System of grades for issued clothing in the Wehrmacht

[Friedrich-Berthold]

My comment here caused echoes elsewhere.

"Erste Garnitur" / & EM visor cap production dates question - Wehrmacht-Awards.com Militaria Forums


The system of Garnituren was used by the staff of the unit stores for items issued to troops and under their administrative cognizance.

The ratings were stamped in the item according to its relative condition, and the piece of uniform was downgraded, say from erste Garnitur to zweite Garnitur

as it was issued and then worn out. This system is an old one, having made its way into Prussian slang to the effect that if someone is "dritte Garnitur,"

then they ain't very good. I learned this phrase from a professor, and old line Berliner at the Freie Uni in Berlin decades ago.

In my library, I have the handbook for the Bekleidungsunteroffizier, which explains how this system works.

I do not have it at hand, but I will find it and include the relevant passages.

This system is also explained in all the Angolia/Schicht books from Motorbuch and or Bender, respectively.

Soldiers had a cap issued to them, but also could purchase the famous Extramuetze.

[Friedrich-Berthold]

The Militaria Verlag catalogs from the leading German language military museums also include an interpretation of this aspect of the clothing economy of the old armies.

[Friedrich-Berthold]

I have to find the original document which is quite pithy on the whole clothing economy thing.

The officer's handbooks also have the same data, actually.

[Friedrich-Berthold]

I cannot find my handbook for the Bekleidungsunteroffizier, because it is lost under a pile of other things. But I shall find it.

[PaulW]

Hi Friedrich-Berthold, thanks for expanding on this subject. It was of course my thread on the WAF! I did a search on there and couldn't see a great deal of coverage of this subject, so thought I would see if I could start a discussion.

Interesting to see that the Roman numeral IV was not used, rather IIII - so that each "I" could be added in sequence, as the condition of the item deteriorated.

Do you think this was a pre-war/ early war system in the Third Reich, abandoned as the war progressed?

Are these markings seen in many caps?

Best regards, Paul

PS - You have a lot of caps!

[Bob Lyons]

Interesting topic, here are two Other Ranks/NCO Robert Lubstein visor cap interiors from the HG Division with the ' I & II ' marks stamped into the linings.....


Bob

[Friedrich-Berthold]

Hi Friedrich-Berthold, thanks for expanding on this subject. It was of course my thread on the WAF! I did a search on there and couldn't see a great deal of coverage of this subject, so thought I would see if I could start a discussion.

Interesting to see that the Roman numeral IV was not used, rather IIII - so that each "I" could be added in sequence, as the condition of the item deteriorated.

Do you think this was a pre-war/ early war system in the Third Reich, abandoned as the war progressed?

Are these markings seen in many caps?

Best regards, Paul

PS - You have a lot of caps!

Sir, thanks. I am glad you posted here, since I cannot abide the cooties on the other place.
The system is an old one, and I do not know what happened to it in the course of the war, save that the clothing economy changed fundamentally,
and the wear out periods were extended and extended out of need and then out of desperation.

Truth be told, I have never seen these marks in caps other than these Lw examples, but then I do not look with as much care as some.

My focus is on black SS uniforms, but I have collected army and air force caps all my life.

I must find my booklet from the epoch on all of this, but I also must not fall off of ladders, what with my shaky balance and such.

Happy holidays.

[PaulW]

Thanks Friedrich-Berthold, and Happy Holidays to you!

Bob, thanks for posting those examples. I've added the markings from my cap to this thread.

It seems that all three relate to the 1st Battalion (though different Batteries) of the General Goring Regiment (and all of a similar type on the top lining), incidentally the 'Heavy Flak' (88mm) Battalion from late 1937. For example 3rd Battalion caps seem to have their stamps behind the sweatband.

I can't help but wonder if there was an 'Old school' stores NCO in the 1st Battalion who liked to do things 'by the book' !

Best regards, Paul

[Friedrich-Berthold]

The stamps could all be from the same person, in fact.

The normal place to stamp these caps as to their unit and such is, indeed, behind the sweat band.

Thanks for the material and this site is more useful for this kind of question than elsewhere.

I could not locate my clothing quartermaster hand book, as I have it stored away atop too high shelving,

and I am too prone to topple off the ladder without supervision.