffs that protected the neck and ears from frost. The lightweight uniform also included cotton tunics with breast welt pockets, trousers, and a cloth overcoat with hooks. The overcoat was adjusted taking into account her socks on a quilted padded jacket.

for storage property a satchel or duffel bag was used. However, even during the Finnish campaign, it was noted that there were not enough satchels for supply, which was more convenient as an item of equipment. But its production (leather or tarpaulin was used) was expensive. Therefore, the soldiers of the rifle units were equipped with duffel bags.

Water was carried in an aluminum flask. To save aluminum, flasks of the same shape began to be made from bottle glass with a stoppered (rather than screw) cork. These flasks are also hanging in a bag from the belt. But neither convenience nor practicality, they did not possess. At the end of the Great Patriotic War, their production was almost curtailed.

Grenades and cartridges were worn on the belt - in special pouches. In addition, the outfit included a bag for a gas mask. The Red Army wore raincoats, which could be used to design individual and group tents. The tent set included an aluminum peg and a coil of hemp rope. In winter, the uniform was supplemented with a short fur coat, a padded jacket or padded jacket, fur mittens, felt boots and padded pants.

Thus, the uniform of the Red Army seemed to have been thought out to the smallest detail: in the duffel bag of the 1942 model there was even a compartment for an ax. It follows from the documents that the uniform of a Red Army soldier was of high quality and practical. Numerous pockets, bags for ammunition greatly facilitated the conduct of hostilities.

Army of Nazi Germany (Wehrmacht)

field uniform a Wehrmacht soldier included: a steel helmet with a double-sided cover, an overcoat, a gas mask case, a harness, rifle or automatic pouches, a cape, a bowler hat. A leather satchel was used to store property. German soldiers put on leather boots. Moreover, by the beginning of the German attack on the Soviet Union, the leather and footwear industry throughout Europe was working for the needs of the Third Reich. Wehrmacht uniforms were produced at the Hugo Boss factory and were complete for European territories. The calculation for a lightning war did not provide for the procurement of warm clothes (short coats, fur products, felted boots and hats). The eastern front, with its frosts, required a completely different approach. The first winter the soldiers froze.

First of all, warm clothes save you from frost. Troops provided with uniforms for the season are able to withstand any frost. Analyzing the memoirs of German servicemen relating to this period, you understand how unsatisfactorily the Wehrmacht army was provided, buried in the winter of 1941. “The lack of warm clothes became our main misfortune in the next few months and caused our soldiers a lot of suffering ...” - recalls the commander of the 2nd tank army (group), Colonel-General G. Guderian.

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1 - Wehrmacht soldiers in summer uniform 1941
2 - Wehrmacht soldiers in winter uniform after 1943.

By the second winter, things had changed. AT uniform insulated jackets, quilted pants were introduced, as well as woolen gloves, sweaters and socks. But this was not enough. To solve the problem of supplying troops with warm uniforms and footwear and to save their soldiers from frost, the troops began to make straw boots that are worn over ordinary boots. However, in the memoirs of German soldiers, which have now appeared on the bookshelves, one can find a comparative assessment of the uniforms of Soviet and German soldiers. This assessment was not in favor of the latter's uniform. Most of all, there are complaints about German soldier's overcoats, sewn from fabric that is not adapted to any frost due to the low wool content.

British Royal Armed Forces

The British soldiers did not have a single field uniform. It was different depending on the parts of the country that are part of the Commonwealth countries. The personnel of the dominion units had elements and distinctive features in uniforms, including field uniforms. Field uniform included: 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 (jackets). By the beginning of hostilities in Europe, a uniform was adopted that differed from the previous one in separate elements. In connection with the mass call of recruits, the form was simplified and became more universal.

During the war, there were minor changes, in particular, a lining appeared at the collar and other elements of clothing that prevented the rough twill from rubbing against exposed skin. Buckles began to be produced with teeth. Instead of boots, British soldiers were provided with boots with short windings. British soldiers had to wear a heavy down-lined tropal cloak. Knitted balaclavas were worn under helmets in cold weather. In the conditions of the African desert, the uniform was lightweight and often consisted of shorts and shirts with short sleeves.

It should be noted that the uniforms of the British army were intended for the European theater of operations. When landing in Norway, soldiers of special units were provided with Arctic uniforms, but this was not widespread.

