The Wehrmacht is ... Wehrmacht uniform

The Wehrmacht is the historical name of the armed forces in German-speaking countries. Modern significance is associated with the activities of the Nazis during the Second World War. Today, many are interested in the history and structure of this formation, as well as its form. The article will describe general information about the name, history of creation, organizational structure and uniforms of the Wehrmacht.

The meaning of the concept

Translated from German, the concept consists of two words that literally mean "weapons" and "strength." There was a Wehrmacht for ten years from 1935 to 1945.

The army consisted of ground forces, air force, navy. Adolf Hitler was considered the commander in chief, who signed the law on its creation on March 16, 1935.

History of creation

Under the terms of the Treaty of Versailles, after World War I, Germany was forbidden to have a full-fledged army with heavy weapons. The number of troops should not exceed 100 thousand land employees and 15 thousand sailors. These armed forces were called the Reichsfer, that is, the imperial forces.

It was on the basis of these defense forces that the Wehrmacht was created. This was made possible through the introduction of universal military service. Thus, the terms of the Treaty of Versailles were violated. The total number of ground forces was soon 500 thousand people and was growing steadily.

Organizational structure

The Wehrmacht is the so-called rate of the Fuhrer. The armed forces had their own clear structure:

• supreme commander ;
• Minister of War
• commanders of the military forces (land, sea, air).

After 1938, the post of commander-in-chief and minister passed to one person - the Fuhrer, and since 1941 Adolf Hitler took control of the command of the ground forces.

The number of troops in different years was significantly different.

Over the ten years of existence in the Wehrmacht (this is the army of Germany), more than 20 million people were called up. All this army needed to be provided not only with weapons, but also with uniforms.

Military uniform

The Wehrmacht form had its own standards, but during the war deviations from them were considered normal. Some inconsistencies were even reflected in special orders. Often, soldiers independently changed their uniforms, following their own taste and fashion trends.

The presence in the troops of foreign units also influenced the deviation from the standard uniform. When sewing, they all used different materials and fabrics, the texture and color of which significantly changed the tone. For example, the gray color of the shape of 1939 and 1945 differs significantly:

• 1939 - gray-blue cloth;
• 1940 - gray-green;
• 1941 - stone gray;
• 1944 - taupe.

Despite the fact that the officers had to purchase uniforms on their own, they were allocated money for this. Therefore, all military uniforms were considered the property of the Reich. Soldiers and officers were required to be responsible for its safety. To do this, they were given a darn kit and shoe polish.

As the main materials for sewing forms used gabardine, teak, artificial and natural silk, cotton and wool. The officers had the opportunity to order uniforms from a comfortable and high-quality fabric. Their uniforms were often fitted and slightly lined with cotton on their shoulders. Patches and insignias were handmade.

The uniform was produced at seven enterprises located in Berlin, Munich, Erfurt, Vienna, Hanover, Koenigsberg, and Stettin. From these cities, the Wehrmacht army received uniforms. The uniform was stamped with the name of the city and year of manufacture. For example, the stamp “M 44” means that the mold was made in Munich in 1944.

Hats

The shape of the Wehrmacht includes hats. These include caps, caps, steel helmets, berets.

Caps along with a cockade were sewn on one continuous T-shaped base. Then insignia were attached to them.

Berets were used by tankers. The hats had a pillow made of thick rubber, which was lined with black wool fabric. Inside, they were stitched with leather and had an elastic base. A wreath with oak leaves and an eagle with a swastika were embroidered on a beret. After 1941, this headgear was canceled. Wehrmacht troops stopped using berets.

The caps were made with a hard cockade, complemented by a edging from a woven cord, buttons, and emblems of distinction. There were caps for all military ranks, and separately for senior officials.

The steel helmet had a standard shape, although in different years its design underwent minor changes. His main task was to shelter the head, neck, shoulders from fragments of shells, shrapnel, bouncing stones. Until 1935, the helmets of the 1916 model were used in the Wehrmacht. Later, a smaller and smaller specimen was introduced, which made it more practical. By 1940, a new version was released, and since 1943 helmets began to be issued without emblems, gray.