Heer General's tunic for review

[richthofen_117]

Note that the shoulder boards are attached incorrectly. That is, the right SB should be on the left shoulder and the left SB should be on the right shoulder.

Although this kind of mistake did occasionally happen way back then, it is another factor to consider when trying to assess this tunic.

Thanks Tim, that's a mistake indeed!

[steiner99]

Note that the shoulder boards are attached incorrectly. That is, the right SB should be on the left shoulder and the left SB should be on the right shoulder.

Although this kind of mistake did occasionally happen way back then, it is another factor to consider when trying to assess this tunic.

That's not 100% correct. The regular type or better say the most common type is like you say, but I saw a lot of tunics in wear with the loops of this side.
So this is also correct.

Cheers,
steiner99

[Tim Curley]

What is correct and what was done in ignorance or disregard of regulations are not the same thing.

Undoubtedly a lot of strange uniforms appeared as the war progressed as the soldiers did the best they could under trying circumstances. If a soldier was at the end of the supply chain and his uniform wore out, he took whatever steps he could to clothe himself. If that necessitated modifying a captured enemy uniform, then that is what he did. If he could not obtain the correct insignia, he took what insignia he could get that came close. Getting the uniform just right was the least of his concerns.

[steiner99]

Regular or not. The type exisits and is not automaticly wrong.
Here some examples...

[steiner99]

Another...

[steiner99]

The "kleiner Rock" of Ernst Udet, also the same type of loops.
They are often to see and for shure not wrong.

[Johnny R]

What Tim said was-

"Although this kind of mistake did occasionally happen way back then, it is another factor to consider when trying to assess this tunic."

While these pictures are interesting they represent a tiny handful of photos compared to thousands of other images from the War showing boards sewn in the "correct" way following regulations and traditions as well as what is most commonly encountered with original period clothing.

Anything atypical or strange on a tunic like this is reason for pause. While images can be found to support that things were done 70 years ago, the images of period clothing do not indicate or support current configurations seen on tunics are "originally applied" and the reverse is true as well because we know boards were sewn on in the fashion shown in the above images.

For me, even not looking at the boards, I see many features on this tunic that would make me suspect it is recently assembled.