BACKGROUND: The German army utilized a wide variety of long trousers and breeches including the M35 dress pants, assorted breeches, drill and field pants, tapered "keilhose" pants, assorted, specialized, pants designed for specific branch of service personnel such as the Mountain troopers pants and the Panzer and Assault Gunner’s pants and the standard issue, straight legged, long 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.

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: Post-1940, production, slightly mottled, field-grey wool/rayon blend material, construction, straight legged, long pants feature a vertical, four button, French fly with an additional button situated on the horizontal waistband. The pants have two, diagonally angled, slash front pockets with single button closures and a small, horizontal, slash, watch pocket situated to the right side of the fly. The right, front of the pants have a small, fabric loop positioned just below the waistband, designed to secure a watch chain. The exterior, horizontal, waistband has eight, evenly spaced, suspender attachment buttons and the typical "V" slash to the reverse center. The reverse of the pants have two, evenly spaced, vertical tapering darts and a horizontal slash pocket with a single button closure to the right seat. The reverse of the pants also have tow machine stitched, horizontal fit adjustment straps with a corresponding, black painted, opened, rectangular, dual claw, magnetic sheet metal, "Prima" buckle. The pants have straight cut, non-adjustable cuffs dual-ply hemmed cuffs. The interior waistband lining and the internal pocket bags are all in a ribbed, white, cotton/rayon blend material. The interior waistband lining has six evenly spaced, suspender attachment buttons. The interior waistband lining is well marked with faint, mostly illegible black size inkstamps and the manufacturer’s acronym that appears to be, "Lago", indicating, Landes Lieferungs Genossenschaft, (State Supply Cooperative/Association). The interior crotch has a ribbed, white, cotton/rayon blend material reinforcement panel machine stitched in place. The pants are in overall good condition with light age and usage toning, areas of light to moderate nap wear, one small handstitched repair to the upper, front, left leg and about a half dozen, pinhead sized moth nips. The fly and exterior pocket buttons are the molded black bakelite type while the suspender attachment buttons are the natural alloy dish type and all appear to have their original stitching. The pants are roughly size 34" waist.