Help in Uniform Size.

[MaxxBrunn1938]

Greetings all I've got a question about the West German uniform sizes compared to the former DDR. I take roughly a M56-1 in DDR, what would the West German size be?
I'm 5'10" 225 lbs with a 36 to 38 waist in US size if that also help..
Thanks guys

Joe

[Gordon Craig]

Joe,

No one has posted anything relevant to sizes in the BRD in this forum that I am aware of. There is not the reenacting community here that there is on the DDR Forum. There have been a number of thread on the DDR Forum re sizes in the DDR and their comparison to European and North American sizes. I suggest that you do a search on the DDR forum.

Regards,

Gordon

[Guardian 5]

Joe - As mundane and commonplace as your subject may seem, on this venue you're breaking new ground.

Aside from trying on your BW uniforms and "guestimating" I would recommend checking out an international shopping or travel website and see if any Western European clothing size information is provided. Some sites provide a side-by-side comparison of U.S. and European clothing and shoe sizes.

Please let us know what you find out, you're a clothing pioneer!

All the best - TJ

[acmer]

My best guess is that they use the normal BW size chart. I have a slightly older uniform jacket and comparing it to the size charts it matches the old BW size. You can find plenty of size charts googling for "grössentabelle BW".

Of course, I could be horribly wrong...

[Gordon Craig]

Greetings all I've got a question about the West German uniform sizes compared to the former DDR. I take roughly a M56-1 in DDR, what would the West German size be?
I'm 5'10" 225 lbs with a 36 to 38 waist in US size if that also help..
Thanks guys

Joe

Joe,

I did search on the DDR Forum and came up with this comparison size chart of NVA, BW and European sizes. I can not vouch for its authenticity but I think this is what you are looking for.

Regards,

Gordon

[Gordon Craig]

Page 2 of the size chart.

[acmer]

That might be pretty accurate. Don't use it on t-shirts and such though. BW t-shirt size 5 is XS or S (zip neck polo shirt size 6 is 42 in some other scale). I had to get a size 8 and I have a flecktarn jacket size 4. Used clothing might be one size smaller than it says.

[MaxxBrunn1938]

Thanks to Gordon and acmer I've seem to have gotten the information I needed. Thanks to all very much. I'd just need to start getting BW in my size instead of the tiny ones I've been getting ..
Thanks again

Joe

[Gordon Craig]

Joe,

One more comment on BW sizing. You will have noticed that the BW sizes have been simplified to a one or two digit number. However, there will probably be two other numbers on the tag, or close to the size number, that indicate a specific measurement in the tunic. I do not know exactly which measurement they are for and I'll have to do some checking on my uniforms once I get them out of storage and see if I can identify if they indicate a specific measurement in all cases or if perhaps they indicate different ones according to the item of clothing. Here is a lable from a sandfarben tunic that will illustrate what I mean. All makers labels are not this elaborate. Some just give the makers name, basic size and a couple of other size numbers in mm's.
What you see here is the maker's name, contract number, date of manufacture, size (11) (plus the other two measurements I mentioned), NATO stock number and washing instructions.
By the way, I am glad that you asked this question. There is another thread on this forum that has tried to gather information of BW sizes and between the two we should be able to have a good grasp on the subject.

Regards,

Gordon

[SprogCollector]

Gordon/All,
The two-number series are height and chest (in cms). In the example shown:

manufactured in 3/82

size: 11 height/chest: 170/96

[Gordon Craig]

Chris,

Thanks. That fills in the last unknown.

Regards,

Gordon

[allen]

BW sizes

Trying stuff on in the army navy store might be the best bet - I suspect much BW surplus to be mis-sized; most of my uniforms that fit are not marked my size.

[MaxxBrunn1938]

I use to be able to do that years ago Allen but 98 % of the ANS are either closed up or sell nothing but new US desert wear or camping goods. The onlt ANS still in the San Diego area that still has old DDR and BW uniforms have them in Muchkin or tall skinny sizes and he wants around $80.00 to $100. for them ( he use to sell them for $10. to $25. about 16 yrs ago) So now it's Ebay, I'm just trying to find BW uniforms in my size now I use to fit into a 26 178/96 BW tunic or a G-48-1 DDR... Now it's a M-56-1 DDR and have no idea what the BW size would be.

SO HELP

Joe

[Gordon Craig]

Joe,

According to the chart I posted, size 11 is the biggest one you will find. Beyond that things would have been tailor made. I suggest you buy the first inexpensive size 11 you find on ebay and once you have tried it on you will have a better idea of your ability to buy according to the size listed on ebay with a chance of the tunic fitting you. No other choice that I can see.

Regards,

Gordon

[SprogCollector]

Gents,
Bundeswehr sizes ran up to size 45. The size system is somewhat similar to that used by the British up through the 1950s -- i.e. a height range with multiple chest sizes within each range.

A size 23 would fit someone 174cm tall and with a 116cm chest (5'9" and 45.5" chest)

I've started building a size chart but it isn't complete. However, size 23 is a known/verified size. The heights increase in 4cm increments so the next range would be 178cm followed by 182. Each would the have incremental chests sizes also increasing by 4 cm. My guess would be a size 30 would your size.

Just to clarify, this sizing system was used from the formation of the Bundeswehr up into the late 1980s. I'm not sure if current uniforms still use this system.