Need help with a German military costume

I’m putting together a German militray costume for The Flight of the Hindenburg.

The character is a colonel in the Wehrmacht’s medical corps, in the 1930s.

I’ve just bought a greenish trenchcoat (only $12.50, a steal) and a medical pouch from the second-hand army place on K Rd. The medical puch is probably over-the-top (it has a red cross on it) but I wanted to emphasise that he’s a doctor. And hey, it’s pulp so approximation is near enough. The pouch can be worn on the betl with a strap to do diagonally across the chest.

What else should this character have? What sort of trousers and shirt? Should he have Colonal’s thingies on his shoulder? A hat? Can anyone lend me anything suitable?

I really know little about the era, I’m not into military stuff or WW2 history. I thought he was a Nazi, but a guy at the shop told me that Wehrmacht just means general army and the Nazi symbols were only for political types. If anyone can recommend an accessible book so that I’m not totally vacant on the context that’d be great. Fiction preferred, pulp would be perfect.

I have some long black riding boots if you want to borrow them. They’re about size 7 or 8

Sounds great. I’m a size 8 1/2, hopefully they will fit. No idea what would be appropriate for boots, but that sounds better than anything I’ve got.

Game is on Jan 22nd, so I’ll aim to pick up any stuff people care to lend me before then.

[quote=“Ryan Paddy”]Sounds great. I’m a size 8 1/2, hopefully they will fit. No idea what would be appropriate for boots, but that sounds better than anything I’ve got.

Game is on Jan 22nd, so I’ll aim to pick up any stuff people care to lend me before then.[/quote]

I just tried them on. I’m a 7 1/2 and they are snug so they’ll probably be too small for you.

May want a peaked visor cap (the classic german hat) you can also pick them up in the k-rd surplus store

Wehrmacht just meams “armed forces” whereas Heer = Army.

Check out some “Osprey” books on miltary uniforms. You can get em at model/ hobby stores and they are pretty good and detailed.

Firstly for uniform, is it formal, in which case you would wear a “stepping out” uniform (the best you have with all your medals etc) or are you simply wearing you day to day sevice uniform?

An Offizierfeldmutze (officers field cap) would be essential regardless (every man wears a hat!).
epier.com/store/outpostflags … p?id=31890

Until 1940 badges of rank on the collar and shoulder straps were worn on great coats and also on Tunics. Service belt was worn over the top of the greatcoat

Being a member of the party in 1930 was optional (but encouraged). You usually wouldnt progress high up in the ranks if you wernt a party member. However 1930 being before Hitler became chancelor this enforcement of party membership was not so strong. So if he is a Colonel in 1930 then its reasonable to assume he may have been a serving soldier during WWI, so a better chance he may not be a party member. If you DO want to be a party member you could wear an NSDAP (party members badge) stick pin in your lapel. A round badge with the Swastika on a gold background and NSDAP engraved around the edge.
diggerhistory.info/pages-bad … badges.htm

Or a swastika armband.

Field gray trousers (straight legs, two side pockets and a front watch pocket) adjusted at the waist by a buckled strap and designed to be worn with braces. However officers had the option to wear Jhodpurs (riding trousers) and often did so to unless in active combat. These are of matching field grey.

A white shirt and black tie would be a must. Perhaps black leather gloves?

Officer’s field blouse may be an option (basically a field grey tunic with 2 breast pockets and two waist pockets with rank and services insignia on the collar, national emblem, rank shoulder epaullette insignia and service braids, medals/ citations, optional service cuff. This would be worn closed collar over the shirt and tie and under the great coat (which at this stage could be worn open collar). I can give u list of pre WWII medals if you like, pre WWII iron cross or a pour le merite.

Basically if you plan to never take off the overcoat, you could wear a grey suit jacket underneath. Under that the white shirt & tie. Any grey trousers would do but if you can get a riding pair…cool. Black boots on your feet.

In my opinion you REALLY need the officers cap, they all wore 'em and they make you readily identifiable as a german officer, without it you could be any military dude in a greatcoat. You can check out military stores, but they tend to be a bit pricy. Fancy dress stores often hire them and hat places (over here) sell bus drivers hats (grey with a peak but no insignia) that look very very close. Coin/ military medal traders often sell cheap replica NSDAP members badges ( about $5).

Hope that helps, just ask if you need more info…WWII military history is one of my passions.

Formal would certainly be appropriate for on the Hindenburg. I saw a TV doco on it and most of the men who were not crew wore tails and the women were in very formal attire.

Formal would certainly be appropriate for on the Hindenburg. I saw a TV doco on it and most of the men who were not crew wore tails and the women were in very formal attire.[/quote]

In which case you would, as is polite, remove your overcoat once inside the passanger gondola.

Medals and citations aplenty!

Here is a good site for reproduction WWII equipment.
Uniforms, repro medals the whole box ‘n’ dice.

Their pics are good to check out the uniforms,rank badges and insignia including medical corps insignia.

atthefront.com/
For lots of Uniform, insignia info as well as guides for appropriate hair cuts!
deutschesoldaten.com/

Thanks Wendel, I’ll see what I can do abot acquiring the various bits and pieces.

If anyone sees one of those hats in NZ then let me know.

I tried on a size 55 (I think), it was too small. Need 58+.

Tried the army surplus store on K’? They have all sorts of appropriate stuff.

edit: d’oh, first post…

Yes, see my first post.

Try the back of “first scene” in Kingsland…they have a range of hats and I picked up a peaked visor for the weekend for only $5

I must add a comment about the officers cap. In 1930, the German Reichswehr is still under the control of the Weimar republic. Hitler has not yet become president and reformed the military…which means that the “National emblem” (the eagle perched atop the swastika) has not been introduced, nor has the swastika been adopted as the national flag. Sorry I didnt realise this straight off…most of my books etc are from 1933 onwards :frowning:

This means your officers cap will NOT have this national emblem on it. Many people may not realise or care nor understand the slight differences in period and considering that this LARP is pulp, it may not matter…but I wanted to give you accurate info and you can go from there.
Basically the national emblem is replaced with the service area “button” with the appropriate colour (green for medical?? im not sure on this). This fact may make it easer to find a suitable cap.

Check out some pics from the Wiemar Reichswehr

boehm-chronik.com/forschung/ … wehr10.jpg

images.google.com.au/imgres?imgu … n%26sa%3DN