Description
Physical description
Single-breasted tunic with stand & fall collar of finely tailored field-grey fabric, piped vertically with white waffenfarbe to eight button front closure. The collar is of bottle green and edged with white waffenfarbe, the Prussian collar patches being of silver wire double-litzen worked on white panels. The collar features tresse around the upper edge and follows to the front of the collar.The bottle green cuffs are of Swedish form, upper edges faced with tresse and piped with white waffenfarbe, having pairs of wire embroidered vertical litzen patches worked on white rectangular backings, each having a single bright silver stipple pattern decorative button attached. Round-ended epaulettes are of stiffened bottle green fabric, decorated with tresse and edged with white waffenfarbe, having single numbered buttons of white metal stipple pattern, '5' being in relief.
To the rear of the tunic at the skirt are matching ornamental false pockets, edged with white waffenfarbe, each displaying three bright silver stipple buttons. The garment is closed to the front by seven bright stipple buttons and a machined silver wire army pattern eagle & swastika hoheitszeichen is sewn to the upper right breast.
To the upper left breast is attached a pair of medals, mounted: Iron Cross, II lass (1939); Commemorative Medal Ist October 1938, entry to Sudetenland.
Beneath these are attached an Iron Cross, I Class (1939); Infantry Assault Badge; War Wound Badge (Black grade), 1939-1945. To the right shoulder is attached an army marksmanship lanyard (2nd pattern, and the tunic is complete with the detachable fabric kragenbinde collar liner.
Label
All ranks of the German Army wore a special uniform for parade and ceremonial dress. Of traditional influence, the waffenrock echoed a form of dress similar to that used during the Kaiser's reign, with the branch to which the man belonged indicated by the decorative piping and backings to the various insignia panels. Individual unit identity was expressed by numbers fitted to the epaulettes, or in the case of the ranks, machine embroidered. Tailoring was of very high quality as were materials, showing the highest degree of workmanship.
In addition officers wore silver wire aiguillettes fitted to the right shoulder, together with a brocade belt and stone-grey riding breeches, whilst soldiers wore marksman lanyards (if appropriate) and black leather belts. Full medals were also worn as was the steel helmet (special lightweight versions were often worn by senior officers).
This form of dress was to be suspended on the outbreak of hostilities in 1939 but those who were in possession could still retain it for walking out, weddings, and other formal occasions. Parades from then on became less ostentatious with Service Dress being substituted.