Private Purchase vs. Issue for Other Ranks

[Slobo]

I've been searching the considerable published and online sources of all things German Imperial uniforms, including pre-war dunkelblau. One question that has dogged me for some time is the prevalence of private purchase caps, tunics, footwear, etc. I know officer and one-year volunteer uniforms were almost exclusively pvt purchase (at least pre-war), and presume it was relatively common for NCOs and reenlistees who, after all, were making the military a career.

But what about the common 3-year service enlistee? Was it relatively common for such to invest in a good waffenrock, trousers or breeches, and walking out shoes, ankle or marching boots? You do see a number of portraits that seem to show dunkelblau or feldgrau uniforms that look to be to a high standard and include such items as peaked caps (schirmutze) that I believe were strictly not issue but purchased and tolerated by the regs.

Looking to start a conversation on this topic. Also, I have most of the "bibles" of this interest and am aware of the some of the well-respected online sources but if anyone has specific sources to point to addressing this topic all or in part, please provde a reference.

[Brian Calkins]

This is one of those interesting topics everyone knows about, but there is little literature found to really dig into the story. I think most simply make the following assumptions. Middle Europe had a very structured social order and it was difficult to break out of your "cast" in civilian life. The military provided an opportunity for men of lower classes to rise above their peers. You could do this through hard work and brave deeds...or just save up some money and buy a nice uniform. Dressing for success, so-to-speak.

What we know for certain is this. A surprising percentage of enlisted ranks privately purchased their uniforms, or at least portions of them.

My field is Austro-Hungarian caps and both Austria and Hungary had social structures similar to Germany. I did a survey of group photos a few years back trying to find a percentage of KuK soldiers who wore private purchase uniforms. It's hard to tell the difference in tunics with group photos but much easier with caps.

What I came up with was that 23 percent of my sampling wore private purchase caps. So I think that between 20 - 25 percent is a safe bet.

One other thing to consider. As countries mobilized, recruitment outpaced supply. There were thousands of tailors in middle Europe churning out uniforms for sale at various price ranges. Competition would have brought prices down to an affordable level to an enlisted man.

That's all I've got...other thoughts?

[pzrwest]

The bottom line is finances, it the man had the money to buy things, he could

[Paul B]

Private Purchase Uniforms

Bear in mind that other rank's private purchase tunics are much more likely to survive than their issue counterparts -they were the soldier's own property, of better quality and subject to less strenuous wear. They were also much more likely to be retained in a closet or as a keepsake of service.

All of which means that when we look at what remains available to collectors now, private purchase tunics are disproportionately over-represented compared to their issue counterparts that were handed back in, reissued, worn out by successive soldiers and usually downgraded...many WWI period photos show trainee soldiers wearing dunkleblau uniforms, often patched and repaired examples.

All the best

Paul.

[Tony & Kaiser]

It seems (almost) everyone agrees now (finally) that an Eigetumsstück (privately purchased) items were not just purchased by Einjährig-Freiwilliger (one year volunteer) and Fähnrich (officer candidate. Anyone could purchase an Eigetumsstück item for wear off of the garrison. I believe in most cases, these items were worn for coming home on leave and after the mandatory service.

I will stir the pot a bit and suggest that an Eigetumsstück (privately purchased) tunic, cap, Pickelhaube etc. was typically not purchased by the soldier who wore it. Even for young men from a wealthy family, it would be the family who purchased the clothing as a gift. The young soldier did not buy it.

From what I understand, it was common practise for a family even of modest income, to pool their resources together to get their young man an Eigetumsstück tunic for walking out as a gift, and if it was affordable, a Mütze. A family with more wealth, could also afford an Eigentums-helm (Pickelhaube). However, I believe most families if they wanted to buy their soldier a gift, it would be a tunic, as he could always wear the issued Mütze and/or Pickelhaube.

This is of course just conjecture on my part, but the large number remaining examples of zero-rank Eigetumsstück Waffenrock and photos of soldiers wearing them seems to support this theory. Have at me...

[Slobo]

Thank you for the illuminating responses, including the aspects of the social environment in which our hero ranker was serving. I have always found that the social backdrop of a period is one of the perspectives that makes history so interesting.

What are the thoughts on footwear?

-- I would imagine (subject to adjustment in response to those smarter than I on the topic) that it would be common to have at least one pair of dress civilian shoes/ankle boots for wear on walking out. Would such shoes/boots be tolerated by the regs. for garrison dress and other orders of dress when trousers over shoes/ankle boots (as opposed to bloused in marching or riding boots) was called for or permitted?

-- Likewise would it have been common for privately purchased marching boots to be worn in place of issued boots?

Unlike shoes/ankle boots, which would serve basic daily or dress needs outside of service, I can imagine the expense of boots would be more prohibitive unless there was a need for boots around the farm or whatever trade our hero might hail from or be destined for.

For cavalry/mounted units, I would assume privately purchased riding boots might be more common, particularly if our hero comes from a horse riding background.

[Chris Boonzaier]

This is a private piece, it is the lowest rank possible and is stamped by the regiment as an approved Eigentums Piece.

http://www.kaiserscross.com/286801/414901.html

So Tony is right... you do not need rank to have one.

I think it does not have to be the familly who paid, but considering the age of the avergae conscript, I guess not many guys doing national service would have had the money themselves....