Schoolhouse Parade Tunics

**TWS** · 12-05-2018, 05:52 AM

I hope you guys don't mind but tonight I want to talk about one of the least appreciated uniforms... the parade tunic, aka Waffenrock... aka "Sarasani". The Landser called it that disparaging nickname because there was a large circus in Germany back then called Sarasani. It was like the German equivalent of Ringling Brothers in the U.S. Anyway, they felt that they were wearing a circus uniform. Among uniform collectors, there's a preference for "combat" or field tunics, so Waffenrocks take a back seat. I like all types of Heer uniforms and decided to pull out some of my Waffenrocks, specifically a subset for personnel at different Heer schools.

**Espenlaub Militaria** · 12-05-2018 05:52 AM

We also buy and trade your items and full collections!

**TWS** · 12-05-2018, 05:54 AM

The first one we can look at was for a young Kanonier at the Army Ordnance School. It's an issue piece and he was a very small guy. Barely fits on a small torso form. Dated 1939 inside.

**TWS** · 12-05-2018, 05:56 AM

The next one was commissioned by a Sanitäts-Unteroffizier, later Feldwebel, by the name of Fröhling at the prolific tailoring firm of A.Wolter & Söhne. Looking at the name tag, we can deduce that he was a medic in Pionier Abteilung 50 in 1937 and was later promoted at least two grades and assigned to the Unteroffizier Schule as indicated by the Gothic US devices on the shoulder straps. I did a version of his awards pre-war and then a "hero Fröhling" version as if he was wearing the tunic a few years later after some intense experience at the Front.

**TWS** · 12-05-2018, 06:00 AM

Last one is to an unknown Unteroffizier instructing at the Unteroffizier Vorschule IV, which was located in Tetschen (today Děčín in the Czech Republic). According the regulations, the branch color for the staff was white, so this NCO may or may not have actually been infantry. The students at the Vorschulen were teenagers who wanted to be career NCO's when they entered army service. I'll include a photo of a student. In the tunic there is a tailor's label to the firm of Friedrich Wesemann of Hannover, but sadly not name tag in the pocket. Discussing my tunic on another forum, a member was kind enough to show a photo of a student and another member posted a tunic for a student. I do not own that tunic, only the Waffenrock for the instructor.

**Eagle mtn** · 12-05-2018, 06:15 AM

Beautiful collection you have there. I’ve always regretted selling the one i had...

**sitges1990** · 12-05-2018, 07:39 AM

They are all in primo shape Todd. I think the rocks are classy. I'm sure the ladies were enamored with the men when they wore them. Great cuff title. I'm amazed they would have such an elite school for guys that wanted to be career NCOs. Although I get it. If you don't have good NCOs, the job won't get done. Thanks for showing.

Jay