Evolution of German Uniforms | Animated History

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TV sign up to our membership to receive discounts on merchandise and few exclusive content like our video on operation Valkyrie as well as our exclusive podcast check out the armchair history tv YouTube channel for the free shortened versions of these episodes before the formation of the German Empire in 1871 the uniforms of the Region's militaries were as varied as the States they fought for after the state of Prussia led a triumphant victory over France they and their vast array of neighbors would be unified into the sprawling German Empire an Empire which made of a diverse collection of States as it was now saw the need to join its military under the banner of universal German uniforms the foundation of the newly christened Imperial Soldier was the venrock style dress of the Prussian infantry the Imperial uniform consisted of a refined vafin Rock Woolen coat now with colored cuffs and collar which signified the solders arm of service this was worn with the distinctive pickle Haba helmet now in its simplified and More costeffective m1867 Design The vafin Rock was produced in a number of colors ranging from light or dark blue to green depending on service in 8 1995 it came into its final design receiving smaller buttons as well as the addition of a red piped vent on the tunic's skirt which allowed the wearer access to two rear pockets in the skirts liner The vaen Rock would be replaced in 1907 by the Feld grow or field gray uniform this color was utilized specifically in the field with traditional dark blue uniforms used on all other occasions the heavy wool Feld grow was piped in regiment or service Branch colors with shoulder straps piped in core or unit facing colors two hooks above the Feld gr's rear skirt as well as two additional hooks on the hips were used to properly distribute the weight of the solders belt and equipment by the early 1800s Germany's missionaries and Traders had gained their home country sizable influence outside the borders of Europe coupled with bismar colonial policies of 1884 4 the German foothold in Africa and the Pacific soon bore fruit in the form of colonies and territories which themselves required the managing assistance of local auxiliaries and specialized shoot Troopa thank you to the sponsor of today's video War Thunder the most comprehensive vehicle combat game ever made play more than 2,000 tanks planes helicopters and ships in Dynamic combined arms PVP battles all for free on P PC Xbox and Playstation every vehicle is incredibly detailed and modeled down to their individual components offering a highly immersive combat experience choose from war Thunder's incredible arsenal of vehicles such as the feared Panther Tank or the ju87 Stuka dive bomber and watch them perform using the game's stunning graphics and Detail in 4K resolution I was especially impressed by War Thunder's Dynamic and detailed damage mechanics which assign damage to your vehicle's crew and components rather than just using hit 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stroo Hoot which resembled the sud Vester Hood the Hat was somewhat unpopular however and was replaced in 1900 first by a khaki board mza field cap then the Navy's 1895 pattern tropical khaki helmet the bortfeld the events of 1914 saw the German Army now nearly a million and a half soldiers strong mobilized across Europe as the bloody first world war came to a head to meet the needs of such an unprecedented war uniforms and equipment were produced and distributed on mass tested tried and constantly revised along the way the changes made to the German soldiers gear over the course of the first world war tell the story of an army which at every step learned to adapt to a harsh and dynamic Battlefield at the war's onset the Imperial Soldier wore the 1907 Feld grow and the newly introduced m1908 great coat he carried the gav 98 rifle alongside a bayonet and Bayonet knot strapped to his m98 short Spade throughout 1915 land were typically the last in line for new equipment but when their turn came around they were furnished with an m1915 a pointed steel headpiece mounted to a leather skull cap this unique helmet was the Forerunner of the m1916 helmet developed in response to the numerous head wounds encountered in trench warfare by 1918 knowledge gained in battle would bring further refinements to these solders headgear outfitting him with the m1918 steel helmet this helmet was given cutouts at the ears allowing for both improved hearing and reduced Echoes at this stage in the war the m191 1516 pattern uniform had become widespread throughout the ranks meanwhile in Germany's colonies sh trupin wore a pocketless uniform known as the T uniform light gray for most all soldiers aside from non-combat officials such as doctors pay masters and gunsmiths who wore versions of this uniform in colors unique to their role after the 1918 Armistice Germany's War torn soldiers returned to the reward of a deposed Kaiser in Exile the upheaval of this new post-war era led to the Imperial Army's disintegration and its replacement by revolutionary soldiers councils German officers responded by creating a force to lay down the law paramilitary units known as fry cor by 1919 many fry Corps members were integrated into the new reiches bringing with them the skills they had once used in quelling revolutionary fervor at this time the Feld Rock m1920 became the standard for all German soldiers and it would hold that distinction until the Nazis came to power the matching m1920 field cap would also be used until 1935 seeing only minor changes along the way this hat bore a golden oval emblazoned with the