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 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 Kriegsmarine adopted wear of the new national eagle 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. Due to the silver insignia the Administrative personnel were contemptuously referred to as Silberlinge, (Silvered Ones). Generally officer’s ranks utilized hand embroidered breast eagles while EM/NCO’s ranks utilized machine embroidered or machine woven breast eagles. The German navy had a long tradition of brown and white tropical/landing dress that was worn in hot climates with the white uniform also serving as a walking out dress. With the impending entrance into the North African campaign in late 1940 the Kriegsmarine developed another new tropical brown uniform and the corresponding insignia independently from the Heer and Luftwaffe. The breast eagles utilized on the tropical tunics were worked on a tan base to match the uniform.

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: Machine woven breast eagle with out-stretched wings, clutching a wreathed, canted, swastika in it’s talons, in bright, golden yellow, rayon threads on a woven, tan, rayon base. The eagle’s wingspan is roughly, 3 1/4" from wing tip to wing tip. The eagle is still on its original, tan, rayon factory and is in overall very good, unissued condition with light age toning and some glue like residue to the tan rayon factory roll.

GRADE ****                             PRICE $103.00