THW ZB and ZS items

[austromunga]

Hi all
I picked up this "Kalteschutzanzug" cold weather "ZB" "ziviler bevolkerungsschutz" jacket at a militaria show recently, maker Bulag Munchen dated 2/65 .... its in super condition with no evidence of "mothing" but it is fairly heavily soiled on one elbow pad (what's the best method of cleaning for this type of wool cloth !!?? dry clean!???) any idea what the two little buttoned pockets at the front inner are for!!???... I also have some other items of field equipment etc. to rake out.... which I will find and post at a later date!!

[HPL2008]

Any idea what the two little buttoned pockets at the front inner are for!!???.

They are for field dressings [Verbandpäckchen]. A traditional feature of German military tunics of yore, these pockets (single or double) were also found on cold-war era uniforms of the civil defense/emergency services.

(Such as the German Red Cross' grey service tunic worn into 1990s. In my unit, we had the rule that anybody caught without a dressing in that pocket had to pay a fiver into our money pool.)