Large Swastika on back of jacket. POW overalls?

[3rdreich]

Hi all,

I hope everyone is well.

I’ve just watched the documentary Timeline uploaded yesterday on YouTube about Treblinka.

Towards the end of the video it showed a short clip of German soldiers in a line at gunpoint wearing either jackets or overalls with a large swastika on the back.

Does anyone know if these jackets are a type of German uniform or POW uniforms please? I don’t recall ever coming across / seeing one of these before. Do they have a specific name?

Excuse the poor photograph I’ve took it directly of the TV. I know it’s a bit of a random question I’m just curious.

Many thanks in advance

Liam

[Willmore]

Hi Liam.

All I can think is that this was done in haste just after capture to identify them as POWs. Below are some links showing other ways of identifying prisoners once they were in POW camps.

Foreign prisoners of war in Britain in and after World War Two

The German POWs in Florida | Hidden History

The Harvest of 1945: German POW Camps Filled Door County's Labor Shortage - Door County Pulse

The PoW Shirt | German Prisoners of War in Canada

Kind regards,

Will.

[3rdreich]

Hi Will,

Thank you very much for the info.

I just haven’t seen anything like these on militaria websites offered for sale so I presume they were destroyed after use.

I thought they must be a way of identifying POWs, but didn’t know if they were type of German uniform.

Thanks again & Kind Regards

Liam

[Willmore]

No worries Liam.

I am sure I have seen one or two German uniforms in the past with PW painted on them, but as you say most were probably destroyed or taken away once the POW was taken to a camp.

It is an interesting topic. I guess those overalls may have been used as a kind of work uniform and the swastika was added to show they were 'Nazis'.

I don't know if the below thread may be of any use -

"For you the war is over". Period photos of German POWs

Kind regards,

Will.

[MAP]

Here is a POW cap that I picked up years ago. Not sure if the uniforms shown above are denim and issued by the allies. Could be related...but doubt it.
POW Cap