H007496 GENERAL'S SERVICE PANTS. (Dienst Hose)

BACKGROUND: The German army utilized a wide variety of long trousers and breeches including the M35 dress pants, the standard straight legged long pants, assorted breeches, drill and field pants, tapered "keilhose" pants and assorted specialized pants designed for specific branch of service personnel such as the Mountain troopers pants and the Panzer and Assault Gunner’s pants. The standard issue long pants were a basic uniform item for all unmounted personnel and was obligatory wear for all ranks for the field dress. The long pants were also worn by EM/NCO’s with the service, guard and reporting dress and by NCO’s with the undress uniform. The long pants with branch of service piping down the outside leg seams were also worn by unmounted EM/NCO’s with the parade dress and by all ranks with the walking out dress. The pants and breeches for Generals ranks of Generalmajor up to and including Generalfeldmarschall were distinguished with the addition of bright red, adornment stripes positioned vertically on the outside leg seams. Company and Field grade Officer’s serving with the General stab, (General Staff), the OKW, Oberkommando der Wehrmacht, (High Command of the Armed Forces), and the OKH, Oberkommando des Heeres, (High Command of the Army), utilized crimson adornment stripes on their long pants and breeches until regulations of November 16TH 1942 discontinued the practice for personnel serving with the OKW and the OKH. Originally the long pants and breeches were produced in stone grey fabric until 1940 when regulations dictated that newly produced long pants be constructed in field grey fabric. 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. Although enlisted personnel were issued their uniforms from government supplies they were also permitted to purchase privately tailored uniforms although the price may have been restrictive. Of Note: Although the different branches of service within the army were allocated a specific, identifying waffenfarbe, (Branch of Service Color), that was usually displayed as vertical piping on the parade and walking out dress pants Generals ranks were the exception to the rule and utilized bright red waffenfarbe piping regardless of their actual branch of service. Of Note: Regulations in April 1944 dictated that Generals with specialist careers, i.e. Medical, Veterinarian etc., alter the color of the piping on their pants to the appropriate branch of service color to reflect their specialized training to be effective as of May 1ST 1944.

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: Nice quality, private purchase, straight legged, long, pants with a subtle whipcord weave feature a vertical, five button French fly. The pants have two, diagonally angled, slash, front pockets and a small, horizontal slash, watch pocket positioned at the bottom edge of the right front waistband. The outer leg side seams each feature narrow, vertical, red wool piping flanked on either side by roughly, 1 5/8" wide red wool, adornment stripes, all machine stitched in place. The pants are roughly size 40" waist.

GRADE ****1/4                             PRICE $1,675.00

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