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H014458 HOCH-DEUTSCHMEISTER INFANTRY OBERLEUTNANT'S M35 SERVICE TUNIC & PIPED PANTS. (Feldbluse M36 und Hose)
BACKGROUND: The development of the M36 field blouse can be traced back to April 1933 with the introduction of the first pattern field blouses which were a departure from the cut and style of tunics utilized in World War I. From its introduction until 1936 the field blouse underwent a couple of small modifications designed to enhance its performance, appearance and longevity. Modifications to the 1933 pattern field blouse began in December 1934 when the original field-grey basic cloth collar was altered to a field-grey badge cloth for a better appearance. In September 1935 the collar was altered again from the field-grey badge cloth to dark blue/green badge cloth. The final pre-war modification to the field blouse occurred in December 1936 with the addition of a partial lining to the interior breast and upper back panels to increase its wear-out time. The Officer’s service tunic followed the basic design of the EM/NCO’s field blouse with the most readily visible difference, besides the insignia, being the turned up French cuffs. This example is an M35 field blouse that has been modified by the addition of Officer’s quality insignia and simulated French cuffs giving the appearance of an Officer’s service tunic. The modifications appear to have been period applied. The different branches of service within the army were allocated a specific, identifying, waffenfarbe, (Branch of Service Color), with white being chosen for Infanterie, (Infantry), personnel. On the field blouse and service tunic the waffenfarbe was generally displayed on the shoulder straps/boards and the collar tabs. The German army utilized a wide variety of long trousers and breeches including the M35 dress pants, the standard straight legged long pants, assorted breeches, drill and field pants, tapered "keilhose" pants and assorted specialized pants designed for specific branch of service personnel such as the Mountain troopers pants and the Panzer and Assault Gunner’s pants. The standard issue long pants were a basic uniform item for all unmounted personnel and was obligatory wear for all ranks for the field dress. The long pants were also worn by EM/NCO’s with the service, guard and reporting dress and by NCO’s with the undress uniform. The long pants with branch of service piping down the outside leg seams were also worn by unmounted EM/NCO’s with the parade dress and by all ranks with the walking out dress. Originally the long pants were produced in stone grey fabric until 1940 when regulations dictated that newly produced long pants be constructed in field-grey fabric. Officers and certain senior NCO ranks were responsible for purchasing their own uniforms and as a result were allotted a clothing allowance through the army’s Kleiderkasse, (Clothing Account), system. The Officers and certain senior NCO’s could choose to purchase their uniforms from the armed forces clothing depots or to privately purchase garments of higher quality. Although enlisted personnel were issued their uniforms from government supplies they were also permitted to purchase privately tailored uniforms although the price may have been restrictive. Of Note: The 44TH Infantry Division was originally formed in Vienna in 1938 and the 134TH Infantry Regiment was the tradition bearer of the Imperial Austrian Army’s 4TH Infantry Regiment Hoch-und Deutschmeister. The originally 44TH Infantry Division was destroyed at Stalingrad in February 1943 and a second 44TH Infantry Division was formed in June 1943 and given the honor title, Reichsgrenadier Division Hoch-und Deutschmeister. On December 31ST 1943 personnel of the 134TH Reichsgrenadier regiment division staff and its replacement battalion of the 44TH Infantry Division Hoch-und Deutschmeister were bestowed a unique, shoulder strap/board, "Stalingrad" cross cypher that was based on a design of a cross that was worn by the 12TH century chevalier monks of the Deutschmeister-Orden.
PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: Slightly mottled, field-grey, wool/rayon blend construction tunic with a lay down, blue/green badge cloth collar features a vertical, six button front closure with a single metal hook and eye positioned at the forward neckline. The original owner has personalized the tunic by having creased the top edges of the front closure panels creating small, fold back, lapels. The second, top, front, closure, button eyelet has an Iron Cross 2ND class and a Russian Front Campaign ribbon inserted and neatly handstitched in place. The field blouse has four, pleated, front pockets with scalloped edged, button down flaps. The breast pockets are the standard patch type while the hip pockets are the saddle-bag type with expanding side panels. The right breast has an Officer’s quality, hand embroidered national eagle with outstretched wings, clutching a wreathed, canted, swastika in it’s talons in bright, silver/aluminum, wire threads with bright silver/aluminum bullion and dark green accent threads on a cut-out, blue/green, badge cloth base. The eagle is neatly handstitched to the tunic and appears to be a replacement. The left breast has four, horizontal, thread loops for wear of awards. The tunic has four sets of three, vertically aligned, stitched eyelets with one set situated at either side of the front closure and two to either side of the back panel, at the waistline. The eyelets were designed for the belt support hooks. The belt support hooks are absent. The reverse of the tunic has two, vertical, tapering darts and a short, central vertical tail skirt vent. The straight cut, non-adjustable sleeves have machine stitched, simulated French cuffs. The tunic has sewn on shoulder boards in matte, silver/aluminum Russian braid with a single, gilt washed, stamped alloy rank pip and the unique, stamped magnetic sheet metal, "Stalingrad" cross cyphers with silver, gilt and blue finishes, all mounted on white wool waffenfarbe bases. The roughly 1 1/4" tall, 7/8" wide, silver based Christian style "Stalingrad", crosses have subtly outward fluted arms with a raised outer lip. The slightly recessed arms of the crosses have a blue painted background field with embossed, stylized, ornamentation and the apex of the crosses arms feature a gilt washed, embossed shield shaped base with a superimposed national eagle with out-stretched wings, clutching a canted swastika in it’s talons. The shield shaped, central motif has a slightly pebbled background field and a raised outer edge lip. Situated just beneath the shield is a slightly scalloped, horizontal banner with the embossed script, "Stalingrad". The crosses retain over 95% of their respective finishes with light age tarnish to the silvered portions. All four attachment prongs are intact and are visible on the bottom of the shoulder boards. Scarce, elite unit insignia. The shoulder boards, pebbled, retaining buttons are intact. The reverse of the blue/green lay down collar has the typical zig-zag reinforcement stitching. The collar features hand embroidered collar tab litzen in matte silver/aluminum wire threads with twisted white rayon branch of service stripes. The collar tabs are mounted on blue/green badge cloth bases which are machine stitched to the collar. The interior of the tunic is partially lined in light weight, greyish/tan cotton, with the lining running down the front closure panel edges and to the upper breast and back panels. The right front tail skirt lining has a field dressing pocket with a single button closure. The lining has a small, metal hook inserted to each forward side panel at the waistline to secure the removable, belt support hook straps in position. The removable belt support hook straps are absent. All five of the original collar liner buttons are intact. The interior also has had padded, shoulder panels crudely handstitched to each shoulder. The right breast lining is well marked with black size inkstamps and the purple inkstamped designation, "St.40", indicating it passed through the army’s clothing depot in Stettin in 1940. The interior field dressing pocket has an additional, illegible, black manufacturer’s inkstamp within an oval cartouche. The tunic is in overall very good condition with minor age and usage toning, some light chafe wear to the cuffs and collar edges and a couple of small spots of moth grazing resulting in lost nap. The front closure and exterior pocket buttons are the field-grey painted, pebbled, alloy type while the shoulder board buttons are the field-grey painted, magnetic sheet metal type and all retain the vast majority of their paint. The field dressing pocket button is a molded grey bakelite type while the collar liner buttons are the ersatz, pressed, natural tan cardboard type and most of the buttons appear to have their original stitching. The tunic is roughly size 40" chest. Also included area a pair of nice quality, pre-1940, mottled, stone grey wool construction, straight legged, dress pants. The pants feature a vertical, four button, French fly with an additional metal hook and eye and a single button on the waistband with a corresponding, internal, horizontally extended, button holed, fabric tab to the left side of the fly. The front of the pants have two, slightly diagonally angled, slash pockets and a small horizontal slash watch pocket to the right side of the fly. The bottom seam of the right waistband has a small metal ring, stitched in place, designed to secure a watch chain. The reverse of the pants have four, evenly spaced, vertical tapering darts, two, horizontal, slash pockets with scalloped stitched reinforcements and single button closures. The reverse of the pants also have two, horizontal, fit adjustment strap with corresponding, blued, magnetic sheet metal, toothed, gripper buckles to each. The vertical, outside, leg seams each have inserted, white wool waffenfarbe piping. The pants have straight cut, dual-ply hemmed, non-adjustable cuffs. The interior cuffs each have two, small, buttons designed to secure a foot stirrup. The foot stirrups are absent. The interior waistband is lined in grey rayon and the internal pocket bags are in a white cotton. The waistband lining has four, evenly spaced, suspender attachment buttons and dual, vertically extended, fabric tabs with a single button to each to the reverse center. The pants have no visible size or manufacturer’s markings. The pants are in overall very good condition with minimal age and usage toning and a couple of small spots of moth grazing to the left cuff area resulting in lost nap. The buttons are all the molded black bakelite type and all appear to have their original stitching. The pants are roughly size 28" waist.
GRADE **** PRICE $5,500.00
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