1 - Sgt. Territorial Guard of Wales. England, 1940
2 - Sgt. 1st Command, 1942

United States military

field uniform American soldiers for many years was considered the most convenient and thoughtful in the conditions of World War II. The uniform included a woolen shirt, a light field jacket, trousers with linen spats, low brown boots, a helmet or cap. Functionality was distinguished by all the clothes of US soldiers. The jacket was fastened with a zipper and buttons and was equipped with slit pockets on the sides. The best equipment allowed the Americans to become arctic kit, consisting of a warm parka jacket, lace-up boots with fur. The command of the US Armed Forces was convinced that the American soldier had the best equipment. This statement is controversial, however, it has its own reason.

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3 - Officer of the 10th Mountain Division

Japanese Imperial Army

During World War II, the Japanese had three types of uniform. 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. Warm uniforms were provided by servicemen operating in the north of China, Manchuria and Korea.

For a more severe climate, such uniforms were not suitable, because the uniform included overcoats with fur cuffs, woolen quilted trousers, and underpants. It was suitable only for certain latitudes with a tropical climate.

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2 - Japanese army infantryman in tropical uniform.

Italian army

Outfit Italian soldiers were more suited to the southern European climate. For operations in severe weather conditions of 1941-943, the uniform of the Italian military was completely unsuitable. During the Second World War, soldiers of the Italian Armed Forces wore a shirt and tie, a single-breasted tunic with a waist belt, breeches with tapes or wool knee-high socks, ankle-length boots. Some soldiers were more comfortable using breeches.

A uniform 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" in 1943 noted that only a tenth of the soldiers during their stay in Russia were provided with a suitable uniform for this.

Italian command statistics report that 3,600 soldiers suffered from hypothermia during the first winter alone.

1 - Private Army Group "Albania"

Army of France

French soldiers fought in colored uniform. 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 very cold weather, the French uniform expanded its range to a sheepskin coat. Such clothes can hardly be called optimal for different weather conditions.

1 - Private of the Free French Army
2 - Private Moroccan troops "Free France"

Determine which dress was exemplary difficult. Each army was provided depending on the economic opportunities and the planned regions of the troops' operations. However, there were often miscalculations when the calculation was based on a lightning war, and the troops had to operate in severe cold conditions.

Culture never exists on its own, it is not separated, it is not cut off. Culture is always inscribed in society itself. There is politics, there is economics, there is culture. Different spheres of society, but they are always together and close, closely connected and sometimes confused. If a society has some kind of political system that has its own goals and objectives, and most importantly ideas, then it will certainly give rise to its own culture. It is both literature and art. Everywhere there will be an imprint of the ideas that dominate society. Whether it's building construction, paintings by artists or fashion. Fashion can also be associated with politics, weaved with an idea, tied to propaganda.

Military fashion. Why not? Indeed, the form of the Third Reich is still considered the most beautiful form. Uniform by Hugo Boss. Today Hugo Boss apologizes. However, they have a good company: Volkswagen, Siemens, BMW. They collaborated with the fascists; captured Poles and French worked in their enterprises in terrible conditions. They form. Uniform for the military of the Third Reich. However, at that time Hugo Boss was not yet a large company and a well-known brand. Hugo Ferdinand Bossovich Blase opened his tailoring workshop in 1923. Sewed overalls, windbreakers, raincoats mainly for workers. The income was not great and the tailor Hugo Boss understands that only a military order can save his business. However, Hugo Boss was only one of the 75,000 German private tailors covering the army. He also sewed the SS uniform.

The author of the black SS uniform, as well as many regalia of the Third Reich, was Karl Dibich. He was born in 1899. Will die many years after the end of World War II in 1985. His ancestors come from Silesia, possibly from Poland. Of Education . He also served in the SS as Oberführer. He designed the SS uniforms with graphic designer Walter Heck. Dibich also designed the Ahnenerbe logo and crosses for SS officers. A sort of genius, talent, in the service of the forces of darkness. By the way, Dibich was also the director of the Porzellan Manufaktur Allach porcelain factory in 1936 before the factory was transferred to the SS and moved to Dachau.

