Early "amoeba" zeltbahns

[PASSAUER8884]

Does anyone have a breif history of the "ameoba" pattern Zeltbahns used by the Bundeswehr in the early days?. I have 2 sets, both have the same manufacture stamps:

L. STROMEYER & Co GmbH
KONSTANZ
1956

I have the zelts and the combination bag/hoods but sadly no poles or pegs. Though both sets have been issued as they bear soldiers name tags on the bags, they are in really nice shape.

How long were these issued? I have been told they were replaced almost immidiately by a plain green version, though I've seen pics from the fall 1962 manouvers that show a few in use with the plain ones. Was the reason for thier replacement due to politics? (too much like a Wehrmacht pattern?)

Thanks as always.

[Collectinsteve]

I think they were produced as late as 1959, but no earlier than 1956. At least I've seen one stamped late 1950s and I'm pretty sure it was 1959. Like many of the early BW stuff, it was used after it was officially discontinued.

An interesting fact is the same factory that turned out the Amoebatarn produced items for Belgian and Swiss armies. In the case of Belgium they made some in 1956 in the "Moon and Balls" pattern, then "Jigsaw" pattern in 1958 (into early 1960s IIRC). For Switzerland they made Leibermuster pattern with a special variant that had sleeves (for bicycle troops). The Leibermuster stuff is often mis-identified as early Bundeswehr because of the German manufacturer's stamp.

I assume the production was part of Germany's war reparations.

Steve

[Asbjoern]

How long were these issued?

...out of manufature for long they should have been around until the 90ies as some guys told that they were issued instead of flecktarn tarps sometimes (then for sure missmatched be depot personell...)

Jens

[hoover]

In 1991 I can remember that there were a hundfull still in use. But very few.

I tried to get one but only get the olive ones. In 1995 I was one of the first on my bataillon who got a flecjtarn tent. And I remember that some of the users of the amoeba-tents returned their tents for the new camos.

Nobody cared about the old items then. They tried to get the newest stuff.

Idiots. I was one of them.

[uscob]

Somewhere I have a 1962 Set. I gave it to a friend to joke his Lt. on an exercise as he was allway's screaming about his foreign Camo he used as a Sniper. So he had something new to complain about, but after he got shown the NSN Number, he was really confused because he never saw this Pattern before.

[Hugh Zillmann old]

I think they were produced as late as 1959, but no earlier than 1956. At least I've seen one stamped late 1950s and I'm pretty sure it was 1959. Like many of the early BW stuff, it was used after it was officially discontinued.

An interesting fact is the same factory that turned out the Amoebatarn produced items for Belgian and Swiss armies. In the case of Belgium they made some in 1956 in the "Moon and Balls" pattern, then "Jigsaw" pattern in 1958 (into early 1960s IIRC). For Switzerland they made Leibermuster pattern with a special variant that had sleeves (for bicycle troops). The Leibermuster stuff is often mis-identified as early Bundeswehr because of the German manufacturer's stamp.

I assume the production was part of Germany's war reparations.

Steve

Hi Steve,

'Reparations' to Switzerland?

A friend of mine here in Australia has one of the Belgian tents. Identical in manufacture to the BW units, but in that peculiar British-like cam that the Belgians used post war.

He's on holidays in Germany at the moment (nice timing, eh?), but upon his return I'll see if I can get some photographs of it (particularly the manufacturer details) to add to the reference material which is being accumulated on this site.

All the best and a Happy New Year,

Hugh

[Collectinsteve]

Hi Hugh,

Heh... no reprations to Switzerland, obviously The Swiss had a history of working with the Germans on Zeltbahns before and during WW2, so that might explain part of the post-war arrangement. Konstanz (which just had a tragic fire this week) is right over the border and, I imagine, was a less expensive option in the 1950s than work done in Switzerland. That might explain the arrangement even more.

The Belgians had two variants of camouflage based on the WW2 British type. They are generally refferred to by collectors as "Moon & Balls" (1952-1956) and "Brush Stroke" (1954-1975). The dates might be a little off as I'm doing it from memory. The differences between the two are subtle and so most people generally think of them as one pattern. All Zelts were made in the earlier pattern, Moon & Balls.

With the exception of the special Swiss Bicycle rider variant, the Belgian and Swiss camouflage Zelts are identical to the Bundeswehr type.

Steve

[uscob]

Last week I found Belgian camo Shelter halves in both Camo's in my Storage. Next time I'm there, I'll make some Pic's. Must sax that I never saw Swiss Camo in the BW Style halves. Only square and triangle.

[Collectinsteve]

Nico,

The Belgians made a TON. At one point they had an army of 300,000, which is amazing considering their Armed Forces are now about 1/10th as large.

The more common version of the Swiss Leibermuster Zeltbahn is definitely the traditional Swiss square shape. It included a long camouflage tentpole bag identical to their earlier Splittertarn type. But they definitely have two types like the Amoebatarn Zeltbahn. One with sleeves and one without. I've got one without sleeves and a friend of mine has the one with sleeves (lucky bugger!).

I am also pretty sure the Swiss had a non-camo version of the same pattern. But I have been unable to confirm if what I have is Swiss or Bundeswehr. I'll have to dig them out and see if I can make a positive identification.

Here is a link to my friend's website:

http://zeltbahn.panzerwerk.com/index...d=31&Itemid=41

He also has one of the Belgian Moon & Balls Zelts shown in the Belgium secion.

Steve

[Gordon Craig]

Steve,

I am a little confused here. Are you suggesting that the BW used a square zelt in green similar to the Swiss one? I have a green BW zelt and it is the traditional post war BW shape. Just for clarification, I took some comparison pictures of a green BW zelt and a Flecktarn BW zelt. We should really do a thread on these things.

Regards,

Gordon

The green zelt. There are no markings on the zelt or the buttons.

[Gordon Craig]

The grommets and a button from the other side of the green zelt.

[Gordon Craig]

The hood and bag for each zelt.

[Gordon Craig]

The bags/hoods one on top of the other and one zelt on top of the other.
There are no markings on either zelt.

[Collectinsteve]

Hi Gordon,

Thanks for the photos! When I get home I'll dig mine out and see what I have.

Sorry for the confusion. What I was saying is I think the Swiss used a Zelt exactly like yours that you uploaded pictures of. So I'm not sure if the one I have, which looks like yours, is either German or Swiss. I'm thinking what I have is Bundeswehr, not Swiss.

IIRC the Belgians also moved to an OD colored version in the 1960s. I'll try and dig that out as well.

Steve

[Gordon Craig]

Steve,

Thanks for the clarification. Since these things aren't marked and a lot of armies used the same design it would be good to try and diferentiate one from the other.

Regards,

Gordon