BACKGROUND: German Naval uniforms and headgear were based on traditional designs that date back to the creation of the Prussian Navy in 1848, and although the uniforms and headgear did evolve during the interim years, many items used during the Third Reich would still have been quite recognizable to the Imperial sailor. The blue and white jumper shirts were a staple uniform item for all EM/NCO personnel and followed the basic design of the Imperial German Navy and Weimar Reichsmarine, (National Navy, Circa 1919-1933), era blue and white jumper shirts. The white jumper shirts were intended for wear in tropical climates or with the summer walking out dress while the navy blue shirts were utilized for everyday wear. The Kriegsmarine adopted a slightly modified version of the NSDAP’s, Nationalsozialistische Deutsche Arbeiterpartei, (National Socialist German Worker’s Party), national eagle for wear on the front of the headgear and the right breast of the uniform on March 24^TH 1934. The Kriegsmarine’s version of the national eagle was identical to the army version except for the coloration with the army utilizing silver, white and grey eagles while the Kriegsmarine utilized golden yellow eagles. Of Note: The only exceptions in the coloration of the Kriegsmarine eagles was that personnel serving in the Administrative branch utilized a silver eagle while eagles worn on the white jumper shirts were in cornflower blue. On entering Kriegsmarine service all personnel were assigned and trained for a specific career. These careers consisted of a wide variety of specialty trades and functions with some of the careers restricted to certain rank groups. On successful completion of the appropriate training, personnel were issued distinctive career insignia to be worn on the upper left sleeve of the uniforms. For EM/NCO’s the career insignia could be worn combined with the rank insignia or as separate insignia. Enlisted ranks of Matrose up to and including Hauptgefreiter career insignia were generally embroidered on small, round, bases while NCO ranks of Maat up to and including Oberdeckoffizier career insignia were on larger, vertically oval bases and could come in embroidered or stamped alloy versions. Regulations dictated that the base color of the insignia was to match the color of the uniform it was worn on. The Kriegsmarine utilized a white variety of pants and breeches including the standard issue, navy blue, straight legged pants, white dress, tropical and drill pants, brown tropical pants and reed green and field-grey field pants. The pants were manufactured with either the standard, vertical, button fly or with the unique, naval style, fold down, front flap. One of the traditional headgear items utilized during the Third Reich was the "Donald Duck" sailor’s cap intended for wear by all Junior NCO’s and enlisted personnel. The design of the cap underwent numerous minor modifications during the intervening years, including a cap with removable, interchangeable white and blue covers in April 1926. In December 1931 a final pattern was introduced that remained in use until the end of WWII with the only alterations being to the insignia and cap tallies worn. Originally Kriegsmarine personnel wore the Weimar Reichswehr, era oval black, red and gold cockade which was replaced with a circular cockade in black, white, and red on March 14^TH 1933. Officers and certain senior NCO ranks were responsible for purchasing their own uniforms and headgear and as a result were allotted a clothing allowance through the OKK, Offizier Kleiderkasse der Kriegsmarine, (Officer’s Clothing Account of the Navy). Although enlisted personnel were issued their uniforms and headgear from government supplies they were also permitted to purchase privately tailored items although the price may have been restrictive. Generally speaking officers bought nice quality, private purchase, uniform items but they could also choose to buy their uniforms directly from the military clothing depots.