Walter Heck, a graphic artist, was also an SS-Hauptsturmführer. It was he who, in 1933, developed the emblem of the SS, combining two runes "Zig" (the rune "zig" - lightning in ancient German mythology was considered a symbol of the god of war Thor). He also designed the emblem of the SA. And together with Karl Dibich he created the SS uniform.

Here is such a story. The history of the military uniform, which had its own designers.

Military insignia are present on the uniform of military personnel and indicate the corresponding personal rank, a certain affiliation to one of the types of armed forces (in this case, the Wehrmacht), branch of service, department or service.

Interpretation of the concept of "Wehrmacht"

These are the "defense forces" in 1935-1945. In other words, the Wehrmacht (photo below) is nothing but the armed forces of Nazi Germany. At the head is the Supreme Command of the Armed Forces of the country, in whose subordination were the ground forces, the Navy and the Air Force, and the SS troops. They were led by the main commands (OKL, OKH, OKM) and the commanders-in-chief of various types of the Armed Forces (since 1940 also the SS troops). Wehrmacht - Reich Chancellor A. Hitler. A photo of Wehrmacht soldiers is shown below.

According to historical data, the word in question in the German-speaking states denoted the armed forces of any country. It acquired its usual meaning when the NSDAP came to power.

On the eve of the Second World War, the Wehrmacht numbered approximately three million people, and its maximum strength was 11 million people (as of December 1943).

Varieties of military signs

These include:

Uniform and insignia of the Wehrmacht

There were several varieties of uniforms and clothing. Each soldier had to independently monitor the condition of his weapons and uniforms. Their replacement was carried out in accordance with the established procedure or in case of serious damage during the exercise. Military uniforms lost color very quickly due to washing and daily brushing.

The shoes of the soldiers were subjected to a thorough inspection (at all times, bad boots were a serious problem).

Since the formation of the Reichswehr in the period 1919 - 1935), the military uniform has become unified for all existing German states. Its color is "feldgrau" (translated as "field gray") - a wormwood shade with a predominant green pigment.

A new uniform (the uniform of the Wehrmacht - the armed forces of Nazi Germany in the period 1935 - 1945) was introduced along with a new steel helmet model. Ammunition, uniforms and a helmet outwardly did not differ from their predecessors (which existed back in the Kaiser era).

At the whim of the Fuhrer, the smartness of the military was emphasized by a large number of various elements with signs, stripes, piping, badges, etc.). By applying a black-white-red imperial cockade and a tricolor shield on the helmet on the right side, devotion to National Socialism was expressed. The appearance of the imperial tricolor dates back to mid-March 1933. In October 1935, it was supplemented by an imperial eagle holding a swastika in its claws. At this time, the Reichswehr was renamed the Wehrmacht (the photo was shown earlier).

This topic will be considered in relation to the Ground Forces and Waffen SS.

Insignia of the Wehrmacht and specifically the SS troops

To begin with, some points should be clarified. First, the SS troops and the SS organization itself are not identical concepts. The latter is the militant component of the Nazi Party, formed by members of a public organization, parallel to the SS, conducting their profiling activities (worker, shopkeeper, civil servant, etc.). They were allowed to wear a black uniform, which since 1938 has been replaced by a light gray uniform with two Wehrmacht-type shoulder straps. The latter reflected the general SS ranks.

As for the SS troops, it can be said that they are a kind of security detachments (“reserve troops” - “Dead Head” formations - Hitler’s own troops), in which only members of the SS were accepted. They were equated with the soldiers of the Wehrmacht.

The difference in the ranks of members of the SS organization in buttonholes existed until 1938. On the black uniform there was a single shoulder strap (on the right shoulder), by which it was possible to find out only the category of a particular SS member (private or non-commissioned officer, or junior or senior officer, or general). And after the introduction of a light gray uniform (1938), another distinctive feature was added - shoulder straps of the Wehrmacht type.

The insignia of the SS and the military personnel and members of the organization are the same. However, the former still wear a field uniform, which is an analogue of the Wehrmacht. It has two epaulettes, outwardly similar to those of the Wehrmacht, and their military rank insignia are identical.

The rank system, and consequently the insignia, underwent many changes, the last of which occurred in May 1942 (they did not transform until May 1945).

