German raincoat tent during the Second World War. Than the uniform of the Red Army was better than the uniform of German soldiers. Special infantry equipment

You need two lengths of fabric. Then you can sew two such raincoats.

The Zeltbahn 31 raincoat was a waterproof raincoat made of thick, water-repellent cotton fabric and was used everywhere.

The Zeltbahn 31 raincoat was shaped like a triangle 203x203x240 cmon both sides it had a broken glass camouflage pattern, darker on one side and lighter on the other.It had 62 metal buttons sewn to it, 31 on each side, and it had 30 loops. In the middle, it had a slot with a double flap.

A simplified, modern version of the Zeltbahn 31:

With the help of loops and buttons, it could be fastened in several ways, thereby creating maximum protection in various conditions.

Four tents could be combined into one large four-person tent.

Central Material Service of the Army all the time he invents some kind of backpack bags, suitcase bags, field portable kitchens for 5-10-20 people (who will wear them and how?). And the soldier, as he dragged his things in an orphan sidor, and drags, like a mok in an outdated raincoat-tent, and gets wet.

Zeltbahn and Zeltausrüstung (Tent Quarter and Tent Equipment)

During the First World War, the Zeltbahn was invented by the Austrians, then the Zeltbahn 31 went into service with the Germans and remained with the Swedes as the Zeltbahn M39.

The Zeltbahn 31 (Zeltbahn 31) was originally known as the "Warei" type and replaced the old 11 year gray square raincoat.

The new raincoat-tent had a triangular shape, was made of densely woven gabardine, and due to this it was not wet.

There were three ways to wear a raincoat tent as a raincoat: an option for an infantryman, a horseman, and a cyclist.

Initially, the cloak-sample of 31 years old was painted in the color feldgrau (field gray), but by 1939 in most military units, raincoats with "comminuted" camouflage were used.

One side of the tent was covered with dark camouflage (dunklerer Buntfarbenaufdruck), on the other side with light camouflage (hellerer Buntfarbenaufdruck).

By the end of the war, raincoats appeared with dark camouflage on both sides. In North Africa, the continental version of the raincoat was mainly used, there was also a special tropical version, which was painted greenish yellow or light beige on both sides, but it was produced in limited quantities.

Two sides of the raincoat-tent of the new model were 203 cm long, and the third side was 240 or 250 cm. There were 12 buttons and loops along the short sides. Along the wide side were six steel-edged holes through which a tension rope passed, and six buttons were sewn over the holes.

Buttons and loops on the short sides served to connect several raincoats into one large tent, and the size of the tent depended on the number of combined panels.

When a raincoat was used as a cape, the holes and buttons at the base of the cloth allowed the cloak to be fastened around the soldier's legs. In the center of the panel there was a slot for the head, closed by two overlapping flaps.

At first, a clip-on hood was issued with a raincoat, but soon it was no longer used.

In each corner of the panel there was a large hole, edged with metal, with the help of these holes, the tent was fixed with pegs or a rope was passed through them, depending on the type of tent being installed.

One or two raincoats could serve as a simple blanket, four panels tied together made it possible to set up a pyramidal standard four-person tent. In addition, a special illustrated guide to the use of the 31 year old raincoat contained standard designs for eight- and sixteen-person tents.

Standard installation kit tents (Zeltausrustung) included:

black two-meter rope (Zeltleine)
collapsible wooden post (Zeltstock)
with metal lugs (consisting of four connecting parts, each part is 37 cm long)
two pegs (Zeltpflocke)

A special bag was intended to carry these items. The sack was sewn from gabardine or thin "comminuted" camouflage canvas, field gray (feldgrau), gray, olive green, greenish yellow (tropical version), brown or beige. The top of the bag was closed with a flap, which was fastened with one or two buttons.

Originally on the bagthere were two leather straps, with which the bag was attached to other items of equipment, and then the straps gave way to leather loops.

Tent pegs could be of various shapes, using light metal alloys, steel, or impregnated wood. In the upper part of each peg there was a hole through which a rope was threaded, if necessary, to facilitate the extraction of the peg from the ground.

Cloak - could be worn by attaching with additional. belts to a waist belt, harness, to a knapsack or combat backpack in the form of a roll (with or without a blanket).

Due to an acute shortage of materials, in 1944, raincoats were issued only to selected field units. In a limited number, other raincoats were used, including captured Italian camouflage patterns of 1929 and square Soviet dirty olive colors.

In addition to its main functions as a raincoat and a tent, a sample of 31 years old could be used in a number of other cases:

as an individual camouflage cape for military personnel and military equipment; as a blanket or pillow;
as a floating craft for overcoming water obstacles (one or two folded raincoats stuffed with branches or hay);
as an improvised means for carrying the wounded or items of ammunition in combat conditions;
for carrying garbage in construction time;
as the simplest field table.

In addition to the above-described cloak-tent of the 31-year-old model, the German army used a number of other army tents of various designs, including special staff and medical tents.

Heinrich Hofmann made zelt of 1941 vintage.

A raincoat-tent appeared in the outfit of a Russian soldier a long time ago.

A raincoat-tent appeared in the outfit of a Russian soldier a long time ago. The author was unable to trace the moment of appearance of this very interesting piece of equipment. However, it is known for sure that since April 1882, a raincoat-tent has already been an indispensable element of soldier's camping equipment.

True, at that time it was intended only for the role of an individual soldier's tent. The figure shows the outfit of an army infantry soldier of the 1882 model. Among other elements, a light gray bundle of a tent is clearly visible, tied with a belt to an overcoat roll, carried by a soldier over his left shoulder. The tent in the kit had wooden pegs and a stand that was pushed between the tent and the roll-up.

For that time, this was a truly revolutionary decision. For the first time, a soldier received a means of weather protection both during rest and on the march. This was very important, because the soldier's marching tents were transported in a train of the second category, which, according to the regulations, followed the regiment at a distance of half a day's march, i.e. 20-30 versts Consequently, earlier, after a day's march, a soldier could get a place to rest and shelter from the rain at best by the middle of the night, and if we take into account the time required for setting up tents, then by morning. Those. by the time the next day's march was to begin. Thus, it turned out that on all days of the march, the soldier was all the time in the open air and could rely on somewhat normal conditions for rest only when the regiment stopped for a daily rest.

