BACKGROUND: The development of camouflage clothing and equipment had began in the German army in WWI, and continued through the Weimar Reichswehr, (National Defence {Force}, Circa 1919-1933), era. The geometric splinter pattern was developed in the early 1930's and was first adopted for use with the M31quarter shelter/poncho in late 1931. Further developments modified the original splinter pattern by softly blurring the distinct geometric pattern and slightly altering the coloration. This modified camouflage pattern was designated the Tan/water camouflage and was once again altered by an even stronger blurring of the distinct geometric pattern during the war. After the devastating winter of 1941-1942 on the Russian front the German army found that it was drastically under equipped with cold weather garments to withstand the severe cold and a wide variety of improvised garments including a broad assortment of donated civilian garments were utilized as a temporary solution. To rectify the situation the OKH, Oberkommando des Heeres, (High Command of the Army), began testing heavier winter clothing in the spring of 1942 to develop suitable garments for the Russian front. In April 1942 Hitler approved the chosen designs and the first models were issued in the autumn of that year, in the reversible blue/mouse grey/white colorations, which was modified to camouflage pattern/white combinations in 1943. Included with these new garments were heavy, padded, reversible winter suits which consisted of a parka, pants and separate hoods and mittens. Of Note: These garments were also produced in non-reversible models. The winter parkas were a standard issue item and were distributed to all EM/NCO’s for the winter season, (September 15^TH to April 15^TH), with other winter garments and were to be returned to the units clothing depot in April for storage, repair and cleaning to be reissued the following September. Originally Officers and senior NCO’s responsible for purchasing their own uniforms and headgear were required to purchase the new winter garments until regulations of December 1942 extended the issue winter clothing to all ranks in the colder theatres of operation. Although the suits proved quite effective they were very difficult to keep clean and launder which resulted in regulations dictating that the white side was only to be worn on the exterior when absolutely necessary.

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: Early, three quarter length, cotton/rayon blend construction, double breasted style, parka with mouse grey to one side, reversible to white. The parka features a repeating, quilted, diamond pattern through-out, a large, overlapping, vertical, six button front closure with a smaller overlapping wind flap and a tunnel looped fit adjustment drawstring to the bottom edge of the tail skirt. The parka has two, diagonally angled, slash hip pockets with straight edged button down flaps. The straight cut, dual-ply, sleeve cuffs each have a horizontal, tunnel looped, fit adjustment strap with a single button eyelet and dual corresponding buttons to the mouse grey side and a single button to the white side of each cuff. The parka has small vertical slashes at the outside cuff seams allowing the tunnel looped cuff fit adjustment straps to be utilized on either the mouse grey or the white sides. The upper sleeves each have an alloy dish button to both the inner and outer sides, which were designed for wear of the identification armbands by front line troops. The parka has an un-padded, dual-ply, integral, cotton/rayon, hood, which is large enough to accommodate a helmet. The hood has a tunnel looped drawstring to the forward edge. The parka is fully reversible to white with all the same features as on the mouse grey side. The parka has an internal, heat retaining padding through-out with the repeating, quilted, diamond pattern designed to secure the padding in place. The mouse grey side, front closure, small overlapping wind flap is well marked with faint, black numerical inkstamps. The parka is in overall very good, almost unissued, condition with a couple of small picks and pulls, minor age and usage toning and a few small rust colored stains to the white side. The buttons, excluding the alloy dish identification armband buttons, are all the blue/grey and white painted, pebbled alloy type and most appear to have their original stitching. The parkas were designed large enough to fit over the standard service uniform and this example is roughly size 40" chest.

GRADE ****1/4                             PRICE $699.00