Genuine WW2 Luftwaffe Leather Greatcoat?

[pyrohd]

I have a bluish grey leather greatcoat which I bought forty years ago. It has two rows of six “football-style” buttons to the double-breasted front (which are removable and are covered with press-studded leather flaps on the lining). There are press-studs all around the edge of the lining. It also has a standard German army stippled button on each shoulder - possibly for epaulettes? It has no maker’s label and I can find no markings at all - perhaps if there were any they were on the lining?

It has deep slash-cut hip pockets - the left-hand one of which has a reinforced slit through to a further reinforced slit on the inside to accommodate the officers ceremonial dagger/sword hanger. It has no belt.

The typical military turned-back cuffs are some 7 inches long and there is an inside breast pocket with a press-stud closure. There is also a large zipped map pocket in the lower lining.

I always thought it was WW2 Luftwaffe - but somebody has recently proposed that it is post war DDR around 1955-60. Is that likely? I can't post photos yet - I think? Any help or advice gratefully received.

[Harry]

sounds promising, the description matches wartime examples

[frank savage]

Yep!
Impossible say without detailed pics.. but, as stated by Harry, by description, seems promising. It get all the features for an original wartime greatcoat!

Cheers!

[pyrohd]

Thanks Frank and Harry for your prompt responses.

The more I look at it the more I think it might be WW2. The person who says it is DDR (he's seen photos) may have an ulterior motive???

The thing that worries me a little is the apparent total absence of marks/labels/stamps.

Any idea how I could show you photos - I have a number in my computer files.

Cheers - and thanks again.

[frank savage]

Hi there!

You have not to be worried about the absence of the label ... Even my issued ones doesn't get any marking or label too.. Most probably the tailor's label was sewed on the additional wool lining (the little press buttons around the lining, are there to keep it). One of the most important proof of its originality as WWII luftwaffe manufacture, is the presence of traces of the loops around the shoulders that would have had to keep the shoulder strap in place.

Best,

[stonemint]

Compare yours to the ones in this thread:

http://dev.wehrmacht-awards.com/foru...ht=ledermantel

[pyrohd]

Thanks Frank,

My coat has (detached) a short (12-18 inches of the same leather) narrow strap with a "D" end and a number of press-studs to alter length - the "loose" end shows evidence of being stitched - where I'm not sure. Would that be the hanger for the dagger/sword?

Also the lefthand inner armpit has a strong leather loop affixed. Finally, there are (also detached) - two small loops/bars that look like they may have held the outer ends of the eppaulettes - and there are some (albeit irregular) stitch marks on the outer shoulders. It almost looks like they were originally fitted, then removed - then refixed crudely - then removed again. Luckily they and the strap above were in the pocket when I got it 40 years ago!

And thanks for the link Stonemint - I have to say the photos of that one look just like mine - in all the little details - dagger slit, press studs, map pocket etc.

Does anyone have any idea what such a coat would cost?

cheers,

Tony

[Harry]

Pictures of Tony's coat...original wartime IMO.....

[Harry]

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[Harry]

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[Harry]

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[phild]

IMO the coat is 100% original Third Reich military (also used by some para-military organizations), but I would not say that it is for sure LW. The hook and eye collar was most often worn by Heer and W-SS...but many like this can also be seen worn by LW (and KM) officers as well.

Too me the buttons appear to be leather or maybe composition and not metal? They also seem to be too convex for the metal "football" buttons that can be found sometimes used on these. If this is correct (not metal) I would think that they are probably not the ones that came on the coat, but could still be period.

This coat was made without the half-belt in the rear, which I have seen before. Most had the half-belt and I don't know if it was just an option to not have it or if there is something more to why some of these military cut leather coats omitted it.

I also feel that the removable liner was probably an option and not included on every one of these. I base this on having seen a price list from the officers clothing counter that list them both with and without the liner.

It is real and in nice conditon. It is very difficult IMO, maybe impossible to determine service branch on the color shade of the coat alone....and even so period photos show a lot of mixing of these coats between services.

[JasonA]

IMO the coat is 100% original Third Reich military (also used by some para-military organizations), but I would not say that it is for sure LW. The hook and eye collar was most often worn by Heer and W-SS...but many like this can also be seen worn by LW (and KM) officers as well.

Too me the buttons appear to be leather or maybe composition and not metal? They also seem to be too convex for the metal "football" buttons that can be found sometimes used on these. If this is correct (not metal) I would think that they are probably not the ones that came on the coat, but could still be period.

This coat was made without the half-belt in the rear, which I have seen before. Most had the half-belt and I don't know if it was just an option to not have it or if there is something more to why some of these military cut leather coats omitted it.

I also feel that the removable liner was probably an option and not included on every one of these. I base this on having seen a price list from the officers clothing counter that list them both with and without the liner.

It is real and in nice conditon. It is very difficult IMO, maybe impossible to determine service branch on the color shade of the coat alone....and even so period photos show a lot of mixing of these coats between services.

Good knowledge to have. Thanks, Phil. I remember that you helped me out on a coat I had which turned out to be post-war. Having gone through that analysis, and reading through stonemint's thread on these coats, I've learned an awful lot. Now I feel much more prepared to recognize a period coat vs. non.

To your point, period photos show lots of different shades worn by all different branches, so I too would say this isn't necessarily LW, but could be.

J-

[phild]

Good knowledge to have. Thanks, Phil. I remember that you helped me out on a coat I had which turned out to be post-war. Having gone through that analysis, and reading through stonemint's thread on these coats, I've learned an awful lot. Now I feel much more prepared to recognize a period coat vs. non.

To your point, period photos show lots of different shades worn by all different branches, so I too would say this isn't necessarily LW, but could be.

J-

Hello Jason. Yes I think that once you zero in on this military leather coats they are as easy to reconize as a military fabric overcoat or even a tunic!

I have seen these in what I would call green (only 1), darker blue, and various blue and green hues of gray as well as about every shade of "pure" gray. The occasional black and brown I have also seen......I think they were intended for types of police (black) and the Brown for RAD, political or GO.

If they were worn a lot or saw rough storage after the war it helps to look at the inside trim areas to determin the orignal color shade of the coat.

[stonemint]

I agree, one-looker original. Buttons could be postwar replacements for civilian wear, but I would have expected the former officer to remove the board buttons.

Hard to say if LW or WH--I have seen LW with clasps before, but the shades are tough to determine 70 years later.