The individual tent changed its position radically. A soldier, having come to the place of lodging, could put up a kind of tent for himself and hide from the night dampness, rain, coolness, dew. Having united, three or four people could already make something more like a real tent out of their tents.

Originally, the tent was simply a panel with holes in the corners to set up and was intended to be used only as a tent. The soldiers instantly adapted to shelter themselves from the rain with a tent during the march. They themselves began to adapt the tent so that it was convenient to use and like a raincoat. The soldier's notions were noticed and appreciated by the authorities, and in 1910 the tent was modernized. Since that time, it has received the official name \\ "Soldier's Cloak-Tent \\". In the drawing of a soldier in a 1912 uniform, a bundle of a raincoat tent with pegs stuck in it is seen tied to a greatcoat roll (behind his right hand).

However, since 1910, the soldier's cape-tent has hardly changed anymore (with the exception of minor changes) and remained in this form by the beginning of the XXI century.

Today it is hopelessly outdated. We can say that today it is neither a raincoat nor a tent.

If you put it on like a cape, it immediately turns out that the front panel does not even reach the knees. The water flowing down from the cloth quickly makes the knees wet even if the soldier is standing. The corner tucked up at the back ensures that when walking, water flows alternately into the left, then into the right boot. If the corner is turned away, then he drags with a loud rustle through the mud behind his back, clinging to all the blades of grass, twigs, etc., and pulling off the cloak from his shoulders. In addition, the cloth itself is made of ordinary thin tent fabric without any serious water-repellent impregnation, after two or three hours the raincoat gets wet and no longer provides protection from the rain. The figure shows a submachine gunner (it looks like he is much shorter than average) in a modern raincoat with a submachine gun in a standing position.

A modern soldier's raincoat-tent looks like this: A square cloth with a side of 180cm. In the corners of the cloth, holes are made, trimmed with a strong cord or leather overlays. The edges of the panel are double with a row of small holes-slits and wooden sticks sewn on, used as buttons. A figured arcuate detail is sewn onto the cloth, which forms a second layer of protection of the shoulders from water when wearing a raincoat-tent in the form of a raincoat. There is a rectangular slot closer to one of the edges. covered with a bar. This slot allows the soldier to protrude one hand from under the cloak. when all buttons are fastened. In two places, cords are passed through the panel, allowing, when pulled together, to form the neck of the cloak and the hood.

The set of a raincoat-tent includes: 1-panel, 2-two half-racks, 3- stitching cords, 4-four wooden or metal pegs.

As a rule, pins, half-racks and stitching cords are instantly lost or frankly thrown away, because at present no one is trying to use a raincoat-tent as a tent. Agree that the structure depicted in the figure, made of a cloth, a rack, four jokes, is hardly acceptable for a modern soldier.

With minimal conveniences, such a tent can only accommodate a small child. And the open side allows the wind to blow into the tent, and rain can also get inside. A soldier of modern dimensions, trying to lie down in such a tent, must leave either his legs or his head outside.

True, the construction of the raincoat-tent allows several panels to be connected with the help of cords. In this case, it turns out to be something like a tourist summer tent. However, the instruction for the raincoat is overly optimistic. For example, she claims that two raincoats make a two-person tent. But this is not a tent, but just a canopy. At least four sets are required to create a more or less acceptable tent for one person, and six sets for two or three people. The picture shows a tent of six sets. The instruction states that this is a six-person tent. However, my personal experience allows me to assert that it accommodates two or three people. If you put six people in there, then it will be torture, not rest.

However, despite the fact that the raincoat-tent is currently incapable of performing the tasks assigned to it according to its intended purpose, no one objects to it and does not demand its replacement for something more appropriate. The raincoat is used as a bedding for cleaning weapons in the field; a bedding when firing from a machine gun in bad weather conditions, so as not to stain the uniform; like an impromptu tablecloth when eating in the field. It is used to carry bread and other products, dry rations. A raincoat tent is indispensable for taking out swept dry foliage and other debris. The bunks in the marching soldiers' tents are covered with cloak-tents. They also replace doors in houses dilapidated by the war. They are used to close the windows in occupied, broken houses (and instead of glass, blackouts and a grenade thrown into the window will be delayed). But you never know when a piece of strong dense fabric is required.

And for protection from rain, the well-known set of chemical protection (OZK) is much more effective, consisting of rubber stockings-shoe covers, worn over any shoes and a rubber raincoat with a hood and sleeves, which, with the help of simple manipulations, turns into a jumpsuit. And modern soldiers sleep more and more in cars, of which there are almost more in the army than the soldiers themselves. So an ordinary camping tent is less and less common in a soldier's life.

But it would not be bad to work on the creation of a raincoat that meets modern requirements and is more versatile. For example, in Afghanistan, soldiers wrapped two edges and sewed them with thread. Such a raincoat-tent, having passed two sticks into the resulting fabric tubes, was used as an improvised stretcher for carrying the wounded. Yes, even it is necessary to increase the size of the cloth itself. The average height of a soldier in comparison with 1909 has increased by at least 20-30 cm.

However, it seems that since 1910 no one has been engaged in the modernization of the soldier's raincoat and does not want to do it. But already during the Second World War, the Wehrmacht had much more comfortable, practical raincoat-tents made of waterproof canvas fabric. In addition, the German raincoat-tent had a two-sided camouflage color and could be used as a camouflage cover. There are excellent examples of the American poncho-type raincoat.

In general, it is rather strange - our army took over the German bowler (the Red Army entered the war with a soldier's copper bowler from the First World War, which was just a saucepan with a bow). A modern Russian army bowler hat is an exact copy of a German bowler hat (by the way, a Czech-style bowler hat is more convenient than a German one). But the German water bottle is not. And it is more convenient than ours, because closed on top with a mug. You don't need to have a mug separately. The German flat three-light flashlight under the KSF brand was adopted, but the raincoat was not adopted. The Central Military Service is constantly inventing some kind of backpacks, suitcases, field portable kitchens for 5-10-20 people (who will carry them and how?). And the soldier, as he dragged his things in an orphan sidor, and drags, like a mok in an outdated raincoat-tent, and gets wet.

In the picture, a German submachine gunner from the Second World War in a 1931 model raincoat (the German army was forbidden to have, and the authorities were already thinking how best to dress a soldier of the future Wehrmacht!).