viar Republic Eagle though this was eventually replaced by the black white red Cade of the Third Reich as the Nazi party began adding their own insignias to the German soldiers dress as the Nazis transitioned the reiches fair into the Vermont their focus turned toward establishing their look so to speak most notably this period saw the creation of the infamous SS uniform this consisted of a black open collared m1932 Dino jacket embellished with its characteristic nsdap arm band on the left sleeve and a black and white Twisted cord epulet worn on the right shoulder this uniforms belt buckle featured an SS eagle and swastika as well as the text Mina era Heist trya or my honor is loyalty the rigid peaked hat was adorned with the ominous combination of a death's head badge and the SS eagle and swastika the verm soldier of 1936 in many ways resembled his reiches fair predecessor with his B Blues a tunic still bearing the field gray wool of the traditional uniform with only minor modifications in tow looking ahead to the mechanized Warfare these soldiers would be involved in Germany tailored the uniform with a shorter skirt and a more form-fitting design perfect for a soldier who would spend much of his time on the move the Feld blua tunic kept standard until the end of the second world war also featured an internal suspension system which allowed the soldier to hang his equipment belt on a series of exterior hooks connected to two straps inside the lining this spread out the weight of the equipment without the use of suspenders the solders helmet the m1935 stalh helm was also improved thanks to a new leather suspension and modifications to its construction this helmet was lighter safer and more comfortable for the individual Soldier the dawn of the second world war was marked by the Vermont's lightning quick strikes against the surrounding Nations allowing them them to plant their boots in new territories day by day this powerful opening round of the war was won by Germany's characteristic adaptations to new Battlefield conditions now a vital skill as the German war machine sent its soldiers everywhere from the scorching heat of North Africa to the snowstorms of Russia with this need to adapt came a number of functional and symbolic changes to the German solders uniform and equipment making their designs lighter more streamlined and even more tailored to the Contemporary Battlefield the m1940 uniform was the first update to the standard vermo soldiers outfit with the bottle Green Collar and straps being traded out for Fel gr more substantial changes came in 1943 as the m1943 Feld bla was often stripped of its internal suspension system as the war progressed the Vermont's uniforms began to be made of of Cheaper lower quality materials 1944 brought major cost cutting updates with the m44 pattern uniform the first serious departure from the typical German uniform since 1936 this uniform was characterized by its shortened skirt now coming only to the waist and by its unique color a drab greenish Brown known as Feld grow 44 this uniform was field tested by the elite Panzer Lair division before it was generally issued though at this late St age in the war it was really only seen on the greenest troops for assault operation support Germany employed paratroopers known as falam Jagger who added to the standard uniform a parachutist jump badge and m1938 fimer helmet and jump boots this Soldier initially wore a helmet designed to prevent its falling in his face and obscuring his vision during a jump however by the late War newer falam Jaggers had begun wearing stalh Helms covered by string Nets which allowed for the addition of silhouette breaking twigs and leaves to the helmet further late War changes were made to the falam Jagger's gear but the most notable of these was his adoption of the unique fg42 assault rifle in response to the hot weather of North African combat the Africa core wore M40 tropical tunics which differed from standard dress in that the collar and lapels were open and made of a mediumweight cotton twill this fabric was issued in olive drab but over the course of service faded to khaki this tunic could also be worn with a neck tie though soldiers often went without following its surrender in the second world war the now split Germany could finally begin a cautious remilitarization for Soviet aligned East Germany this meant establishing a military reminiscent police force know known as the folks poai in 1945 and for us aligned West Germany their own police force the buis Clenz came in 1951 these twin pushes toward reestablishing Germany's armed security serve as a valuable point of reference for both post-war politics in a divided Cold War Germany as well as the continuance of the nation's focus on putting their combat knowledge to work in the designs of their soldiers kit the adapting game was played again when Hitler invaded the USSR and the Germans were met with battle against Marshall mud and general winter while initially unprepared in the latter months of 1941 the Germans quickly sprang into action even on the home front as civilians donated fur coats and winter clothing until the Army could furnish their soldiers with the needed cold weather gear this would come in the form of hooded waterproof parkas white for the Eastern front and field gry for Mountain units weather resistant though very heavy this uniform is considered one of the first modern combat suits and is the standard worldwide today the vafin SS the military branch of the SS served first as Hitler's personal bodygard before entering active combat as they shifted into their new role their equipment and uniforms followed suit with aspects such as function and the desire for a look distinct