Description
Physical description
Rucksack
History note
Although the kingdoms of Bavaria and Wurttemberg had successfully used mountain troops during the First World War, specialist mountain infantry were a relatively new concept in the German Army of the 1930s. The Gebirgsjaeger, recruited mainly from the mountainous regions of southern Germany and (after the 1938 'Anschluss' Austria, were an elite of light infantry, specialists in mountain operations and therefore denied the wealth of supporting elements that standard infantry formations might enjoy. Consequently the Gebirgstruppen needed to be supremely fit and carried all they would personally need for operations in their distinctive rucksacks. Specialists in mountain warfare, they were equipped with climbing equipment and skis, and additionally issued with special anoraks, trousers, short mountain boots and puttees. However, their most distinctive form of dress was the adoption of the short-peaked Bergmutze field cap, with metal edelweiss badge attached to the left side and the cloth-woven edelweiss patch to the upper right arm. While white piping was the standard adornment for other infantry, light green waffenfarbe was the characteristic insignia colour of the mountain soldiers.
Able to field their own portable artillery and casualty extraction they used pack mules for additional load carrying in the most inaccessible environments and although used highly successfully in their specialist role in Poland, Norway, the Balkans, Russia, Crete, Greece and Italy, they also served in north Africa as conventional infantry and were later squandered in many defensive battles as Germany's military aspirations reversed.
The most important item of personal equipment was the mountain soldier's rucksack, as it enabled him to carry not only the standard items that conventional infantrymen would need but also the special requirements for his role, for example cold weather clothing, additional ammunition and rations. Initially issued with the standard M1931 rucksack made of hardwearing olive green canvas with black or brown leather trim and straps, it outwardly featured a single large stowage compartment that was closed by a drawstring and flap that was secured by three external leather straps and had a large rectangular-shaped pocket to the rear, with one at either side.
Wartime production M1931 rucksacks were simplified, having only two straps closing the main flap instead of three, deleting the side pockets and exchanging leather shoulder straps for canvas.
In 1941 it was recognized that infantrymen on the Eastern Front required greater load carrying capacity, therefore the 'Battle Rucksack' (Kampf Rucksacken) was developed and often issued to Gebirgstruppen too. Although no standard design was adopted it was influenced by the M1931, and given that contractors who made them had already manufactured commercial rucksacks during peacetime, there was immense variety as the suppliers often continued with their existing designs. In 1942 a rucksack made of white canvas was produced, to be used in conjunction with winter clothing.