Literature

1. Manual on military engineering for the Soviet Army. Military publishing house. Moscow. 1984

2.I. Ulyanov, O. Leonov. History of Russian troops. Regular infantry. 1698-1801. Moscow. AST. 1995.

3. I. Ulyanov. History of Russian troops. Regular infantry. 1801-1855. Moscow. AST. 1996.

4. I. Ulyanov, O. Leonov. History of the Russian troops. Regular infantry. 1855-1918. Moscow. AST. 1998.

5.S. Drobyazko, A Karashchuk. World War II 1939-1945. Russian Liberation Army. Moscow. AST. 1998.

6.S. Drobyazko, I. Savchenkov. World War II 1939-1945. Infantry of the Wehrmacht. Moscow. AST. 1999.

In addition to the external component, the functional is also important in the form. A soldier of any country on the battlefield must be comfortably and practically uniform.
According to art critic M.R. Kirsanova, in war, they recognize friends and foes by their uniforms. S.V. Struchev, a costume designer, adds to this statement: “To see who to shoot at. Because the contact between the shooter and the enemy is visual. "

USSR

The Red Army soldiers were well equipped at any time of the year. In summer, caps and helmets were used. The most common helmet was SSh-40. Semyon Budyonny participated in its creation, checking the helmet with saber strikes and shooting a revolver. In winter, caps with earflaps with earflaps were introduced, which protected well from frost. The lightweight uniform also included cotton gymnastics with breast welt pockets, wide trousers. Soldiers could store things in backpacks or duffel bags. They drank water from glass flasks suspended from a belt in a sack. Grenades were also worn on the belt - in special bags. In addition, the kit included a bag for a gas mask and cartridges. Ordinary Red Army men wore raincoats that could be used as raincoats. In winter, the uniform was complemented by a sheepskin coat or wadded jacket with a quilted jacket, fur mittens, felt boots and wadded trousers.

The uniform of the Red Army seemed to be thought out to the smallest detail: there was even a compartment for an ax in the 1942 duffel bag. This is how one of the Red Army soldiers described the condition of his clothes in a letter: "My clothes are pretty shabby and are of no value to the house." And so professor P.M. spoke about the army uniform. Shurygin, participant of the Battle of Rzhev: “Soon we will receive quilted trousers, quilted jackets, warm underwear. With snow they will give boots. The material is solid, so you wonder where so much of this beautiful material comes from. " From the memoirs it is clear that the uniform of the Red Army soldier was of high quality and practical. Numerous pockets, bags for ammunition greatly facilitated military life.

Germany

The uniform of German soldiers was sewn at the Hugo Boss factory. It included: a steel helmet with a double-sided cover, an overcoat, a gas mask case, a belt, rifle pouches, a raincoat, a bowler hat. The Wehrmacht's uniform was complete for European territory. The frosty Eastern Front demanded a completely different approach. The first winter the soldiers were freezing. We have already prepared for the second one: insulated jackets, quilted pants, as well as woolen gloves, sweaters and socks were introduced into the uniform. But that was not enough.

Despite the fact that the Soviet uniform was much heavier and easier to manufacture, it was considered more suitable for military operations in the winter. Yuri Girev, reenactor of the Eastern Frontier club, comments on the difference in the uniforms of the key powers as follows: “The uniform of a Red Army soldier was much warmer than the uniform of the Germans. On their feet, our soldiers wore barnyard boots. Boots with windings were used more often. " One of the German representatives of the Wehrmacht wrote in a message to his relatives: “Passing through Gumrak, I saw a crowd of our retreating soldiers, they weave in a wide variety of uniforms, wrapping all kinds of clothing around themselves, just to keep warm. Suddenly one soldier falls into the snow, others pass by indifferently.

Britannia

British soldiers wore field uniforms: a collared blouse or woolen shirt, a steel helmet, loose trousers, a gas mask, a holster with a long belt, black boots and overcoats. By the start of World War II, a new uniform was adopted. The regular units of the British army received it last, because first it was necessary to uniform the recruits and those whose clothes had already lost their dignified appearance. In the course of the war, minor changes took place: the collar and other elements of clothing had a lining so that coarse twill would not rub, buckles began to be produced with teeth.

Often, British soldiers had to wear a heavy tropal raincoat with a down lining. In order not to freeze, they wore knitted comforters under their helmets. Russian historian Igor Drogovoz praised the British uniform at its true worth: “The uniform of soldiers and officers of the British army has become a role model for all armies of Europe. Very soon the entire European military class began to dress in khaki jackets, and in boots with windings, Soviet soldiers took Berlin in 1945. "

USA

The uniform of American soldiers is objectively considered the most comfortable and thoughtful for the conditions of the Second World War. They were guided by it even when developing uniforms in the post-war period. The uniform consisted of a woolen shirt, a light field jacket, trousers with linen leggings, low brown boots, a helmet or a cap. All of these things have replaced the twill jumpsuit. All the clothes of the US soldiers differed in functionality: the jacket was fastened with a zipper and buttons, and was equipped with slotted pockets on the sides. The best outfit of the Americans was the Arctic set, consisting of a warm parka jacket and lace-up boots with fur.

Japan

During the Second World War, the Japanese had three types of uniforms. Each of them included a uniform, trousers, an overcoat and a cape. For warm weather, a cotton version was provided, for cold weather - a woolen one. The outfit also included a helmet, boots or boots. For Japanese soldiers, military operations in winter conditions are operations in northern China, Manchuria and Korea. It was there that the most insulated form was used. Naturally, it was not suitable for the harsh climate, because it was an overcoat with fur cuffs, quilted woolen trousers and underpants. In general, it is difficult to call Japanese uniforms functional. It was only suitable for certain latitudes with a tropical climate.

Italy

During World War II, Italian soldiers wore a shirt and tie, a single-breasted tunic with a waist belt, breeches with windings or woolen socks-golfs, ankle boots. Some soldiers found it more comfortable to wear breeches. The uniforms were not suitable for winter campaigns. The overcoat was made of cheap coarse cloth, which did not warm at all in the cold. The army was not equipped with winter clothing. Insulated options were available only to representatives of the mountain troops. The Italian newspaper "Province of Como" in 1943 noted that only a tenth of the soldiers during their stay in Russia were equipped with a uniform suitable for this. In their memoirs, the fighters wrote that at times the temperature reached minus 42 degrees, so many died from frostbite, and not during military operations. The statistics of the Italian command report that in the first winter alone 3,600 soldiers suffered from hypothermia.