The military ranks of the Wehrmacht were designated with buttonholes, epaulettes, galloons and chevrons on the collar, and the last two insignia were also on the sleeves, as well as special sleeve patches mainly on camouflage military clothing, various stripes (gaps of a contrasting color) on trousers, headwear design.

It was the field uniform of the SS that was finally established around 1938. If we consider the cut as a comparison criterion, then we can say that the uniform of the Wehrmacht (ground forces) and the uniform of the SS were no different. In color, the second one was a little grayer and lighter, the green tint was practically not visible.

Also, if we describe the insignia of the SS (specifically, the patch), then the following points can be distinguished: the imperial eagle was slightly above the middle of the segment from the shoulder to the elbow of the left sleeve, its pattern differed in the shape of the wings (there were often cases when it was the Wehrmacht eagle that was sewn onto the field uniform of the SS ).

Also, a distinctive feature, for example, on the SS tank uniform, was the fact that the buttonholes, like those of the Wehrmacht tankers, were in pink edging. The insignia of the Wehrmacht in this case is represented by the presence of a “dead head” in both buttonholes. SS tankers in the left buttonhole could have insignia by rank, and in the right - either a "dead head" or SS runes (in some cases it might not have signs or, for example, in a number of divisions the emblem of tankers was placed there - skull with crossbones). Even buttonholes were located on the collar, the size of which was 45x45 mm.

Also, the insignia of the Wehrmacht include the way the numbers of battalions or companies were squeezed out on the buttons of the uniform, which was not done in the case of the SS military uniform.

Emblematics of epaulettes, although identical to the Wehrmacht's, were quite rare (the exception was the first tank division, where the monogram on epaulettes was regularly worn).

Another difference in the system accumulating SS insignia is how the soldiers who were candidates for the rank of SS navigator wore a lace of the same color as his piping at the bottom of the shoulder strap. This rank is an analogue of the Gefreiter in the Wehrmacht. And candidates for SS Unterscharführer also wore a nine-millimeter wide galloon (braid embroidered with silver) at the bottom of the shoulder strap. This rank is an analogue of a non-commissioned officer in the Wehrmacht.

As for the ranks of the rank and file, there was a difference in buttonholes and sleeve patches, which were above the elbow, but below the imperial eagle in the center of the left sleeve.

If we consider camouflage clothing (where there are no buttonholes and shoulder straps), we can say that the SS men on it never had insignia in ranks, but they preferred to release collars with their buttonholes over this one.

In general, the discipline of wearing a uniform in the Wehrmacht was much higher than in the troops of which they allowed themselves a large number of liberties regarding this issue, and their generals and officers did not seek to stop this kind of violation, on the contrary, they often made similar ones. And this is only a small part of the distinctive features of the uniforms of the Wehrmacht and the SS troops.

To summarize all of the above, we can conclude that the insignia of the Wehrmacht is much wiser than not only the SS, but also the Soviet ones.

Ranks of the ground forces

They were presented as follows:

• privates;
• non-commissioned officers without belts (galoon or belt sling for wearing a tashka, cold, and later firearms);
• non-commissioned officers with belts;
• lieutenants;
• captains;
• staff officers;
• generals.

Combat ranks extended to military officials of various departments and departments. The military administration was subdivided into categories from the most junior non-commissioned officers to noble generals.

Military colors of the ground forces of the Wehrmacht

In Germany, the branch of service was traditionally designated by the corresponding colors of edging and buttonholes, hats and uniforms, and so on. They changed quite often. During the outbreak of World War II, the following color distinction was in effect:

1. White - infantry and border guards, financiers and treasurers.
2. Scarlet - field, horse and self-propelled artillery, as well as general edging, buttonholes and stripes.
3. Raspberry or carmine red - non-commissioned officers of the veterinary service, as well as buttonholes, stripes and epaulettes of the Headquarters and the General Staff of the Wehrmacht High Command and the ground forces.
4. Pink - anti-tank self-propelled artillery; edging of tank uniform parts; gaps and selection of buttonholes of service tunics of officers, gray-green jackets of non-commissioned officers and soldiers.
5. Golden yellow - cavalry, reconnaissance units of tank units and scooters.
6. Lemon yellow - signal troops.
7. Burgundy - military chemists and courts; smoke curtains and multi-barreled reactive "chemical" mortars.
8. Black - engineering troops (sapper, railway, training units), technical service. The sappers of tank units have a black and white border.
9. Cornflower blue - medical and sanitary personnel (except for generals).
10. Light blue - edges of motor transport parts.
11. Light green - military pharmacists, rangers and mountain units.
12. Grass green - motorized infantry regiment, motorcycle units.
13. Gray - army propagandists and officers of the landwehr and reserve (edging on shoulder straps of military colors).
14. Gray-blue - registration service, ranks of the American administration, specialist officers.
15. Orange - military police and officers of the engineering academy, recruiting service (pipe color).
16. Purple - military priests
17. Dark green - military officials.
18. Light red - quartermasters.
19. Light blue - military lawyers.
20. Yellow - horse reserve service.
21. Lemon - feldpochta.
22. Light brown - recruit training service.