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: Standard issue, light weight, white cotton construction, pullover style, jumper shirt features a central, vertical, V-neck slash opening with dual, white, cotton tie tapes and an integral, fold back, blue nankeen rectangular collar. The fold back, blue nankeen rectangular collar hangs over the top reverse of the shirt and has three, roughly 1/4" wide, parallel, white, cotton tape stripes machine stitched near the outer edge. The shirt has an internal, dual-ply, stitched "U" shaped reinforcement yolk to the front center which encompasses the V-neck slash. The right breast has a machine embroidered, national eagle with out-stretched wings, clutching a wreathed, canted swastika in it’s talons, in cornflower blue rayon threads, mounted on a cut-out, white cotton base. The eagle is neatly handstitched to the shirt. The straight cut, non-adjustable, sleeve cuffs each have a trapezoidal, blue nankeen, ornamentation panel machine stitched in place. The blue nankeen ornamentation panels each have an upward pointed tip to the outer edge of the sleeves with dual, roughly 1/4" wide, white cotton, tape stripes running parallel to the upper edge and an additional white cotton tape stripe to the bottom edge. The cuffs also had a small, vertical, slash to the inside sleeve seams with dual, stitched eyelets and a corresponding, removable, closure button to each. The upper left sleeve has separate, career and rank insignia consisting of a hand embroidered, five point star in cornflower blue rayon threads mounted on a circular, white cotton base and positioned above dual, cornflower blue, cotton chevrons, machine stitched to an inverted triangular, white cotton base. Both pieces of insignia are neatly handstitched to the sleeve. Of Note: Rank designations were tied to the career the individual was assigned to and in this case the proper rank designation is Bootsmann-Obergefreiter. The shirt has a long tail skirt with small, vertical, "V" slashes to each outside seam and small, horizontally rectangular, dual-ply, reinforcement panels with dual, stitched eyelets to each, designed to secure the underpants to the shirt. The exterior, obverse tail skirt has the chain stitched, owner’s personal roster number in heavy red cotton threads. The chain stitched roster number consists of, "N1515S" with a horizontal separating line positioned above "37" and indicates the owner was the 1,515^TH person inducted into the navy in 1937, and was a nautical personnel assigned to the North Sea. The interior, obverse tail skirt has a small, white rayon tag handstitched in place with the machine woven owner’s name and roster number name in red rayon threads, "Dammeyer N1515/37S". The shirt is in overall very good condition with a few small picks and pulls, minor age and usage toning and a couple of small brownish stains. The cuff buttons are the gilt washed, stamped alloy type, removable type secured by steel "S" rings and feature an embossed, fouled, anchor on a horizontally ribbed field with a simulated, twisted rope, outer border. The jumper shirts were a snug fitting item and this example is roughly size 38" chest. The shirt comes with light weight, white, cotton construction straight legged, long pants featuring the unique, naval style, front closure in the form of a horizontally rectangular, fold down, front yoke panel with four stitched button eyelets to the top edge with corresponding buttons positioned on the exterior waistband. One of the waistband buttons is absent. The front yoke panel folds down from the waistband revealing two, small, horizontal, overlapping, inner panels with two, vertically aligned, buttons on the right side panel and dual, corresponding, button eyelets on the left side panel. For a secure closure the vertically aligned, inner, buttons would be button first then the front yoke panel would be buttoned up onto the waistband. When in the closed position the front yoke panel has opened, vertical, slashes at each side allowing access to two, internal, diagonally angled, slash, front pockets. The waistband has a small, inverted, "V" slash to the reverse center with an inserted, triangular panel and three, vertically aligned, stitched, eyelets to each side, designed for a fit adjustment tie string. The fit adjustment tie string is absent. The waistband also has a single, stitched, eyelet to each side, designed to secure the pants to the shirt. The pants have wide legs with a slight, outward, flare at the straight cut, non-adjustable, dual-ply hemmed, cuffs. The straight cut, outwardly flared, cuffs were designed to assist the wearer if he was required to swim. The pants have a dual-ply, interior, waistband. The interior, right front panel of the pants have the matching, chain stitched roster number as found on the shirt consisting of, "N1515S" with a horizontal separating line positioned above "37", and the matching handwritten owner’s name, "Dammeyer". The pants are in overall good condition with a few small picks and pulls, minor age and usage toning and a couple of small brownish stains. The buttons are a combination of the alloy and magnetic sheet metal, dish type and appear to have been restitched. The pants are roughly size 28" waist. Of Note: The pants appear to have been washed with a phosphate solution resulting in a glow under UV light. Also included is a mid-weight, white cotton, removable, "Donald Duck" cap cover. The one piece, circular crown cover has four piece, side panels with four, evenly spaced, machine stitched vertical seams. The bottom edge of the cover has a narrow, dual-ply hem and the matching, handwritten owner’s name, as found on shirt and pants, "Dammeyer". The interior of the cover has a brushed finish. The cover is in overall very good condition with minimal age and sage toning. Nice matched name set.

GRADE ***3/4                             PRICE $800.00