Apart from the issue sheepskin Pelzmütze with short peak and curtain (see Plate C3), a wide variety of headgear from various sources was employed. Some were fashioned by the men themselves, who occasionally inflicted unofficial modifications upon the standard Fliegermütze in the form of rabbitskin or sheepskin curtains to the sides. Some acquired the high-topped Romanian lambswool caciula, or the Red Army ushanka with folding earflaps.
‘Afrikaner’ Friedrich Knoppe from Brandenburg, early 1943. The Tropenhelm, shirt with special triangular-backed breast eagle, and the integral waist belt of the Tropenüberfallhose are all visible. The canvas uppers to Luftwaffe tropical boots were usually tan in colour, rather than the greener shades of Heer issue.
Supplementary Angorawäsche (angora wool underwear) was issued, and some were lucky enough to receive a 37–42cm by 120–150cm flannel Leibbinde (waistband), a traditional item which helped maintain body core temperature. Two types of grey-white ribbed-knit sweater, with 15mm grey-blue collar stripe, were available. The six-button cardigan-style Unterjacke had a V-neck designed to be unseen when worn with the Rock or Fliegerbluse. The round-necked pullover Schlupfjacke 36 had a three-button placket that could be turned back out of sight when necessary. The collar stripe was omitted on the replacement Schlupf-jacke 42. Quilted rayon Zwischenweste u. Zwischen-hose (lit. ‘between-vest & between-trousers’), fastening with cotton tapes, were produced from 1941, the trousers with external waistband loops through which braces were passed before buttoning to Tuchhose. Although intended as additional inner layers these items were occasionally worn as outer garments. Sheepskin waistcoats and rabbitskin jackets, Pelzjacke, with large axial vents for ease of movement, were also produced as undergarments but frequently worn as topcoats (see Plate G3). The grey knit Halschal (neck scarf) and Kopfschützer (head protector) – a tubular toque – provided additional insulation.
A Flak unit truck driver on the Eastern Front is almost swallowed whole by his full length sheepskin coat. Generally fastened with wooden toggles or horn buttons to cord or tape loops, they gave good protection for those in exposed or static positions. Pelzmützen fleece caps were fitted with cap- or tunic-sized Hoheitsabzeichen. Many tons of civilian clothing items – occasionally completely inappropriate in design and colour – were donated during ‘Winterhilfs’ (winter aid) drives in 1941 and 1942; scarves, hats, gloves, sweaters and waistcoats of all descriptions were distributed, and welcomed. (Lee Attwells)
Full length sheepskin coats with cloth collar and tape-reinforced seams were issued to personnel in exposed positions, such as vehicle drivers and gunners. Thigh-length versions with a large fleece collar were also produced. Late in 1941 uniquely styled cotton canvas oversuits were developed, reversible from olive-grey to white and with distinctive squared or diagonally-stitched quilting, but these were mainly issued to Fallschirmjäger. This extravagance was dropped during mid-1942 in favour of the Army’s schwere Winteranzug (heavy winter suit), comprising Überziehjacke, Überziehose, Kopfhaube or Kappe (hood) and Fausthandschuhe (mittens). The mouse-grey, and later Buntfarbendruck (mixed-colour print) and Sumpfmuster (marsh pattern) camouflaged sides were either fully reversible to Altweiss (off-white – see Plate G3), or non-reversible with grey-blue rayon lining. Huge stocks of captured or salvaged Soviet quilted jackets and trousers were washed, repaired and re-issued.
North Africa, Christmas 1942: preparing bread in a ‘kitchen’ fashioned from egg crates, these Bäkereikompanie cooks wear an array of sweaters – from left to right, Schlupfjacke 36, and civilian roll-neck, sleeveless, and V-neck. The headgear includes bazaar-made ‘Afrikamützen’, and (second right) an issue Troppen-schirmmütze. This cap acquired the slang name ‘Hermann Meyer’, in reference to a nickname for Göring; like him, it was said to be ‘large, well ornamented, and not of much practical use’.
The enormous Filzschuhe (felt shoe) adopted from 5 March 1940, and often wrongly described as unpaired, were designed to fit over standard boots during prolonged static duties – particularly sentry duty. Coarse hair felt uppers, buckled at front or rear with two leather straps, were stitched to rigid leather toe and heel sections, which in turn were nailed to thick wooden soles to distance and insulate the feet from snow and ice (see Plate G1). An alternative type was available to those engaged in more active tasks, such as vehicle and artillery crews. Stout grey hair-felt uppers with brown leather front and rear seam reinforcement were stitched to a leather foot, or often separate heel and toe sections, with moulded rubber soles (see Plate G3). A similar third type, Schneestiefel (snow boots), chiefly used by motorcyclists and drivers, had proofed and lined white canvas uppers and shafts, incorporating lace-up collars that could be drawn to form a wind- and snow-tight seal below the knee. Whitened leather reinforcing strips overlapped the noticeably peaked toe section. Soviet valenkii felt over-boots also saw widespread use.