Shoulder straps in the military uniform of Germany

They had a dual purpose: as a means of determining the rank and as carriers of a unitary function (fasteners on the shoulder of various kinds of equipment).

The shoulder straps of the Wehrmacht (rank and file) were made of simple cloth, but with the presence of an edging, which had a certain color corresponding to the type of troops. If we take into consideration the shoulder straps of a non-commissioned officer, then we can note the presence of an additional edging, consisting of braid (width - nine millimeters).

Until 1938, there was a special army epaulette exclusively for the field uniform, which was worn by all ranks below the officer. It was entirely dark blue-green in color with the end slightly tapered towards the button. It did not have a piping corresponding to the color of the military branch. Wehrmacht soldiers embroidered insignia (numbers, letters, emblems) on them to highlight the color.

The officers (lieutenants, captains) had narrower shoulder straps, which looked like two intertwining strands made of a flat silvery “Russian braid” (the strand was woven in such a way that thinner threads were visible). All strands were sewn onto the valve of the color of the branch of service, which is at the heart of this shoulder strap. A special bend (U-shaped) of the braid in the place of the button hole helped to create the illusion of eight of its strands, when in fact there were only two.

The shoulder straps of the Wehrmacht (headquarters officers) were also made using the “Russian braid”, but in such a way as to demonstrate a row consisting of five separate loops located on both sides of the shoulder strap, in addition to the loop around the button located in its upper part.

The general's shoulder straps had a distinctive feature - "Russian braid". It was made from two separate golden strands, twisted on both sides with a single silver ribbed thread. The method of weaving meant the visibility of three knots in the middle and four loops on each side of it, in addition to one loop located around the button at the top of the shoulder strap.

Wehrmacht officials had, as a rule, the same shoulder straps as those of the active army. However, they were still distinguished by the slight introduction of a thread of dark green braid and various emblems.

It would not be superfluous to recall once again that shoulder straps are signs of the Wehrmacht.

Buttonholes and shoulder straps of generals

As mentioned earlier, the generals of the Wehrmacht wore shoulder straps, for weaving which were used two thickened gold-metal cords and a silver soutache between them.

They also had removable shoulder straps, which (as in the case of the ground forces) were lined with scarlet cloth with a special figured cutout running along the contour of the harnesses (their lower edge). And the bending and sewn-in shoulder straps were distinguished by a direct lining.

The generals of the Wehrmacht wore silver stars on their shoulder straps, while there was some difference: major generals did not have stars, lieutenant generals - one, a general of a certain type of troops (infantry, tank troops, cavalry, etc.) - two, oberst general - three (two adjacent stars at the bottom of the shoulder strap and one slightly above them). Previously, there was such a rank as a colonel general in the position of field marshal general, which was not used by the beginning of the war. The epaulette of this rank had two stars, which were placed in its upper and lower parts. It was possible to distinguish the general-field marshal by the crossed silver batons along the shoulder strap.

There were also exceptional moments. So, for example, Gerd von Rundstedt (Field Marshal General, who was removed from command due to the defeat near Rostov, chief of the 18th Infantry Regiment) wore the regiment number on the shoulder straps on top of the field marshal's batons, as well as on the collar the white and silver ceremonial buttonholes of an infantry officer troops instead of richly ornamented gold buttonholes embroidered on a scarlet cloth flap (40x90 mm in size) relying on generals. Their pattern was found back in the days of the Kaiser's army and the Reichswehr, with the formation of the GDR and the FRG, it also arose among the generals.

