Czech, Slovak, Austrian and Dutch Reworked Tunics

[Johnny R]

Does anyone have reworked Czech or Slovak tunics that were used by the Army? The Dutch and Austrian ones seem more common, I am curious what the Czech and Slovak tunics look like modified and unmodified and what the base colors were. I have seen period photos of odd tunics that are not Dutch or Austrian but it is not clear to me what the main differences are for tunics from other countries after reworking for reissue.

[Johnny R]

I guess these must be rare, has anyone ever even seen a reworked Czech/Slovak tunic, I think Czech tunics were brown?

[phild]

I guess these must be rare, has anyone ever even seen a reworked Czech/Slovak tunic, I think Czech tunics were brown?

I have never a photo or example of a CZ in use modified or not with the Whermacht/SS. I have seen the dyed CZ overcoats used by HJ Flak units, CZ OS caps,probably dyed, worn by Heer replacement Army troops, and CZ coveralls rebadged for German PZ use. Reports indicsted that about 11 Div. of Heer we equiped with captured CZ small arms and vehicles....also this included maybe a Div. worth for the SS VT and early WSS.

I agree that the basic color of CZ uniforms was a brownish color. This fact probably made them not practical for issue to the Germans and re-dying was not satisfactory on a large scale...esp. for tunic size items.


The German official regulations of the period reconized the formal conversion and use of two non-German origin unform tunics and as you suggested these were the Dutch and Austrian types. IME the Dutch enlisted tunics are more often found by a big % than the Austrian examples....I'm talking about the post war collector market not period photos where both can be found in wear a fair amount. I should add that overcoats, breeches were also official conversions from those two countries and Dutch OS caps were also offically used to some extent.

[Abzeichen]

I have never a photo or example of a CZ in use modified or not with the Whermacht/SS. I have seen the dyed CZ overcoats used by HJ Flak units, CZ OS caps,probably dyed, worn by Heer replacement Army troops, and CZ coveralls rebadged for German PZ use. Reports indicsted that about 11 Div. of Heer we equiped with captured CZ small arms and vehicles....also this included maybe a Div. worth for the SS VT and early WSS.

I agree that the basic color of CZ uniforms was a brownish color. This fact probably made them not practical for issue to the Germans and re-dying was not satisfactory on a large scale...esp. for tunic size items.


The German official regulations of the period reconized the formal conversion and use of two non-German origin unform tunics and as you suggested these were the Dutch and Austrian types. IME the Dutch enlisted tunics are more often found by a big % than the Austrian examples....I'm talking about the post war collector market not period photos where both can be found in wear a fair amount. I should add that overcoats, breeches were also official conversions from those two countries and Dutch OS caps were also offically used to some extent.

Here are two period photos of CZ tunics in use by the Heer.

12.jpg

[Abzeichen]

CZ Tunic II

Here is another. These are both out of a period photo album


18.jpg

[Johnny R]

So, a 6 button front with internal hip pockets, very nice photos. I have a couple of them in wear to with a Signals unit circa 1939. They must have redyed them and added dark green collars. Thanks Phil, as always you have encyclopedic knowledge of obscure uniform items etc. . I wonder if any survive in collections?

[NickG]

here some more examples

Here some more examples (I actually believe that these were modified Austrian tunics, not Czech... its described as such in a reference book from France...)
SO an Austrian enlisted type, so lacking the fancy scalloped batwing pocket flaps, as commonly seen on Austrian officers tunics!
PS: Czech tunics are the wrong color too difficult for mass conversions!!
Dutch YES, Austrian YES! both often converted and re-issued!

[NickG]

not mine

This one is NOT mine and I don't remember where I obtained the image from (perhaps WAF?) but I believe this is an Austrian drillich (fatigue) tunic, modified to look like a German tunic (anschluB conversion)

[NickG]

period image

Here's a period image if a similar conversion! Note Jaeger sleeve oval!!!
These do have the fancy bat wing pocket flaps, a style that dates from the Austro-Hungarian empire!

[phild]

Thanks Phil, as always you have encyclopedic knowledge of obscure uniform items etc. . I wonder if any survive in collections?

Thank you, but hardly!

Thanks Abzeichen and Nick for the photos.

Nick, I would have thought the same.

Interesting is the way the chest pockets bellow out on the inside edge....sort of like the American BDUs after they spent millions in R&D and corrected to that style after a year or two of issue! They could have saved time and money if they had seen Abzeichen's photos.

[Johnny R]

Thank you, but hardly!

Thanks Abzeichen and Nick for the photos.

Nick, I would have thought the same.

Interesting is the way the chest pockets bellow out on the inside edge....sort of like the American BDUs after they spent millions in R&D and corrected to that style after a year or two of issue! They could have saved time and money if they had seen Abzeichen's photos.

I enjoyed those millions with my ear plugs and Marlboros inside those expensive pockets.

Thanks for the pics. I have yet to find such treasure.

[NickG]

partial modification

Here some junior Austrian officers (I guess non scalloped pocket flaps were OK for officers afer all)...
with added Heer breast + cap eagles... around the Anschluss time... so hastily modified (call it a partial conversion) with standard Austrian stand-up collars still inplace + Austrian rank stars!
Note fly front (hidden buttons) shown here and same bellowed chest pockets (left image) it appears!

[NickG]

Dutch conversions

Here an example of the common Dutch conversions (not limited to Osttruppen!)

[NickG]

Dutch bottoms

Not just captured tunics were utilized! Dutch bottoms here!
Pants (riding breeches) ,leg wraps (puttees) and boots (not high arch = Dutch style) are ALL from Netherlands army stock, probably came from the same quartermaster depot and redistributed to these occupation troops!
The tropical cap is interesting too....worn in Holland! (Indian troops in Holland on coastal defence duty, also wore tropical caps (along with tropical uniforms even)

[Gaspare]

I've seen [and owned a couple] these Reworked /Reissued /Field outfitted, jackets at one time or another..That is, a WW 1 or interwar period jacket, stripped of its national insignia,,used whole or dyed, parts replaced, and replaced with any branch service of German insignia..
Dutch
Austrian
CZ/Slovak
Estonian
Russian
Italian

,,has anyone ever see a Latvian, Polish, Finnish, rework/reissue?