Kampfgruppen Jackets

[stoupas]

Hello everyone, a few years back I bought a Kampfgruppen jacket and just recently I acquired another along with a pair of pants. The first one is 1981 dated while the second is 1988. I'm surprised that they are drastically different from one another as far as construction and detail are concerned. I'm very new to collecting and can't figure why they would both be so dissimilar. Were there man changes to the jackets the KdA used? Is one jacket used for a particular purpose? Also, the pants have no markings on them so I haven't been able to figure out if they are what I bought them as. Any insight offered would be much appreciated.

1981 jacket:








1988 jacket:








Pants:

[Viktor]

Genosse, This is just a chance of Pattern , they did use to mix Patterns as need..

[Kozlov]

Can't honestly see the differences there, but I know there are a few changes in them over the years - even after the change of the Kampfgruppen emblem to the newer style...

I've got a few different variants.

[stoupas]

Can't honestly see the differences there, but I know there are a few changes in them over the years - even after the change of the Kampfgruppen emblem to the newer style...

I've got a few different variants.

Yeah they're a little hard to see.

1981:
Lighter OD shade
Air vent holes under each armpit
Elastic waist band sewn into back
Buttons on arm pockets are the pebbled type

1988:
Darker green shade
No air vent holes
No elastic band
Almost mustard yellow reinforcement sewn on the inside sleeve cuffs
Buttons on arm pockets are not pebbled and are covered by pocket flap unlike '81
Waist cinch sewn into middle back area of jacket (see photo)

[Kozlov]

Collect them all, make your own Hundertschaft

[Gordon Craig]

stoupas,

The changes you mention are probably related to the worsening economic situation in the DDR from the 70s on. They simplify the manufacture of the tunic considerably. Differences in uniform colours vary widely over KG stuff. Possibly the later made fabric was an inferior product and took the dye differently.
The eralier style of KG uniforms was much better made than later model you have in your pictures.

Regards,

Gordon

[stoupas]

stoupas,

The changes you mention are probably related to the worsening economic situation in the DDR from the 70s on. They simplify the manufacture of the tunic considerably. Differences in uniform colours vary widely over KG stuff. Possibly the later made fabric was an inferior product and took the dye differently.
The eralier style of KG uniforms was much better made than later model you have in your pictures.

Regards,

Gordon

That actually seems reasonable. I went over them again and it seems the changes made were to save fabric and/or construction costs. Anyone have any ideas about the pants?

[Kozlov]

What about the pants? Again I have several different variants here...

[stoupas]

Well they don't have any markings on the inside. In fact the only markings are on the suspenders attached to them so I really have no clue about them.

[stoupas]

Something else I'd like to know: both of these jackets, instead of the roman numeral preceding a letter, have a regular Euro style numeral preceding the letter. Is this correct?

[jon m.]

Something else I'd like to know: both of these jackets, instead of the roman numeral preceding a letter, have a regular Euro style numeral preceding the letter. Is this correct?

I would not worry about that. I have several items marked like this. I got a uniform from a soldiers family (so I don't have to worry about fakery) and it was marked in this way.

Jon.

[jon m.]

Does anyone have any KG uniforms made by any factory other than "1879" ?

That is the only one I have ever seen. Surprisingly I have never even seen a Burger Bekleidungswerke ("1802" and "303") KG uniform. That is surprising because they were one of the largest and longest lasting producers of uniforms for practically everyone.

PS. Burger Bekleidungswerke is still in business producing uniforms for the Army and Police.

[torstenbel]

Collect them all, make your own Hundertschaft

good advice ... how many Hundertschaften can you equip to date ...

[Kozlov]

Oh a couple maybe Torsten

Just need to persuade the local factories to make a jump to Marxism

[Viktor]

Genossen, Here is the KdA Early Kampfanzug held at this Rezidency, I was Dyed Black some time it its Progressive Defence of the Workers Paradise...















The Fabric is the same as that used on Zelt Planes..

Enjoy..