France

French soldiers fought in colored uniforms. They were outfitted in single-breasted tunics with buttons, double-breasted overcoats with side pocket flaps. The flaps of the greatcoat could be closed back to make walking easier. There were belt loops on the clothes. The foot troops wore coiled breeches. Headdresses were of three types. The most popular was the kepi. Adrian's helmets were also actively worn, which had an emblem depicted on the front. Apart from the appearance, this helmet could hardly boast of anything else. It did not provide protection against bullets. In very cold weather, the French uniform expanded its range to a sheepskin sheepskin coat. Such clothes can hardly be called optimal for different weather conditions.

The best uniform of American soldiers has become the inspiration for all modern field clothing. It was distinguished by functionality and thoughtful appearance. They did not freeze in it, and this was one of the decisive factors in the war.

Waterproof cape refers to wearable camping tents intended for one person. The material for their execution, as a rule, is a waterproof fabric, which simultaneously serves as a raincoat and a tent. In case of special need, they can also be used as stretchers or drags for transporting soldiers wounded in battle or sick.

From the history of the emergence of raincoats

It is known that in 1882, raincoats were an obligatory attribute of soldiers' camping equipment. Such a cloak looked like a light gray bundle, which the soldiers carried over their shoulders and tied with belts to overcoat rolls. The set of tents included wooden pegs and racks, which were pushed between the tents and rolls.

It should be noted that for that time it was a revolutionary decision. For the first time, soldiers received protective equipment from bad weather, at a halt, and also on the march. And that was important. Previously, the camp tents of soldiers were transported in second-rate carts, which, according to the regulations, followed the regiments at a distance equal to half a day's march, which usually amounted to as much as 20-30 versts. Now the soldiers had personal resting places that could be installed at any time of the day.

At first, the tents were simple panels with holes in the corners for ease of installation. However, the soldiers more often covered with tents from the rains on the marches. They learned to use tents as a raincoat. The authorities took a closer look at the soldier's behavior, and in 1910 the tents were modernized.

In Soviet times, since 1936, the command and enlisted personnel in the rifle units of the Red Army were provided with a set of raincoats, which included:

Cloak-tent cloth with dimensions of 180 × 180 cm;
Collapsible rack, which includes two half-racks-rods 65 cm long;
Two jokes;
Lacing rope.

In the case of skillful use, the raincoat-tents became excellent protection of commanders and Red Army men from inclement weather. Moreover, these attributes were used to disguise and carry the wounded. Also, with the help of raincoats stuffed with hay or straw, it was possible to overcome water obstacles.

From such raincoats, tents for personnel for half of the compartment, and they were also equipped with tents, visors, covered tents, open trenches, entrances to dugouts. In addition, the cloths could serve as bedding and blankets. Since 1942, the defense industry began to produce fabrics with double-sided camouflage to improve the camouflage properties of the raincoat.

Cloak tent today

After 1910, the soldier's raincoat tents no longer changed (apart from minor modifications) and remained until the beginning of the 21st century. It is clear that these days they are hopelessly outdated. In our time, these are no longer raincoats or tents.

So, in the case of putting on in the form of a raincoat, it is immediately discovered that the front of the panel is almost missing to the knees. Drops dripping from the cloth soon make the knees wet. The angle selected from behind when moving makes it possible to drain water alternately into one or the other boot. If you bent it, then it will drag with a rustling, clinging to anything and get dirty. The material for the cloth itself is outdated - it is an ordinary thin tent fabric that does not have a serious water-repellent impregnation. Those who have served in the army know that in a couple of hours the raincoat will get wet and will not protect at all from the rain.

Despite the fact that the raincoat-tents are currently not able to fulfill the real tasks assigned to them, no one particularly objects to them and does not demand to update them with something appropriate that meets today's realities.

Today raincoat tents are used as:

Litter while cleaning weapons in the field;
Litter when firing from a machine gun;
Improvised tablecloths when eating in the field;
For the transfer of bread and other food;
Stretcher for carrying out swept dry leaves and other litter;
A stretcher for carrying sick or wounded soldiers;
Beds on bunks in camping tents;
Doors in barracks or houses dilapidated from shelling;
Material for closing windows in destroyed dwellings;
In any other case, when a strong dense fabric is required.

For protection from rain, the well-known combined arms protective kit (OZK) is more effective today.

As often happens, since 1910, no one has been modernizing soldiers' raincoats, and such a problem is not even raised. And this despite the fact that even during the Second World War, the Wehrmacht had more comfortable, practical raincoat-tents made of waterproof tarpaulin. In addition, the German raincoat-tents had a double-sided camouflage color and could be used as a camouflage cover. There are also excellent examples of the American poncho-type raincoat.

Cloak Tents - Bundeswehr

The 1931 Zeltbahn Tent (Zeltbahn 31) was released as a replacement for the earlier square designs. They were originally known as the "Warei patterns". The tents were triangular panels of waterproof cotton gabardines, and were used as multipurpose shelters, bedding to lie on the ground, and raincoats. There was a dark camouflage image on one side and a light one on the other. Collectors refer to these camouflage patterns as "tri-color (brown and two shades of green) comminuted camouflage."

Before the end of the war, most of the raincoats had dark, double-sided images. A limited number of reed green or light bronze colors were produced for North Africa. However, continental models were widespread.

German tents were 203x250 cm in size, on the shorter side sides there were 12 buttons with loops. The underside had six button loops and six small rings. A tightening rope was threaded through them, and 6 more buttons were sewn just above the buttonholes.

Buttons and loops on the short sides of the tents were used to attach to additional tent sections and thus fold a general tent of any size. When the tent was used as a raincoat, buttons with loops at the base of the cloth were fastened around the legs. In the middle of the panel there was a cut for the head. It was overlapped with two strips of fabric.

As soon as the raincoat-tents were introduced, detachable triangular hoods were attached to them, which were soon abolished. With the help of large metal rings at the corners of the tent panels, it was possible to stretch the tents to be erected using ropes or stakes.

