German Paratroopers - Uniforms and Equipment 1936 -1945

Author Karl Veltzé M.A. Born in 1962, has been interested in military history and, in particular, the history of the German airborne forces since his youth - not least because his father was among the first who volunteered for the airborne troops of the young German Bundeswehr in 1956. Herr Veltzé himself did his national service from 1983 to 1984 with Fallschirmjäger-Bataillon 252 in Nagold, Germany. Following the Bundeswehr, he studied modern history and English literature at the University of Tübingen. Although Herr Veltzé has translated a number of titles covering contemporary and military history, including several for the Zeughaus Verlag, this is his first book. He is an avid collector of paratrooper memorabilia, albeit that of the French airborne forces of the 1946-54 Indochina war. Primary Contributor and Consultant Patrick Ott Born in 1970, is the grandson of a German paratrooper and has been passionately interested in history since his earliest youth. Over the years, he began to focus specifically on the course of World War II and the history of the German Wehrmacht. Ultimately, following a longer sojourn on Crete in 1998, he has concentrated on the operations and specialized equipment of the German airborne forces. He accordingly does not just collect any related artifact he can find, but also maintains contact to the dwindling number of World War II Fallschirmjäger and frequently travels to the sites of their former operations - Eben Emael, Gran Sasso, Monte Cassino, Normandy and the Ardennes among others - to gain valuable first-hand insights.

CONTENTS

Foreword: From a Paratrooper's Life
Introduction
Acknowledgments

Chapter I: THE BLUE-GRAY UNIFORM
Rank InsigniaHeadgear
Tunics and Blouses
National Insignia
Trousers
Coats
Shirts
Other Outerwear

Chapter II: JUMP Smocks
"M36" Jump Smock (First-Trial-Model)
"M38" Jump Smock (Second Model)
"M38" Variants Worn by Sturmabteilung Koch
"M40" Jump Smock (Transitional Model)
"M42" Jump Smock (Third Model)
National Insignia
Jump Smock Rank Insignia

Chapter III: PARATROOPER TROUSERS
Paratrooper Trousers, Trial Model
Paratrooper Trousers, First Model
Paratrooper Trousers, Second Model

Chapter IV: FOOTWEAR
Jump Boots
Other Footwear

Chapter V: TROPICAL AND WINTER CLOTHING
Tropical Clothing
Headgear
Tunics and Coats
Insignia on Tropical Clothing
Trousers
Shirts
Winter Clothing
Headgear
Outerwear

Chapter VI: Special Clothing
Paratrooper Gloves
Elastic Bindings
Knee Pads
Elbow Pads
Shoulder Pads
Dragging Suit
Other Special Clothing

Chapter VII: NON-STANDARD CLOTHING
Headgear
Outerwear
Scarves

Appendixes
Abbreviations
Specific Luftwaffe Directives, 1938
Notes
Bibliography