BACKGROUND: With the first 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. Numerous winter garments were developed and in April 1942 Hitler approved the chosen designs and the first models were issued in the autumn of that year. Included with these new garments were heavy, padded, reversible winter over-suits which consisted of a parka, pants and separate hoods and mittens and a quilted winter under-suit that consisted of a vest and pants. The winter under-suits were designed to be worn over the standard issue, long winter underwear and beneath the standard field-grey uniform. Although produced in four sizes the bulkiness of the under-suits meant the individual would have required a field-grey uniform that was one or two sizes larger then he normally would have worn which resulted in outfitting problems. Although the under-suits proved effective the sizing difficulties made them relatively impractical. The winter under-suits were issued to EM’s and Junior 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 storage depot at the end of the season for reissue the following year. 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. 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. Of Note: It is believed that the idea for the German quilted under-suit was inspired by the Russian Telogreika, (Quilted Uniform).

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: The woven, grey rayon, construction, long, winter under-pants, feature an all over, repeating, vertically rectangular, quilted pattern and a vertical, overlapping, opened fly. The horizontal waistband has a tunnel loop, with an inserted, olive drab rayon, fit adjustment draw string. The horizontal waistband also has a single, small, vertical, olive drab rayon "belt" loop positioned to each side of the fly and an additional, two, horizontal, olive drab rayon, suspender attachment loops also positioned to either side of the fly. The pants have a full, ersatz, internal, heat retaining, padding which is held in place by the repeating, vertically rectangular, quilted pattern and an ersatz, internal padding. The roughly, 3 1/4", (8 cm), tall, dual-ply, unpadded, grey rayon cuffs each have a small, vertical, slash to the outside leg seam, designed to make the cuffs easy to slip into the marching boots. The interior of the pants have the same repeating, quilted pattern as the exterior and are well marked with a faint, greenish/blue RB number inkstamp. Of Note: The RB numbers, Reichs Betrieb Nummer, (National Factory Code numbers), were introduced in late 1942 and were intended to replace the manufacturer’s markings on garments and equipment to conceal the manufacture’s name and location from the allies, to prevent bombing raids on German industrial factories. The pants are in overall, excellent, unissued condition with minimal age toning. The loose fitting, easily adjustable, pants are roughly size 40", (101.6cm), waist, although the design would allow for a wide variety of different waist sizes.

GRADE *****                             PRICE $90.00