Black or Brown

[bergfuehrer]

Well, experts, I have to ask this. What color of leather is correct for junior officer (Leutnant) brown or black? And what periods of the war?

[Seigfried]

Well, experts, I have to ask this. What color of leather is correct for junior officer (Leutnant) brown or black? And what periods of the war?

Leather started off being issued brown and was ordered to be dyed black about 1942 (I think - no refs to hand) before being issued already dyed black. I prefer brown as I like early the war look. I do not think the officer rank makes any difference to the belt colour. Senior oficers though (General rank) would have had a gold wash to the buckle as opposed to silver.

John

[bergfuehrer]

Danke Siegfried! It means that for 1939 - 1942 I must have brown leather equipment (belt, pistol holster, mapcase)? 1942 - 1945 - black leather? What about Y-straps? Did officer wear it in 1939 - 1942 period brown leather or regular soldier's type?

[Seigfried]

Danke Siegfried! It means that for 1939 - 1942 I must have brown leather equipment (belt, pistol holster, mapcase)? 1942 - 1945 - black leather? What about Y-straps? Did officer wear it in 1939 - 1942 period brown leather or regular soldier's type?

1. I have only ever seen Brown leather used for officers' belts, cross straps (discontinued early in the war) and mapcases - not holsters although I do not doubt that they existed.
2. The dates are only a rough guess - I cannot without my books confirm the date of the order changing 'brown' to 'black' although it was sometime around this period.
3. Y-straps were only ever in black (with a brown underside). Officers (Junior - Leutnant/Hauptmann) only wore them in combat.

I would recommend Angolia's trilogy on German Uniforms of WW2, can't remember the exact title but someone on here will be able to help (and confirm my remarks if innaccurate ).

John