With the help of connected one or two tents, it was possible to form hut-type shelters from the rain. From four connected raincoats, a pyramidal tent could be obtained, in which four soldiers could fit. There were standard methods of building tents for 8-16 persons. For this, there was a whole set of tent accessories that was worn in a bag.

When we used the tent panels as raincoats, we used three options for wearing them: foot, cavalry and scooter. The tents were used as bedding or pillows, and when they were stuffed with hay or twigs, they were used as a floating craft.

In the Second World War, many items of equipment were used that were developed in the late 19th - early 20th centuries: some were radically improved, others with minimal technological changes.

The Reichswehr of the Weimar Republic inherited the ammunition of the Kaiser's army. True, it was made of steel from better materials, improved, modernized, adjusted to the standard. With the beginning of the Second World War! already outdated equipment was supplied to the militia and rear, and with the transfer of hostilities to the territory of Germany - and the formation of the Volkssturm.

Ammunition was produced by state-owned enterprises in the system of the General Directorate for uniforms and equipment of the Wehrmacht, as well as various private companies. Outwardly, the products of the latter sometimes differed from the standard breech - for example, better finish, quality of seams, and of course. of course, by marking. Some items were issued centrally, others, mostly for officers, were acquired privately. with monetary compensation of costs.

Field equipment was distinguished by rationality of design, strength with a relatively low weight, ease of use. By the end of the war, the quality of the materials used deteriorated: various ersatz, low-grade raw materials were used. The leather was replaced with tarpaulin and plastic; tarpaulin in turn with linen, etc. At the end of 1944, an attempt was made to completely standardize the equipment in terms of materials and colors, to introduce a single one - the general army type. But six months later, the question disappeared - along with the fall of the Reich.

By the beginning of the campaign to the east, a significant part of the metal and parts - pots, shovels. Gas mask cases - they began to paint not in dark gray, as before, but in olive green. Since 1943, the predominant color for all military equipment has become a dark yellow color - as a natural basis for applying darker camouflages, ocher painting was carried out directly at the manufacturing plant.

Along with the marked colors, the ground forces also used the bluish gray, widely used in the Luftwaffe, to paint some parts.

Many items of equipment were covered with leather, both black and all shades of brown - up to natural. Black and dark brown tones were used in soldier and special equipment, light brown in officers. Leather of different colors in one piece was usually not used.

Canvas belts and braids are also characteristic of pre-war ammunition, but they became especially widespread since 1943. Sometimes the canvas was replaced by cotton fabric folded in several layers and stitched. Such products were painted in the color of fieldgrau, gray, green, brown, beige shades. Metal fittings: buckles, staples, washers, rings and half rings - had a natural metal tone or were covered with a fieldgrau or another shade of gray. An attempt to introduce a single dark gray color for all types of troops was not entirely successful.


This stamp, embossed on leather, along with information on the manufacturer, also indicated the place and year of issue. Manufacturer's stamp on the pot. Under the abbreviated name of the company, the last two digits (41) indicate the year of manufacture. The stamp of acceptance of the military department on the marching flask.

Infantry shooter. He carries two cartridge pouches for a 98k carbine.	Stock captain with brown waist belt.	The company commander of an infantry regiment in field uniforms. He carried 2 bags with magazines for the MP machine. binoculars, wiauiuem and holster.

A 1940 infantry regiment shooter with typical weapons and equipment.	Different types of machines for a combat backpack, "trapeze" and bags for combat load.	Feldwebel of the 91st Mountain Jaegers Regiment, Hungary 1944

Usually, pouches for the MP-Z8 and MP-40 submachine guns were worn in pairs. Each pouch had 3 slots, and each was placed on both of them and 32 rounds of 9 mm caliber. The pictures show pouches made of brown canvas, a small pocket is visible on the side. There was a store charging device. On the back of the pouch you can see the knee straps for attaching to the waist belt.

Officer equipment

A wide waist belt with a frame two-toothed buckle and an adjustable shoulder harness was fitted with genuine leather of various shades of brown: light, orange, reddish. The order that followed in July 1943 to blacken items of equipment for camouflage was not always carried out: as already noted. the brown belt was revered as a symbol of officer dignity.

The 1934 model belt was worn not only by combat officers, but also by military officials of equal rank, doctors, veterinarians, bandmasters, senior fenrichs. The frame of the buckle was made of an aluminum alloy with a grained surface of matte silver or gray, the general's was covered with matte gilding. A two-piece shoulder strap with a movable buckle was equipped with two flat hooks-carabiners for fastening to the half-rings of the couplings.

A pistol holster was hung from the belt. and at the front and a field bag - a service tablet of the 1935 model, or one of its many commercial versions, acquired by officers at their own expense, or - at the end of the war - a simplified press-shtoff made of artificial leather. If necessary, a bayonet in an officer's brown blade, a saber, and a dagger were hung on the belt.

From the end of September 1939, senior officers of the active army were banned from wearing a shoulder strap, and soon this ban extended to all officers of combat units. Instead, they were allowed to use in combat conditions: for lieutenants - a soldier's belt with a badge and shoulder straps with auxiliary straps; for captains and above - belts of a cavalry type, with narrow straight shoulders. (Later, in 1940, the corresponding standards changed somewhat, but on the Eastern Front, officers wore belts with a frame buckle, sometimes with a shoulder harness.) And in November 1939, officers of the active army were ordered to wear soldier's belts in combat conditions: a black belt - up to the regiment commander, inclusive: supporting shoulder (both infantry and cavalry models) - regardless of rank. But the officers preferred their own, "native" - \u200b\u200bbrown equipment.


Cloak-tent mod. 1931 with camouflage. One side of the raincoat was covered with a dark "shrapnel" camouflage, and the other side was light. This is clearly visible in the picture. Three short tension cables were secured with pegs.	Reich, 1935. Gunners wear straps for ammunition bags. After the introduction in 1941 of a harness with additional belts, later only officers had it.	In front of the camouflage tent, a medical soldier is stationed. Medical personnel often wore highly visible insignia (a red cross in a business circle) to carry out their tasks at zero milking. He usually had a metal box of first aid supplies. Helmets with red crosses were no longer used in the second half of the war.

Pistol holsters

The German army was filled with pistols like no other. The pistol was not only the personal weapon of each officer, but also an additional one for the machine gunner, squad leader, tanker, and parachutist. sapper, motorcyclist, military police officer, as well as soldiers and non-commissioned officers of many other specialties.