From the beginning of April 1941, elongated buttonholes were introduced for field marshals, which had three (instead of the previous two) ornamental elements and shoulder straps made of golden thickened harnesses.

Another sign of general dignity is stripes.

The field marshal could also carry in his hand a natural baton, which was made of especially precious wood, individually designed, generously inlaid with silver and gold and decorated with reliefs.

personal identification mark

It looked like an oval aluminum token with three longitudinal slots, which served to ensure that at a certain moment (the hour of death) it could be broken into two halves (the first, where there were two holes, was left on the body of the deceased, and the second half with one hole was given to headquarters).

Wehrmacht soldiers wore this, as a rule, on a chain or on a neck lace. The following was stamped on each token: blood type, badge number, numbers of the battalion, regiment where this badge was issued for the first time. This information was supposed to accompany the soldier throughout the entire service life, if necessary, supplemented by similar data from other units, troops.

The image of the German soldiers can be seen in the photo "Wehrmacht Soldier" shown above.

Finding in Besh-Kungei

According to official data, in April 2014, a treasure from the era of the Second World War was found by a citizen D. Lukichev in the village of Besh-Kungei (Kyrgyzstan). When digging a cesspool, he came across a metal army field locker of the Third Reich. Its contents are a baggage shipment of 1944 - 1945. (age - more than 60 years), which is not affected by moisture due to tight insulation through the rubber gasket of the lid of the box.

It included:

• a light case with the inscription "Mastenbrille" containing glasses;
• a folded travel bag with pockets filled with toiletries;
• mittens, interchangeable collars, socks with footcloths, clothes brush, sweater, suspenders and dust protectors;
• a bundle tied with twine, with a supply of leather and fabric for mending;
• granules of some kind of remedy (presumably from moths);
• an almost new tunic worn by a Wehrmacht officer, with a spare sewn-on emblem of the military branch and a metal dog tag;
• hats (winter hat and kepi) with insignia;
• military passes through front-line checkpoints;
• a banknote of five Reichsmarks;
• a couple of bottles of rum;
• a box of cigars.

Dmitry thought about donating most of the uniforms to the museum. As for the bottles of rum, the box of cigars and the tunic worn by the officer of the Wehrmacht, he wants to keep them for himself on the rights of the legal 25% laid down by the state when finding historical value.

Photo: Alexey Gorshkov

The WAS special project is dedicated to the 72nd anniversary of the surrender of Nazi Germany. Study and compare the infantry uniforms of the seven armies that fought in the European theater of World War II.

Andrey, 35 years old, elevator maintenance engineer

Form: Wehrmacht, 1945

WHAT WEARED

This is a uniform set of 1940, but it could be seen at the end of the war. In 1945, the uniform of different times was already used in the German army. The supply was broken, and everything they had was given out from the warehouses. The set did not remain in use for long even after the war, in the occupation zones until the formation of the GDR and the FRG.

The German uniform made of woolen cloth is considered hot for the summer, but it is comfortable. In autumn and early spring, it is much better than in the cotton tunic of the Red Army. During these seasons, the Germans were in a better position.

DETAILS

Caps of the 1943 model entered the Wehrmacht instead of caps. The headdresses of mountain rangers were taken as a sample. Unlike the cap, the cap has a visor to protect the eyes from rain and sun. The lapels are detachable to cover the ears and neck. Closer to 1945, the model was simplified: the lapels became false, decorative.

In battle, they wore a steel helmet. I have it of the 1942 model, also simplified to reduce the cost of production. For example, stamping is now without bends at the edges. And yet, the German helmet protects the ears and neck better than the Soviet one.

The color of the gaps on the buttonholes determined the type of troops. Green (later grey) clearance is a badge of infantry. In the artillery gaps were red. Chevrons were not supposed to be ordinary.

On the pocket is an infantry badge. This is not a reward. It was issued for 10-15 days spent at the front. In fact, this is a certificate of a participant in hostilities.

EQUIPMENT

On my back I have an unloading frame, which is attached to the harness belts. It was introduced at the end of 1941 to increase the number of items worn by a soldier. It can be combined with a backpack or used without it.

