Artillery Leutnant Officer Tunic

Product Description: This Artillery Leutnant Officer Tunic is a handsome display piece. Officers had to supply their own uniforms in the German Army, and this is a private purchase, tailored piece. This attractive tunic is made of a heavy weight field gray/green wool that would have been appropriate for both field and service use. The collar tabs and shoulder boards are piped in red indicating the Artillerie branch, and show minimal wear and toning. The tabs are machine sewn to the collar. The breast eagle is a typical hand embroidered wire bullion type that has been machine sewn to the chest with zig-zag stitching, with the stitching going through the tunic lining. The chest of the tunic has four sets of award loops, including a set under the wearer’s right chest pocket, possibly for a Spanish cross or a German Cross in Gold. There is also an Iron Cross Second Class ribbon hand sewn in a buttonhole, which looks to be period applied. The ten green painted pebbled buttons all match and are maker marked. The button holes on this tunic appear to be hand sewn which is a rarely seen feature that could perhaps indicate manufacture in an occupied country. The tunic does show traces of wear and use including slight discoloration around the waist where a belt was worn. There is no apparent mothing, holes or damage the exterior. Inside, this Artillery Leutnant Officer Tunic has a typical silk style lining that looks lightly worn and does not have any tears, rips of discoloration. There is no tailor or name label in this tunic which is not unusual. Measurements: Collar base to bottom 23 inches, along back armpit to armpit 20 inches, shoulder to bottom of sleeve 23 inches. This is a nice example of a uniform worn by a German Army officer, in excellent plus condition.

Historical Description: The Heer, the army of the German military during the Third Reich, was established in 1935. Over the next 10 years, German Army troops wore a huge variety of uniforms. Enlisted men generally wore uniforms issued from military depots. Most enlisted soldiers wore wool trousers and a tunic with four external pockets, known as a Feldbluse (field blouse). Before the war, soldiers also were issued a walking-out tunic, with flashy insignia, called the Waffenrock. Officers wore the same general uniform styles, but as officers had to supply their own uniforms, they usually wore tailor made versions. There were also myriad varieties of specialized uniforms worn by certain units or in specific situations, from the stylish black wool “wraps” worn by crews of armored fighting vehicles, to the drab HBT work uniforms. There were tropical and summer uniforms, and camouflage smocks for combat troops. For troops operating in winter climates, there were long wool overcoats, fur clothing articles, and padded jacket and trousers sets. In 1944, a new uniform was introduced, featuring a short jacket with only two external pockets. Most but not all German Army uniform jackets bore the Heer emblem of an eagle holding a swastika.

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