Wehrmacht Overcoat

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tplumtree

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Hi all, I have in my possession an authentic Wehrmacht winter overcoat, and I'd like to find out some useful information about it. There are no markings stamped inside the lining of the coat, unlike some that I have seen on the Internet. I'm wondering if they produced them long enough that there are some subtle differences that can help establish roughly when it was made (WWI or WWII). It came with grey shoulder-boards with the number "135" on them. I know a lot of information can be gleaned from shoulder boards, which is why they put them on in the first place. Maybe a Wehrmacht uniform guru would be kind enough to help me out...




 
It appears to be an M36 overcoat used by an officer (note the French cuffs). Most of these were ink stamped inside the breast pocket with maker marks/size info.

If those shoulder boards are original to this particular coat - it belonged to a Heer (Army) Major operating in the Infantry (due to the white pipping). If the colour of the pipping surrounding the bottom of the shoulder board had been a different colour it would signify use in a different branch. For example, red designates Artillery use while blue designates Medical use. The 135 is simply a unit marking, I'll do some quick research on it and get back to you.

- Chris
 
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It is reasonable to surmise that it is the 135th infantry (Grenadier, Pz Gren, Jäger) regiment. Non combat units did not number on their empaulettes and tge piping is infantry. Interestingly, due to metal shortages this was discontinued mid war save the elite units. Many survived the war because the holders put them anyway for safe keeping. Pictures of all the markings would be helpful as there are a lot of replicas around. Especially for this Nazi crap.

Concur on everything said on the coat but again there are companies in UK and Poland making exact replicas of this stuff right down to the labels. The only way to tell sometimes requires a true expert.
 
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I've done some more research for you...

The shoulder boards were issued to a soldier who served in Infantry Regiment 135, which was part of the 45 Infantry Division. They were initially the 4th Austrian Division, based out of Linz but were re-designated as the 45th Infantry Division after Austria was annexed in 1938.

They took part in the invasion of Poland in 1939 (on the right wing of Army Group South). In 1940 they made quick work of the French. After this, they took part in the initial attack on the Soviet Union in June 1941. They fought in various offensives on the Eastern Front including the Battle of Kursk in 1943. They continued to fight in the east until they were essentially annihilated by the Russian Summer Offensive of of 1944. The very few survivors were then ushered into the 45th Volksgrenadier Div. This Division fought in the Battle of Warsaw in 1945 until they eventually capitulated to the Soviets in Czechoslovakia in mid 1945.

- Chris
 
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The forest green collar was discontinued in 1943 again due to raw material shortages so your coat would have belonged to an early war vet who likely did not make it through the war. This was likely his dress uniform coat. Did the empaulettes come with the coat? There are only four Major billets in an infantry regiment. 3 battalion 2ics and the regt chief of staff.
 
Thanks for the excellent replies. Here are some more pictures. Again there are no stamped markings inside the pockets or on the liner. Nevertheless, I'd have a hard time believing that a company in the UK or Poland or would go to the trouble of making an exact replica and not bother to put markings on the inside. They would presumably get a premium for SS markings, skull and bones, swastikas and the like. So the absence of these markings does not lessen its authenticity in my opinion. Furthermore, the wear on the collar and back of the liner is time aged. You can't fake that look. The metal clasp in the inside pocket has an anchor with a capital S behind it. Hopefully that sheds a little more light on things. Thanks again for taking the time to tell me more about this piece!!







 
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I concur. The repros would mark in. One more tidbit, all officers in the German military were required to procure their own clothing items so there was vast number of markings or not depending on the tailor.

Judging by the stitching. This is a tailored item. As I said this was likely his dress kit for garrison duty as it has the green collar of an early regulation coat. The other possibility is that the empaulettes are not original to the coat and this a police coat as the police continued with green collars longer.
 
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The close ups you've provided indicate that the overcoat is indeed original. As I said before, it likely would have been ink stamped on the interior with the maker's info as well as the sizing details but it's very possible that the the markings washed out after being used and cleaned repeatedly.

Now that you've gotten yourself a seemingly nice overcoat you should make an effort to track down an Infantry Major's tunic! So the slippery slope begins ;)

- Chris
 
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