"Textbook", Regulations, and "Non-textbook": A Discussion

[stonemint]

My thoughts on this most interesting topic.

Most people view the Third Reich as an authoritarian, top-down entity in which every last detail and action was controlled, and violation resulted in punishment.
While true to a degree, there are 3 factors that worked against this: a) that the TR only existed in a peacetime mode for 6.5 years; b) the advent of war; and most importantly, c) that it was still a capitalist system.
What happens in a capitalist system? Competition. How does one compete? By making products better to stand out from the rest of the field.
That is why we see such a variety in manufacture of TR items, and violations of regulations by makers--the TR was simply not in a position to enforce every aspect (even the RZM).

On the other hand, look at the DDR from about 1967-89--there you have total control of manufacture, and by only a few select VEB's (people's concerns)--the production of uniformity on a mass scale, with no deviation whatsoever.

[stonemint]

& as a post-script, soldiers (especially in wartime) violate regulations (with tacit acceptance by their superiors) as it fosters esprit d' corps (and looks good to the opposite sex while on leave!)--which is why we see the unusual "looks" we see in the pinned thread above.

[Friedrich-Berthold]

Thanks for above. The UM source is very rich on this score, and most only look at UM as a source of advertisements.
You might actually read the articles, and you will be astonished at what you find.

Here, for instance, is an article on exactly the Society for Military Culture on uniforms also from 1937.

[Friedrich-Berthold]

Here is the passage from said article on the saddle shaped cap versus the Tellermuetze in the period from 1890 until 1918, and how the shape of the cap was also a sign of individual preference which resulted in punishment and disciplinary problems of a trivial and idiotic kind where compliance is over emphasized.

[Friedrich-Berthold]

Maybe my hero Andreas will apply his great skills as a translator.

[Friedrich-Berthold]

Apropos Mr. Mint's point about the market is this talk by a member of the uniform trade association in the year 1937 in the UM is also very revealing about the dynamics of this phenomenon, and such knowledge
is included no where in the gun show lore and digital lion roar that normally drowns out our lives....

[Friedrich-Berthold]

It more or less speaks to the degree of boom in uniforms after 1933, after the years of austerity from 1918 until 1933, and how competition and increased demand had an impact on supply in the midst of the reintroduction of conscription, the build up of the Wehrmacht, and the desire of young people to be well dressed as well as to buy practical items of uniform.

This process made for variety in the items offered in an effort to capture the RMs of draftees, as well as reserve officers and others with a clothing allowance.

[Friedrich-Berthold]

The other piece of the story is that the regulation was also three dimensional, i.e. the RZM, for instance, demanded of contractors that they buy
a Probe as an example, which the manufacturer was to copy. This system is very misunderstood or unknown in the gun show circuit.

[Friedrich-Berthold]

See here RZM pattern pieces

[CBH]

I just wanted to state that I posted the first post in the "Don't tell me they wouldn't have worn it ......" thread . I guess a mod started a new thread as to not hi-jack the original thread . Which is fine , glad to get such a response . But what I was getting at wasn't dealers making fakes , but collectors passing up original items , do to their non-regulation look . I remember having German rank insignia and waffen-farbe explained to me as a young collector , such a confusing and complex system . Maybe once you understand the complexities of TR uniforms and insignia , anything not conforming to these rules is a Fake . Just my opinion , and I don't read German FB , but I can get by in english LOL .
Cheers Chris