A detailed illustrated history of the uniforms of the German army from
the period leading up to World War II until 1945.
In the years after World War I, the defeated and much-reduced German
Army developed new clothing and personal equipment that drew upon the
lessons learned in the trenches. In place of the wide variety of
uniforms and insignia that had been worn by the Imperial German Army, a
standardized approach was followed, culminating in the uniform items
introduced in the 1930s as the Nazi Party came to shape every aspect of
German national life. The outbreak of war in 1939 prompted further
adaptations and simplifications of uniforms and insignia, while the
increasing use of camouflaged items and the accelerated pace of weapons
development led to the appearance of new clothing and personal
equipment. Medals and awards increased in number as the war went on,
with grades being added for existing awards and new decorations
introduced to reflect battlefield feats. Specialists such as mountain
troops, tank crews and combat engineers were issued distinctive uniform
items and kit, while the ever-expanding variety of fronts on which the
German Army fought - from the North African desert to the Russian
steppe - prompted the rapid development of clothing and equipment for
different climates and conditions. In addition, severe shortages of raw
materials and the demands of clothing and equipping an army that
numbered in the millions forced the simplification of many items and the
increasing use of substitute materials in their manufacture.
In this fully illustrated book noted authority Dr Stephen Bull examines
the German Army's wide range of uniforms, personal equipment, weapons,
medals, and awards, and offers a comprehensive guide to the
transformation that the German Army soldier underwent In the period from
September 1939 to May 1945.
