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    Uniform ID Needed

    Hello, can anyone tell me what the uniforms are for in this postcard photo? Is the lighter tunic military or civil? Uniform identification is not my thing. Thanks.
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    #2
    They both appear to be one year volunteers in the army.

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      #3
      The one on the left is wearing the Dunkelblau Waffenrock M95 and the other is wearing a M03 Litewka, or undress tunic. My guess is, since the card was posted from Erfurt, that they are from I.R.71. Both are one year volunteers with the rank of Unteroffizier.

      Chip

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        #4
        Thanks for the great information Mike and Chip. When you say "one year volunteer" does that mean they only served for one year?

        And with the postmark date of Sept. 6, 1911; was this the Imperial German army? Were there any state armies left at that time?

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          #5
          Originally posted by Indyarch View Post
          Thanks for the great information Mike and Chip. When you say "one year volunteer" does that mean they only served for one year?

          And with the postmark date of Sept. 6, 1911; was this the Imperial German army? Were there any state armies left at that time?
          One Year Volunteers were mostly members of the German upper-middle class or nobility. The name comes from the fact that they would volunteer to serve only one year of active service (as opposed to three.) During this year of active service, EFs were required to completely provide for themselves. This meant that they had to pay for all their food, uniforms, quarters, and equipment themselves- costing from 1750-3600 Marks a year.

          There's a great excellent article concerning Einjährig-Freiwilligen here on ColonelJ's webpage:
          http://www.pickelhauben.net/articles...rVolunteer.htm

          The Imperial German army kept within it state contingents (in name and tradition) from nearly all of the formally independent German states during its entire existence from 1871, but all were under Prussian leadership- especially during wartime.

          Since the postcard was postmarked in Erfurt, you are most likely dealing with a Thuringen infantry regiment in the Prussian-German army. The 38th Division was stationed in Erfurt, which included Infanterie-Regiment (3. Thüringisches) Nr. 71 [II. and III. Battalions garrisoned in Erfurt proper], Infanterie-Regiment (5. Thüringisches) Nr. 94, Infanterie-Regiment (6. Thüringisches) Nr. 95, and Infanterie-Regiment (7. Thüringisches) Nr. 96.
          Last edited by MauserKar98k; 11-26-2011, 12:35 PM.

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            #6
            Mauser,
            thanks for great explanation and VERY interesting link. I wasn't aware of this page. Indy, thank you too for posting an excellent scan of this interesting photo. I'd only like to add that one-year volunteers were not only German thing, the same regulation was in Austria-Hungary (if you've read Good soldier Schweik, you can't miss the terrible EF Marek ) and I believe in tsarist Russia too. It was useful for both sides - the guy was serving less time and state saved money.

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