N10453 NSKK-SCHARFÜHRER'S SERVICE TUNIC & BREECHES. (Dienstrock und Steifelhose) 

BACKGROUND: The development of the NSKK, National Sozialistisches Kraftfahr Korps, (National Socialist Motor Corps), can be traced back to 1923 when the SA introduced a Kraftfahr Abteilung, (Motor Section), to transport personnel as required. In 1928 the SA Motor section was expanded to Kraftfahrstaffeln, (Motor Squadrons). In an attempt to create a national motor corps the NSAK, National Sozialistisches Automobil Korps, (National Socialist Automobile Corps), was formed in April 1930 as an NSDAP auxiliary organization subordinate to the SA. In early 1931 Adolf Hühnlein was appointed as Chief of the NSAK and proposed a name change to NSKK, which was officially accepted in April 1931. As an affiliate organization of the NSDAP, personnel serving with the NSKK originally wore the "Tradition Uniform" of the SA Motor Squadron until a specific NSKK service tunic was introduced in 1936. The NSKK 1936 pattern uniform was worn through-out the war with minor variations.  

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: Nice quality, slightly mottled, brownish/olive green wool/rayon blend construction tunic features a vertical four button front closure with small fold back lapels and chocolate brown wool lay down collar. The tunic has four, pleated patch front pockets with scalloped button down flaps. The left breast has two vertical and four horizontal thread loops for wear of awards and comes with a two place ribbon bar. The ribbon bar includes a War Merit Cross 2^ND class ribbon with a gilt washed, stamped alloy crossed swords cypher and a Commemorative Medal of March 13^TH 1938 ribbon. The ribbons are mounted on a sheet metal base plate with a pin back device intact to the reverse. The straight cut sleeve cuffs each have a vertical slash to the reverse sleeve seams with dual fit adjustment buttons. The lower left sleeve has a second pattern, machine woven drivers diamond in silver/aluminum flat-wire threads on a woven black rayon diamond base. The drivers diamond features a stylized national eagle with out-stretched wings superimposed over a steering wheel with six internal spokes. The drivers diamond is machine stitched to the sleeve. The upper left sleeve has a standard NSDAP members armband consisting of a red cotton field with a central white circular disc with a canted black machine embroidered swastika to the center. The reverse of the armband has a white paper RZM tag with blue printed script, black numerals and a purple inkstamped manufacturers numerical code. The armband is loosely fitted to the sleeve. The upper right sleeve has a machine woven NSKK eagle with scripted, scrolled banner in silver/aluminum flat-wire threads on a cut-out olive green wool base mounted on a brownish/olive green wool backing. The eagle is machine stitched to the sleeve. Of Note: Regulations of late 1938 or early 1939 altered the placement of the NSKK eagle to the upper left sleeve and discontinued further wear of the NSDAP armband. The side panels at the waistline each have three vertically aligned, stitched eyelets for the belt support hooks. The belt support hooks are absent. The reverse of the tunic has a central, vertical, tail skirt vent. The tunic has narrow sewn on shoulder boards consisting of alternating, twisted, bright silver/aluminum and black rayon cords with black rayon piping mounted on a black wool base. The black rayon piping would indicate service with NSKK units from Berlin or Niederrhein. The bottoms of the shoulder straps each have their original white paper RZM tag with blue printed script, black numerals and a purple inkstamped manufacturers numerical code. Of Note: NSKK personnel only wore the shoulder straps/boards on the right shoulder unless they were in service under Wehrmacht control in which case the shoulder straps/boards were worn on both shoulders. The shoulder straps retaining buttons are intact. The lay down chocolate brown wool collar has the typical zig-zag reinforcement stitching to the reverse. The reverse of the left fold back lapel has a single molded tan bakelite button with a corresponding button holed fabric tab positioned beneath the right collar for a secure neck closure in inclement weather. The collar has black wool collar tabs with the left collar tab indicating the rank and the right collar tab the unit designation. The left collar tab features a single, stamped, natural aluminum rank pip indicting the NSKK rank of Scharführer. The right collar is blank with no unit designation. The collar tabs both show light to moderate nap wear and a couple of small moth nips. The collar tabs are machine stitched to the collar. The interior of the tunic is partially lined in ribbed light tan cotton twill. The lining has a vertical cotton twill strap with six stitched eyelets to each at side seams for the belt support hooks. One of the belt hook support straps has an olive green oilcloth RZM tag, with white script, black numerals and purple inkstamped manufacturers numerical code, machine stitched in place. The script to tag includes, "Feldbluse NSKK, aus Tuch", (Field blouse NSKK of cloth). The interior of the field blouse also has a tunnel looped horizontal fit adjustment strap at each side of the waistline and a tan cotton twill field dressing pocket to the lower right front tail skirt. The top edge of the field dressing pocket has been stitched closed. Four of the original five collar liner retaining buttons are intact. The interior left breast panel also has a faint, illegible white scripted inkstamp. The tunic is in overall very good, clean condition with minimal nap wear to the cuff and collar edges and minor age and usage toning. The front closure, exterior pocket and shoulder strap buttons are a combination of the pebbled alloy and sheet metal types and most have the appropriate RZM markings to the reverse. The cuff fit adjustment, the neckline closure and the collar liner buttons are all the molded tan bakelite type and all appear to have their original stitching. The tunic is roughly size 42" chest. The tunic comes complete with a pair of issue breeches. The black wool construction breeches feature a vertical, four button French fly with an additional two buttons at the waistband. The exterior waistband has eight suspender buttons. The breeches have two, diagonally angled, slash front pockets with scalloped button down flaps. The front of the breeches also have a small horizontal slash watch pocket situated below the right waistband with a scalloped button down flap and a corresponding horizontal wool loop to secure the watch chain. The reverse of the breeches have a horizontal slash pocket with scalloped button down flap to the right seat. The reverse of the breeches have dual vertical tapering darts and two horizontal fit adjustment straps with blued sheet metal gripper buckles situated just below the waistband. The reverse center of the waistband has the typical "V" slash. The breeches balloon outward at the thighs and taper inwards down to the cuffs with a vertical tapering dart to the reverse cuffs. The outside cuff seams each have a short vertical slash. The straight cut cuffs have dual tie tapes near the inside leg seam with a corresponding stitched eyelet to the outside leg seams. The interior waistband and crotch are both lined in light weight, pale grey, cotton/rayon blend material. The reverse waistband lining has repeating diamond patterned reinforcement stitching and a black numerical inkstamp, "54". The pocket bags are also constructed in the same light weight, pale grey, cotton/rayon blend material. The rear right seat pocket bag has a white oilcloth RZM tag with tan printed script and faint, inkstamped manufacturers numerical code. The tan script includes, "NSKK-Stiefelhose SS", (NSKK-Breeches). The RZM tag is machine stitched in place. The breeches are in overall very good, clean condition with minor nap wear to the pocket openings and light surface spotting to the fit adjustment buckles. The buttons are all the molded black bakelite type and appear to have their original stitching. The breeches are roughly size 36" waist. Nice examples.