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. After the devastating winter of 1941 on the Russian front the high command of the army saw 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 mittens. The Waffen-SS followed the army’s lead and new winter camouflage items were issued in October 1943. The machine rolled, screen printed, Oak-leaf "A" pattern camouflage was developed in 1941 and used through to 1945 for a wide variety of garments.

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: Cotton/rayon blend material construction winter mittens with machine rolled Oak-leaf "A" autumn pattern camouflage in shades of tans and browns to one side, reversible to white with an internal ersatz padding material. The mittens each have a padded thumb and an additional, unpadded, index trigger finger. Nice clean pair.