The officer's holsters were fitted with smooth leather, roughly the same color as the waist belt; for soldiers, non-commissioned officers and all SS - black. And at the end of the war, various ersatz were used for those, others and still others. The most widespread - according to pistols - were holsters for P-08 Luger, better known as Parabellum, Walther P-38 iodine of two types, and for pistols of 7.65 caliber - for the "Long Browning" 1910/22. Walter PP and PPK. Mauser and some others. Many small pistol holsters were suitable for multiple systems.

The holsters iodine 9-mm "Parabellum" and Walter were similar - wedge-shaped. with a deep hinged lid of a complex rounded shape, with a pocket for a spare clip on the front edge of the case. The first, under the P-08, was fastened on an oblique strap with a buckle: the second, under the P-38. had a deeper cover and a vertical fastening strap, either locked with a button, or passed through a bracket in a slot in a metal plate on the valve (there were other options for fastening it). Inside the lid there was a nest with a lid for cleaning, and an exhaust strap was passed into the slot of the case. Two loops for a waist belt were sewn on the back. There was also a swing version of the Walter holster - with a side pocket for a spare magazine. The lid in the form of a flat valve with rounded corners was fastened with a strap to a stud button on a triangular valve that covered the trigger guard.

The 1922 Browning holster had springy straps riveted to the flat lid flap; a wide sleeve for a hip belt slid over them. A hinged strap was attached to the lid pin, attached to the body by a quadrangular ring; in the nose of the holster there was a small eyelet for the retaining cord. The clip pocket was placed on the front edge, like on the P-08 holster.

Large holsters were worn, as a rule, on the left - it was more convenient to pull out a long pistol. Small ones - which were used for the most part by senior officers and generals, as well as rear ranks - could be worn on the right. A wooden holster-attachment to the Mauser K-96 with leather fastening pockets and straps was worn on the shoulder with the help of a suspension or behind a belt, like the likes of it - to Browning 07 and UP. to the long Luger.


The Wehrmacht used various types of pistols, including samples of captured weapons. Officers had to carry pistols and more often opted for a 7.65mm caliber, such as the Walter pistol (pictured # 1), which was worn in a brown leather holster. The holster for other pistols P 38 (No. 2) and P 08 (No. З), both 9 mm caliber, was made of black leather. All three holsters had a pocket for a spare clip.		The 1935 obranz tablet could be made from brown or black rut. It had two knee loops for attaching to a waist belt and was worn on the left according to the regulations. On the front, it had slots for pencils, a ruler, and an eraser. Inside the bag there were two compartments that held the cards in a protective case.

Tablets, bags, binoculars, flashlights

The officer's field tablet, or bag for maps, model 1935 was made of smooth or grained leather: various shades of brown for the army, black for the SS troops. It was also used by senior non-commissioned officers. During the war, the color changed to gray, and natural leather to artificial.

Inside the tablet there were partitions, transparent celluloid plates for cards. On the front of the case were leather pencil pockets - usually along the ruler pocket - and sockets for other tools. The options for their placement were different: along with the standard state-owned ones, commercial products were used.

The valve could cover the tablet entirely, half, or only its upper third, fastening either with a leather tongue with a buckle, or with a bracket that passes through the slots in the plates riveted to the valve - the cover tongue was passed into it. Domestic field bags were closed in a similar way. They wore German tablets either hanging by the loops on a waist belt, or on an overstretched strap with an adjustment buckle.

Almost all binoculars were equipped with a neck strap with a fastened leather or plastic cover to protect the eyepieces and a leather loop attached to the frame of the case for attaching a jacket to the button. State-made binoculars were covered with black ersatz leather and painted in fieldgrau or dark yellow; private firms used natural leather and black varnish for these purposes. Cases were made of natural or artificial leather - black or brown, as well as of plastics such as Bakelite; on the sidewalls, half rings were attached for fastening a belt, on the back wall - leather loops for a belt. The lid fastener was elastic. with a peephole on the tongue and a pin on the case; there were also spring-loaded ones, like on gas mask cases. The location of the binocular case was determined by the presence of other equipment.

There were many examples of service flashlights with colored signal or camouflage filters. The rectangular body, metal or plastic, was painted in black, fieldgrau. dark yellow, and whitened in winter. A leather loop was attached to the back for attaching clothes to a button or other similar devices.

The bag of the Hauptfeldwebel - the company foreman, in which he kept the forms of reports, lists of personnel, writing materials. - did not have fasteners and, according to tradition, was worn overboard a tunic or jacket.

Infantry equipment

The standard equipment of an infantryman was the base for many other types of troops. Its basis was a waist belt - mainly of thick smooth leather, black, less often brown, about 5 cm wide.On the right end, a stamped aluminum or steel (and at the end of the war, bakelite) buckle with a grained or smooth surface, silver or painted in fieldgrau color, khaki, gray. In the center was stamped a round medallion with an imperial eagle, surrounded by the motto "God is with us." The buckle was adjusted using a tongue sewn to the belt with paired holes, into which the teeth of the inner sleeve entered. The hook of the left end of the belt was hooked into the loop of the buckle.

The next important component of the equipment was the Y-shaped support straps - two overpowered and one on the back. Similar ones were used back in the First World War, and in 1939 new ones were introduced, with riveted side straps for a knapsack of the same year or a combat backrest. The tapered ends of the shoulders with sewn leather stops had a number of holes, which included the teeth of the adjusting buckles: the galvanized buckles ended in wide stamped hooks that clung to the semicircular or quadrangular rings of pouches or movable belt couplings. The length of the side straps with rings was adjusted with cufflinks and slots, as was the case for the back strap, which was hooked from the bottom to the middle of the belt, and for a tall soldier - to the ring of the movable sleeve. The backrest was connected to the shoulder straps with a large round ring with a lining leather washer. Behind on the shoulders. above the central ring, large half-rings were sewn to attach the upper hooks of the hiking or assault backpacks, as well as other ammunition.

Simplified canvas equipment of a similar purpose was used in North Africa along with leather, and after the capitulation of the Africa army in May 1943, it began to be produced for continental troops, mainly in the western theater of operations. However, at the end of the war, canvas belts, ranging from greenish yellow to dark brown, were found in abundance on the Eastern Front.


