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 German army’s geometric, Splittertarnmuster 31, (Splinter camouflage pattern 31), was originally developed in late 1929 and early 1930 and was first adopted for use with the M31 quarter shelter/poncho in late 1931. Further developments in 1943 modified the original splinter pattern by softly blurring the distinct geometric pattern and slightly altering the coloration. This modified camouflage pattern was designated Sumpftarnmuster, (Swamp/Marsh camouflage pattern), although it is now commonly referred to as the Tan/Water camouflage pattern, which was once again altered in 1944 by an even stronger blurring of the distinct geometric pattern. Further camouflage pattern development continued through-out the war and additional subtly different patterns were created with the intent to equip all personnel with the same camouflage pattern but this was never achieved. 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 15TH to April 15TH), 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: Cotton/rayon blend construction, pants with machine rolled, early, tan/water pattern camouflage in shades of green, tan and brown to one side, reversible to white. The pants feature an open fly with an overlapping, trapezoidal wind flap with a three button closure and an additional button at the waistband. The pants have two diagonally angled slash front pockets with rounded forward edge button down flaps. The reverse of the pants have dual, horizontal, fit adjustment tie straps intact. The reverse of the pants also have small vertical slashes at either side of the central seam allowing the fit adjustment tie straps to be utilized on either the camouflage or the white side. The camouflage side of the waistband also has two, carved, cylindrical, wooden dowels secured by a stitched on piece of fabric to both the front and back for attaching suspenders. Original white rayon suspenders are included. The pants come complete with separate white rayon construction suspenders with an HBT (Herring Bone Twill) weave. The obverse ends of the suspenders have three stitched button eyelets while the reverse ends each have a single stitched button eyelet for length adjustment. The pants have large rectangular dual-ply reinforcement panels to each knee. The straight cut cuffs have a small vertical slash to the outside seams and a horizontal, tunnel looped, fit adjustment, drawstring to the bottom edge of each. The pants are fully reversible to white. The pants have an internal, heat retaining padding through-out. The white side of the trapezoidal fly has a black inkstamp inkstamped RB number. Of Note: The RB numbers, Reichsbetriebnummer, (National factory code numbers), were introduced in late 1942 and were intended to replace the manufacturers marks on garments and equipment to conceal the manufactures name and location from the allies, to prevent bombing raids on German industrial factories. Also size marked "1". The pants are in overall very good condition with minimal age and usage toning. The fly and waistband buttons are all the large molded grey bakelite type while the pocket buttons are the smaller alloy dish type and all appear to have their original stitching. The pants were cut large enough to fit over the standard issue pants and this example is roughly size 40" waist.