What are these things?

[willie777]

Ok, what are those things that are under the shoulder boards of KM blue tunics? They are not under the shoulder boards of any other branch in the wehrmacht or SS, and not on blue KM tunics which dont have shoulder boards. Heres a clear pic of canaris in uniform. Its the thing under his ahoulder board.

[billbert]

Retired after active service or AzD tabs...Billbert

[willie777]

Retired after active service or AzD tabs...Billbert

After doing some research, apparently it is called an "epaulettenbalter" (sp?) I can't exactly read gothic script and I have found the meaning for the term nowhere. What does it literally mean?

[km-spain]

These are the bridles, in german the Epauletthalter, and were used on the KM frock coat to secdured the epaulets with the full dress uniform.

[willie777]

OK, but on the service jackets, are they purely decorative and completeless useless? I cannot think that they serve any purpose as they are maybe 3x the width of the shoulder board tongue.

[Gustavo66]

The picture shows the bridles because the Officer is wearing a frock coat
Gustavo

[km-spain]

OK, but on the service jackets, are they purely decorative and completeless useless? I cannot think that they serve any purpose as they are maybe 3x the width of the shoulder board tongue.

These were used only on the frock coat, so this picture and all in which you see them is with this tunic on use and not with the service jacket.

[Gerard/Relic Hunter]

These are the bridles, in german the Epauletthalter, and were used on the KM frock coat to secdured the epaulets with the full dress uniform.

Exactly, he is wearing the frock coat.

Gerard

[billbert]

Whoops!! Sorry ..something new learned again..Billbert

[JG 51]

I know this has nothing to do with the german army but just to illustrate it. The bridle holds the epaulette in place as you can see at the pic. The Swedish army used them until 1931 on parades. Here is a Swedish infantry Oberst wearing a m/1886 from my collection.

[km-spain]

You are right, a picture is clearer than any explanation.

[willie777]

Ahh thank you, this makes it all clearer to me. On a related note, can someone enligten me as to what order of dress (dienstanzug? feldanzug?) this KM NCO (on left, returning salute) is wearing?

[km-spain]

IMO is the known as "Landding dress", that is not a specific ordere of dress, and depend on the kind onf land operations. You can see clearly the mask gas, map case?, ...

[willie777]

IMO is the known as "Landding dress", that is not a specific ordere of dress, and depend on the kind onf land operations. You can see clearly the mask gas, map case?, ...

Thanks! I always thought breeches were reserved to wartime parade dress for wear with the officer's reefer (not frock)

[Bobwirtz]

The first picture is of Admiral Canaris of the Abwehr. He was sent to Flossenburg Concentration Camp after the 20 July 1944 assassination attempt against Hitler's life. He was executed just before the camp was abandoned. So he was not a 'retired' officer. The other explanations prevail.

Bob