from the Vermont shaping their dress their 1942 new to 1943 winter uniform especially showed signs of expert design consisting of a padded parka with a fur-lined hood and mittens with separate thumbs and trigger fingers in the last winters of the war their equipment took a number of hits due to the supply shortages with the soldiers leather shoulder braces being replaced by webbing and their magazines now made of lowquality synthetic materials all varying in color and finish in addition to the German SS units an array of foreign Legions joined with the vafin SS sometimes retaining SS Insignia but at other times adding aspects of their home country's uniforms to it the uniform of the British free Corps for example bore both a Nazi eagle and a Union Jack while some soldiers of the free Indian Legion wore headwear like the turban from the moment the territory of East Germany was secured by the Soviets they began forming their plan for secretly reestablishing an armed force in the country hoping to reap the benefits without worrying the Western allies this was the Genesis of the kasera folks poai otherwise known as the kvp the uniform of the kvp soldier mixed both the familiar and the new suited up in war Surplus such as the blue m1948 tunic or the green m954 but with added elements unique to their new Branch notably their m1943 style field caps marked with the kvp Insignia on the west German side of the aisle was the bundis cleans shortz or bgs early on this unit struggled to gain uniforms in its early days so like their Eastern counterparts repurposed uniforms became the standard in the early 1950s the bgs soldier wore the fur green fueld blouse of the vero's light infantry and armored troops as well as a likewise repurposed field cap now with a new Cade in 1952 this hat was replaced with a dark green oldstyle peaked cap Now emblazened with an eagle an oak leaf wreath and the federal Cade from its Beginnings the bundes fair also repurposed war uniforms utilizing both vermo camo and US M1 helmets their olive green uniform with its Black Tie was initially used for privates but was later expanded to the main field uniform for the force the bundes Lu Fafa soldier in particular was set apart by the distinguishing band around his arm and the wing badge on his [Music] cap continuing tradition the main service uniform of the naala folks Army held a strong family resemblance to the Vermont uniform in addition to his gray tunic the folks arm Soldier wore a jacket and trousers initially in the tar and muster camouflage but eventually updated to a strikar camouflage for headgear he wore either a field cap service cap or m56 steel helmet in the winter this uniform was topped with a quilted padded suit and greay knit gloves and the soldiers hat choices narrowed to a fur pile cap or a steel helmet on November 10th 1989 the Berlin Wall fell marking the long awaited reunification of Germany in the meantime however the Cold War had come and gone and the bundes faar's now outdated equipment was in dire need of an upgrade with the lifting of the arms restrictions which had previously styed the German military the nation was once again free to equip its soldiers for the modern era shaping them into a force soon to be worthy of the 21st century the bundes soldier of the newly reunited Germany wore the standard flectar camun Nick and trousers and in 1992 received his first piece of new gear in the gex helm M92 combat helmet he carried the gav 3 or G3 rifle which held the position of the bundes faar's main service rifle from 1959 to 1996 additional overhauls came in 1997 Furnishing the soldier with Bristol body armor and a Heckler and HK G36 the Commando spal CA operators or ksk was established in response to Germany's inability to help evacuate their citizens to safety during the 1994 Rwandan Genocide throughout the late 1990s the ksk engaged in anti-terror operations across Europe and Beyond soldiers of this unit carried the exclusive HK G8 machine gun as well as the HK MP5K submachine gun their uniforms mirrored those of the Contemporary bundes with the main identification points of a ksk soldier being his unique equipment at the turn of the Millennium the bundes uniform would go through further changes in 2005 its camouflage became noticeably muted and it would also be upgraded with a flak vest intended to protect the soldier from shrapnel and low velocity projectiles upon deployment to Afghanistan the soldier would wear tropical tropentarn camouflage wherever he fought he typically carried the hkg36 or the modern hkg36 A2 in 2021 the mailer Mast vest was adopted as the standard replacement over the long-running mailer St armored vest at the same time the balt skin Viper helmet was adopted at first as merely interim headgear but following the breakout of the war in Ukraine this helmet became standard as well replacing the HK G36 type rifles was the hk46 A7 assault rifle also known as the g95 K with its long history of modernization and adaptation in both combat and peace it comes as no surprise to see the German military of today continuing to mold its equipment to the shape of the modern era with each stitching each helmet and rifle we see that Innovation continues to shape The Narrative of the German Soldier and will continue to do so for decades to come thank you again to War Thunder for sponsoring this video support our Channel and use the link in the description below to download the game get your exclusive bonus and play War Thunder for free on PC PlayStation and Xbox

Channel: The Armchair Historian

Views: 196,500

Keywords: military history, war, battle, the second world war, historical

Id: Lig5JJFRhps

Length: 21min 12sec (1272 seconds)

Published: Tue Dec 12 2023