Oberfeldwebel of the 3rd Motorcycle Infantry Battalion (3rd Panzer Division). Various items of military equipment are visible on the wheelchair.	The soldiers of the reserve army in most cases carried only one cartridge bag.	Occasionally, army units also used camouflage colors such as the Luftwaffe or the North S. In the picture, two officers are wearing camouflage jackets of the Luftwaffe field division.

Number two (right) with a carbine and a pistol. He has two boxes of ammunition (300 rounds each) for the machine gun and accessories for the Type 36 light grenade launcher behind him.	Hand grenades with a handle mod. 24 and packing boxes for carrying them.	Several ammunition boxes, a field telephone and a hand-held anti-tank cumulative magnetic mine.

Pouches for clips and magazines for small arms

Three-section pouches for clips for the Mauser rifle model 1884 98 used in the First World War. Standardized in 1933 as a general army. the pouch of the 1911 model differed from the similar one, the 1909 model... in a smaller capacity - six clips (30 cartridges). In combat units, the arrows wore two pouches - to the left and to the right of the buckle; the troops of the second echelon made do with one, stationed depending on other equipment. The hook of the shoulder strap clung to the ring on the upper part of the back wall of the pouch, the lids were fastened with straps for the pins on the bottoms of the pockets. there were belt loops at the back.

Soldier. armed with a pistol and machine gun of the 1938-40 model. (usually one for a division of riflemen with rifles), kept magazines to him in paired triple pouches but both sides of the belt buckle. They also carried magazines for submachine guns of other systems under the 9 mm cartridge. Each pocket for a 32-pagron magazine had a flap with a leather tongue fastened on a hairpin. The pouch was a khaki or beige tarpaulin; before the war there was also a leather pouch - with a pocket for a gear attachment sewn onto the left front pouch. On a canvas pocket with a flap on the button was sewn on the back side. 11 on the back wall of the pouch there were leather loops sewn at an angle for the waist belt, so the pouches were worn obliquely, with the covers forward. Leather straps with half rings were perpendicular from the sides for attaching to iudderl_vakzhtsiy belts.

Soldiers, armed with a self-loading rifle of the 1943 model, carried four spare magazines on a belt on the left in a two-piece pouch, usually canvas, with leather edging. On the right was the most common three-section pouch made of black leather.


		Machine gunner (1st number). For self-defense, in addition to the MG-34 machine gun, he also had a pistol, which was located on the left waist belt. On the right side, he carried a bag with tools for the MG-34 machine gun.

The MG 34 machine gun was a wide range of weapons: it could be used as a light and as a heavy machine gun. Its theoretical rate of fire was 800-900 rounds per minute. Machine gunners wore a tool bag on their waist belt, which housed a cartridge case ejector (1) a sight for firing at planes (2), a cartridge case extractor (3), a fragment of a machine gun belt (4), an oil can (5), a mounting key (6), rags (7) and muzzle pad (8).

In the second half of the war, the MG 42 machine gun appeared, which was also used by both light and heavy machine guns. The new machine gun was lighter, stronger and cheaper to manufacture than the MG 34. Its theoretical rate of fire was 1300-1400 rounds per minute. It gained legendary fame and is still the best machine gun of its caliber. Its modified samples are still used in various armies.

Equipment worn on the belt

The blade for the bayonet of the 1884/98 rifle was made of leather, usually black, with a grained surface. On the tapering glass of the blade there was a slot for a hook holding the scabbard, and at the upper end, forming a loop for a waist belt, there was a swivel with a button for attaching the hilt. A lanyard was tied over the glass (on the Eastern Front, it was almost never met).

A small infantry shovel - folding German with a pointed end, non-folding Austrian with a pentagonal blade, straight non-folding German, captured Polish, or some other of those used in the German army - was hung by one or two belt loops on the left thigh behind - in a frame cover made of black or brown leather, black ersatz "press-shtoff" or tarpaulin tape. A bayonet in the blade was attached to the blade, the loop of which was located between the loops of the blade cover. The bayonet could be placed in front of the shoulder blade if its cover was with a single loop.

Small infantry shovel - folding German with a pointed end, non-folding Austrian with a pentagonal blade, straight non-folding German, captured Polish, or some other of those used in the German army. - was hung by one or two belt loops on the left thigh at the back - in a frame cover made of black or brown leather, from black ersatz "press-shtoff" or from a canvas webbing. A bayonet in the blade was attached to the blade, the loop of which was located between the loops of the blade cover. The bayonet could be placed in front of the shoulder blade if its cover was with a single loop.

A characteristic feature of German equipment is a dry bag, or a bread bag. With some modifications, it has been used since the last century. A large flap with a semicircular bottom completely covered the bag from 1931, fastened to the internal straps with slits for buttons. On the outside, it had two leather belt loops to keep the bag from swaying. In its upper corners, near the loops, leather ears with half rings were sewn for a bowler hat, flask and other items. The bag, belt loops, strap with a hook between them were canvas or canvas, usually gray or field-grain. At the end of the war, brown tones predominated. khaki, olive. Some bags were additionally equipped with a shoulder strap. A pocket with an external valve for rifle accessories was sewn to the products of the latest releases. The bag was used to store bread or crackers (hence its name) - a part of a dry ration or NZ ("iron portion"). toiletries, shaving and cutlery, undershirt, gun accessories, cap (cap), etc. In fact, in the field, with a lightweight layout, it served as a small duffel bag, largely replacing the knapsack. It was always worn from the right behind.

An aluminum flask of the 1931 model with a capacity of 800 ml, with a screw cap and an oval cup, was painted gray or black, subsequently olive green. A strap with a buckle, which was included in the brackets on the glass and wrapped around the flask but vertically in front and behind. it was threaded into leather loops on a cloth, the color of felzgrau or brown, a case that was fastened on the side with three buttons, and its flat hook-carbine was fastened to the half rings of equipment or a biscuit bag. At the end of the war, steel flasks appeared - enameled or covered with red-brown phenolic rubber, which protected the contents only from frost - in this case, the flask had an additional strap around the circumference. The conical drinking cups could be steel or black Bakelite; they were also attracted by a strap held in brackets. Mountain troops and orderlies used one and a half liter flasks of a similar device. discontinued in 1943

The combined kettle of the 1931 model .. copied in many countries, including the USSR, was made of aluminum, and since 1943 - of steel. Until April 1941 pots with a capacity of 1.7 liters were painted gray, then they switched to olive green (however, the paint on the field was often peeled off). A fastening strap was passed into the brackets of the folding handle of the bowl lid. In the presence of knapsacks of old samples, the bowler hat was worn outside, with later ones - inside them. With a lightweight layout, he either fastened to a cracker bag next to the flask, or clung to a back strap or a braided combat pack. NZ was kept inside the pot.


