Earth-brown SS-VT uniform

[Fultz]

When was the change made from the 'vertical' to the 'horizontal' skulls? Was it when the SS-TV shifted to closed-collar Heer-like uniforms?

[Friedrich-Berthold]

see attached image from the rest/recreation area of the Auschwitz staff from the summer of 1944...Notice Hoess. Center figure: Mengele. Someone else here might have a directive or circular to said effect about vertical and horizontal Totenschaedel insignia, but I think people recycled their nice insignia granted the rigors of wartime textiles and the short comings of the VA Kleiderkasse system, or, the supply system within the SSTV. But by the time this image was made, the SSTV had ceased to exist in its pre war form.

Elsewhere are images of note from the Kleiderkasse SS catalog.

[Friedrich-Berthold]

this document is unclear in its statement to us....see item 124.

it is from late 1940 courtesy of d'Alquen, at a time when the army style of tunic, such as it was, had become widespread.

[Friedrich-Berthold]

My Colleague Bob Coleman recently bought this tunic from Peter Jenkins, which is a kind of Schiefergrau or grau or interpretation of Feldgrau, or, in fact, Erdgrau. It is surely within the range of grey that was also used in summer uniforms in the German army. It deserves a place in this thread apropos Erdbraun.

[Friedrich-Berthold]

a closer image of same as regards its color. Contrast this object with the SSTV piece sold by Shea which was in the Beaver book in a post a few above from this, that is, post 65......!

I had always thought that this grey was Erdgrau, but the Bever book had altered my perception. Or this is an interpretation of field grey as it seems in cotton. It is not especially far away from the shade used in the Reichswehr from the beginning of the 1930s or the end of the 1920s.

In any case, we are glad that this fine and rare object resides in a leading collection and its owner shares it with us for the purposes of Uniformkunde.

[Fultz]

Since it's cotton, is it private-purchase?

[Friedrich-Berthold]

Since it's cotton, is it private-purchase?

No man can really say; but, strictly speaking, most or all officers of the SSVT (...and the other branches too, for that matter....) bought their uniforms with the aid of a clothing allowance or, as in the case here, bought the raw materials, possibly, from the Kleiderkasse SS and had the things tailored. They could also have the textile and tailoring done elsewhere so long as the Schneidermeister or firm was vetted by the RZM. I imagine in cases of need, some got their uniforms bought for them, since such was the custom in the PL of the NSDAP and the SA. The Kleiderkasse system was to help one manage one's finances and avoid serious debt. Others, with more in their pocket, likely did not need such aid, and probably went to more luxurious tailors, who nonetheless would be licensed by the RZM. I think an example of same was the uniform tailoring section of Lodenfrey in Munich, for instance, or, of course, Holters in Berlin.
The Kleiderkasse was the bargain arrangement.

Notice that this list does not include ready to wear garments, but the textiles and Effekten.

Someone with a better grasp of things than I have can illustrate for us all of the different textiles on offer here. I do actually own a set of black breeches in the Spezialreithosenstoff. Notice the term used for breeches and pants is "neugrau."


I wrote earlier that the variations in green, red, and now grey in German Uniformkunde will make normal people go insane.

Thanks to colleague d'Alquen for these nice images.

Someone else can carry the water here. I have done my bit for Uniformkunde and the subtle aspects of color.

PS the other kicker here is schwarzer "Feintuch" used for the Gesellschaftsanzug, which, I also think, was used for certain officer's caps, too, in a lighter variation.

[Friedrich-Berthold]

If you go to Wilmersdorf today, you won't find the things on sale here in this form.

The Kleiderkasse SS was part of the Verwaltungsamt SS and then the Wirtschafts- und Verwaltungshauptamt and a huge money maker for the SS leadership. It was patterned on its military prototypes, the roles and missions of which are well described in Fricks or any of the officer's handbooks for the services, i.e. army and air force.

But is anyone alive in Germany today who worked in these entities and could answer such questions as ours? I.e. the young women who made them run, but who are now quite elderly? Have you asked, you Europeans? Maybe this woman is still alive and knew all the things we want to learn?

[Friedrich-Berthold]

Here are some examples of Trikot, schwarz....this is a somewhat more straightforward thingy than our Mr. Toad's ride in search of Edrbraun, nicht wahr?

This is also why I collect uniforms in this color.....

[Friedrich-Berthold]

By the way, the black uniforms above are three different examples.