A bean-shaped bowler hat is fixed on the frame (tourists still use similar ones) and a raincoat section with a tent set: pegs, half-racks. The tent is assembled from four such panels. A bread bag was fixed under the tent, in which everything needed for a short combat operation could be put: a kit for cleaning a rifle, a sweater, a towel, a soap dish.

The SS troops belonged to the SS organization, service in them was not considered a state service, even if it was legally equated with such. The military uniform of the SS soldiers is quite recognizable around the world, most often this black uniform is associated with the organization itself. It is known that the uniforms for the SS during the Holocaust were sewn by prisoners of the Buchenwald concentration camp.

History of the SS military uniform

Initially, the soldiers of the SS troops (also "Waffen SS") dressed in a gray uniform, extremely similar to the uniform of the attack aircraft of the regular German army. In 1930, the very well-known black uniform was introduced, which was supposed to emphasize the difference between the troops and the rest, to determine the elitism of the unit. By 1939, the SS officers received a white full dress uniform, and from 1934 a gray one was introduced, intended for field battles. The gray military uniform differed from black only in color.

In addition, the SS servicemen relied on a black overcoat, which, with the introduction of a gray uniform, was replaced by a double-breasted one, respectively, in gray. Officers of high ranks were allowed to wear their overcoat unbuttoned on the top three buttons so that the colored distinctive stripes were visible. Following the same right (in 1941) received the holders of the Knight's Cross, who were allowed to demonstrate the award.

The women's uniform of the Waffen SS consisted of a gray jacket and skirt, as well as a black cap with the image of an SS eagle.

A black ceremonial club tunic with the symbols of the organization for officers was also developed.

It should be noted that in fact the black uniform was the uniform of the SS organization specifically, and not the troops: only SS members had the right to wear this uniform, the transferred Wehrmacht soldiers were not allowed to use it. By 1944, the wearing of this black uniform was officially abolished, although in fact by 1939 it was used only on solemn occasions.

Distinctive features of the Nazi uniform

The SS uniform had a number of distinctive features that are easily remembered even now, after the dissolution of the organization:

• The SS emblem in the form of two Germanic runes "zig" was used on uniform insignia. Runes on uniforms were only allowed to be worn by ethnic Germans - Aryans, foreign members of the Waffen SS were not allowed to use this symbolism.
• "Dead Head" - at first, a metal round cockade with the image of a skull was used on the cap of SS soldiers. Later it was used on the buttonholes of the soldiers of the 3rd tank division.
• A red armband with a black swastika on a white background was worn by members of the SS and stood out significantly from the black dress uniform.
• The image of an eagle with outstretched wings and a swastika (which was the emblem of Nazi Germany) eventually replaced the skulls on cap badges and began to be embroidered on the sleeves of the uniform.

The camouflage of the Waffen SS differed from the camouflage of the Wehrmacht in its pattern. Instead of the conventional pattern design with applied parallel lines, creating the so-called "rain effect", wood and plant patterns were used. Since 1938, the following camouflage elements of the SS uniform have been adopted: camouflage jackets, reversible helmet covers and face masks. On camouflage clothing, it was necessary to wear green stripes indicating the rank on both sleeves, although for the most part this requirement was not respected by the officers. In the campaigns, a set of stripes was also used, each of which denoted one or another military qualification.

SS uniform insignia

The ranks of the Waffen SS soldiers did not differ from the ranks of the Wehrmacht employees: there were differences only in form. The same distinctive signs were used on the uniform, such as shoulder straps and embroidered buttonholes. SS officers wore insignia with the symbols of the organization both on shoulder straps and in buttonholes.

The shoulder straps of SS officers had a double backing, the upper one differed in color depending on the type of troops. The backing was edged with a silver cord. On shoulder straps there were signs of belonging to one or another part, metal or embroidered with silk threads. The shoulder straps themselves were made of gray galloon, while their lining was invariably black. The bumps (or "stars") on the shoulder straps, designed to denote the rank of an officer, were bronze or gilded.

On the buttonholes, runic "ridges" were depicted on one, and insignia by rank on the other. The employees of the 3rd Panzer Division, which was nicknamed the "Dead Head" instead of "zig", had an image of a skull, which was previously worn as a cockade on the SS caps. Along the edge of the buttonholes, they were edged with twisted silk cords, and the generals were covered with black velvet. They also knocked out the general's caps.

Video: SS form

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