BACKGROUND: The development of SS camouflage items was initiated by Reichsführer-SS Heinrich Himmler in 1935 when he tasked the Reichsführung-SS, (National Leadership of the SS), to begin research of new camouflage patterns and garments for use by the fledgling SS-VT, SS-Verfugüngstruppe, (SS-Special Purpose Troops). In late 1936 and early 1937 the first SS camouflage garments were issued to personnel of the SS-VT Standarte Deutschland for field testing and evaluation. The first items evaluated were the Quarter shelters/ponchos, followed by steel helmet covers, face masks and smocks. As the war continued various other clothing items were produced in the assorted camouflage patterns. Originally the camouflage patterns were all produced in the time consuming manual screen printing until the development of the machine roller printing in 1940. By the end of the war no fewer then ten assorted camouflage patterns had been developed and used by the SS. The M44 dot pattern camouflage uniform, consisting of a field blouse and pants was officially introduced on March 1^ST 1944 as a cost saving measure, and was designed to serve double duty by replacing both the drill tunic and camouflage smock. Originally the early models of the M44 dot pattern camouflage uniforms were manufactured from stockpiles of dual sided, camouflage material with an HBT, (Herring Bone Twill), weave and the field blouse came outfitted with shoulder strap retaining loops and buttons and a factory applied sleeve eagle. By July 1944 the inclusion of the shoulder strap retaining loops and buttons and the factory applied sleeve eagle were discontinued. The M44 dot pattern camouflage uniform was only suitable for warm climates and regulations dictated that the uniforms were to be returned to the units storage depots annually on November 1^ST although the lack of supplies negated this directive and the uniforms were worn through-out the year.

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: Cotton/rayon blend construction, "Keilhose", style pants with an HBT, (Herring Bone Twill), weave and the machine printed, dot pattern camouflage to the exterior. The camouflage pattern is predominately light brown with random spots of tan and assorted shades of green. The pants feature a vertical, four button French fly with an additional two buttons positioned on the waistband. The pants have two, slightly diagonally angled, slash, front pockets with single button closures. Interestingly the bottom edge of the right waistband has a small, horizontal, fabric loop designed to secure a watch chain but the pants have no watch pocket or any evidence that one was ever applied. The exterior waistband has four, vertical, button down, belt loops with one situated on either side of the front fly and two situated to the reverse center. The reverse, right, seat of the pants have a single, horizontal, slash pocket with a single button closure. The reverse also has two, small, vertical, tapering darts and the side panels each have a horizontal, fit adjustment strap with a corresponding, black painted, dual prong, opened rectangular magnetic sheet metal, "Prima" buckle to each. The seat and crotch have a large, half-moon shaped, dual-ply, reinforcement panel. The cuffs of the pants each have a vertical, tapering dart to both the front and back creating a slight inward taper. The cuffs each have a vertical slash to the outside seams with three, crudely handstitched off white cotton foot stirrup straps. The interior waistband is lined in light weight, grey cotton/rayon blend material while the internal pocket bags are in olive drab, cotton with an HBT weave. The interior waistband has four evenly spaced, suspender attachment buttons and two, vertically extended, fabric tabs with a single button to each, at the reverse center. The interior waistband is well marked with faint black size inkstamps. The buttons are a combination of the natural, alloy, dish and the molded brown bakelite types and most appear to have their original stitching. The pants show moderate to heavy wear with a few, small, crudely handstitched repairs a couple of machine stitched repairs and large, machine stitched, patches to the upper thighs of each leg. The left leg has an oak-leave camouflage pattern patch while the right leg has a dot pattern camouflage patch. The pants also show moderate age and usage toning through-out. The pants are roughly size 28" waist.

GRADE **                             PRICE $2,559.00