Introduced in April 1939, the black shoulder straps were intended to support the infantryman's ammunition. The backrest was connected to the shoulder straps with a knee on a leather lining. A knapsack model 1939 was attached to it. In the photo there are different angles of infantryman's harness belts, including Y-shaped belts - two overpowered and one on the back.



	A dark green bowler hat consists of two parts - a lid and a body.

A hiking flask equipped with a black lacquered aluminum mug was produced until 1941. It was placed in a felt bag. The picture on the right clearly shows the attachment of the flask with a leather strap and a carabiner to a bread bag. The picture below shows a later edition flask with a small black Bakelite mug and a canvas strap.	The gas mask for each soldier consisted of a gas mask in a cylindrical test case and a protective cape against liquid poisonous substances. To the soldiers. those wearing glasses were given special glasses that could be fixed inside a gas mask. 1. Gas mask, 1930 model. 2. Special glasses with a flat case, below is an ophthalmologist's prescription. 3-5. From left to right: Gas mask cases, model 1930 (Reichswehr model), model 1936 and 1938

Chemical and protective equipment

The cylindrical gas mask case-canister had a longitudinally corrugated surface and a lid on a hinge hinge and a spring latch. A shoulder strap made of braid tilted to two brackets at the lid, and a strap with a hook that clung to the belt or rings of equipment tilted to the bracket at the bottom.

In a case of the 1930 model, a gas mask of the same model was usually placed with a mask made of rubberized fabric, with a round filter screwed on the stigma and with tightening elastic straps made of rubber-fabric tape. The 1938 gas mask case had a shallower cover. and the mask is entirely rubber.

A box with a degassing agent and napkins was placed in the lid. The factory painting of the gas mask cases is the color of feldgrau, but on the Eastern Front they were often repainted. and covered with whitewash or lime in winter. Cases sample 1930 and 1938 were interchangeable.

According to the rules in the infantry, the gas mask was stirred with a lid forward over a cracker bag, slightly below the waist belt, but also with a lid backwards - how. for example, machine gunners or those whose special equipment was covered by a gas mask. A shoulder strap and a hook strap kept the case in an almost horizontal position. Drivers and motorcyclists wore a gas mask on a shortened shoulder strap horizontally on the chest, with the cap to the right; cavalrymen - on the right thigh, passing the strap under the waist belt; in mountain troops - horizontally, behind the backpack, with the lid to the right. In transport vehicles, the gas mask case was placed on the knee by releasing the strap. Well, in combat conditions, it was placed as it is more convenient for someone - both on the left side, and vertically, and on the shoulder strap, and strapped to the equipment.

An oilcloth bag for an anti-chemical ("anti-pressure") cape was fastened to the strap of the gas mask case or directly to its corrugated canister.

The 1931 triangular raincoat-tent was cut from gabardine impregnated with cotton with a three-color "comminuted" camouflage - dark on one side and light on the other (at the end of the war, the pattern was dark on both sides). The head slot in the center was overlapped by two flaps. The tent could be worn like a poncho, and with buttoned floors it showed a kind of raincoat. There were ways to wear it for walking, motorcycle riding and riding. The tent was used as a bedding or pillow, and two - stuffed with hay and rolled into a steering wheel - served as a good floating craft. With the help of loops and buttons on the edges, the sections of the tents could be docked into large panels for group shelters. Eyelets on the corners and on the sides of the middle seam at the base made it possible to tighten the panel with ropes and stakes during installation. A rolled up tent and a bag with accessories to it were carried, fastened either to the shoulder straps, or to the assault pack, or at the belt. They would attach it to the backpack - or put it inside it. At the end of the war, tents were supplied only to selected field units. Then the German army did not disdain the old square times of Kaiser Wilhelm II and the captured Soviet ones with a hood.

Special infantry equipment

The quadrangular black leather pouch for MG-34 and MG-42 machine gun accessories had a flip-up cover with a strap. fastened with a button on the bottom, and on the back wall there is a fastener for belts: two loops - for a waistband and a four-neck or semicircular ring - for a hook of a shoulder support belt. At the end of the war, pouches began to be made of black or light beige "press stock". An asbestos tack for removing the hot barrel was often placed under the outer strap of the pouch box.

Interchangeable barrels were stored in hinged cases, 1 or 2 each, which were worn over the right shoulder with a strap and worn behind the back. The commander of the heavy machine gun crew placed the case with two optical sights in the same way. All machine gunners were armed with a "Parabellum" (less often - Walter P-38), worn in a black holster on the left side.

Hand grenades were kept in double canvas flat bags with flaps and a connecting strap worn around the neck: they were subsequently worn only by the canvas handle. M-24 grenades with a long wooden handle were also placed in them, for which, however, there were also special bags (5 pieces each) made of coarse burlap with a tied neck and two straps: one thrown over the neck, the other around the lower back. But much more often these hand grenades were thrust into the belt, over the tops of boots, over the side of the tunic. tied to an entrenching tool. A special vest for wearing them - with five deep pockets. stitched on the front and back and fastened with straps - rarely used at the front.


From November 1939, officers of the active army had to wear a belt on their field uniform. The waist belt was made of black leather with bunks of holes and ended with a buckle with two pins.	Hand grenades-lemons, sample 1939	Eastern Front 1941. A messenger on a motorcycle talks to the commander of a Panzer 1 Ausf tank. The motorcyclist has a gas mask in the front. This was the usual way of wearing it around the neck for motorcyclists.

Machine gunner (1st number) of the infantry regiment.	Trench tool. A short shoulder blade and a carrying bag. The small photo below shows how you wear it.	Different angles of the folding shovel and the way it is carried. When assembled, the shovel bayonet is fixed with a special nut. The bayonet of this shovel can be locked at right angles and used as a hoe.