H024095 BLUE/GREY WHITE REVERSIBLE WINTER PARKA. (Tarnungs Jacke)

BACKGROUND: The severe cold encountered on the Russian front in the winter of 1941/42 found the Germans completely unprepared not only in heat retaining cold weather garments but also snow camouflage garments. This resulted in numerous, hastily improvised and makeshift heat retaining and snow camouflage items being utilized including everything from civilian winter clothing to white bed sheets. After the winter of 1941/42 the Oberkommando des Wehrmacht, (High Command of the Armed Forces), recognized the need for heavier winter clothing and testing began in the spring of 1942 to develop suitable garments. In April 1942 Hitler approved the chosen design, and the first models were issued in the autumn of that year, in the reversible blue/grey/white colorations, which was modified to camouflage pattern/white combinations in 1943. Included with these new garments were heavy, padded, reversible winter suits which consisted of a parka, pants, hoods and mittens. The winter garments were a standard issue item and were distributed to all EM/NCO’s for the winter season, (September 15TH to April 15TH), with other winter garments and were to be returned to the units clothing depot in April for storage, repair and cleaning to be reissued the following September. Originally Officers and senior NCO’s responsible for purchasing their own uniforms were required to purchase the new winter garments until regulations of December 1942 extended the issue winter clothing to all ranks in the colder theatres of operation. Although the suits proved quite effective they were very difficult to keep clean and launder which resulted in regulations dictating that the white side was only to be worn on the exterior when absolutely necessary.

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: Early, (circa 1942 43), three quarter length, wool/rayon blend construction double breasted style parka with blue/grey to one side, reversible to white. The parka features a large, overlapping, vertical, six button front closure with a smaller overlapping wind flap and a tunnel looped fit adjustment drawstring to the bottom edge of the tail skirt. The parka has two, diagonally angled, slash hip pockets with straight edged button down flaps. The parka has a tunnel looped, coarse woven canvas web fit adjustment, drawstrap at the waistline. The sleeve cuffs each have horizontal, tunnel looped, fit adjustment strap with two corresponding button to each side. Only four cuff buttons remain. 
The upper sleeves each have alloy dish buttons to both the inner and outer seams which were designed for wear of the identification armbands by front line troops (two of the buttons are missing). The parka has an padded, dual ply, integral hood, which is large enough to accommodate a helmet. The hood has a tunnel looped drawstring to the forward edge. The parka is fully reversible to white with all the same features as on the field grey side. The parka has small vertical slashes at either side of the front closure and at the outside cuff seams allowing the tunnel looped waistline drawstrap and the cuff fit adjustment straps to be utilized on either the blue/grey or the white sides. The parka has an internal, heat retaining padding through out. Buttons are a combination of original and replaced stitching and there are some missing that will need to be restored. The parka shows light to moderate age and usage toning through out, numerous small picks and pulls and a couple of small handstitched repairs. The parkas were designed large enough to fit over the standard service uniform and this example is roughly size 40" chest.

GRADE *** 3/4                             PRICE $1,295.00

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