Photographic study of SS gear in Czechoslovakia

[NickG]

More border guards...1000's of unissued Sahariana SS uniforms recycled!
For some reason the pants were not adopted...

[NickG]

Here some reenactor impressions from the Czech republic where this "theme" is much more recognized!
Repro SS Sahariana are being badged up for this!

[NickG]

More

[NickG]

Reenactors

[NickG]

It is a popular theme!

[NickG]

We all know about the parkas in the Czech republic ...post war use (first image is actually a movie)

[NickG]

but I thought lets focus on these Saharianas...The majority of the surviving SS saharianas are no doubt from these inventories...

[NickG]

Markings:
Before 1948 the old prewar rampant lion was still in use ...and it can be found on German gear adopted by the Czechs (Czechoslovakians actually)
See stamps on these 2 examples of German tropical web gear (images from various members here), Again found in minty conditions in Czechoslovakia!

Here 1946!

[NickG]

Here a helmet chin strap (dated 1946)which has the same lion stamp...here appearing on one of those controversial tan German helmets, of which 1000's were found
in Czechoslavakia in the same unissued condition... (certainly makes me wonder)
I won't show the entire helmet as that is not the theme of this thread...Those helmets remain controversial and a tropical related connection is circumstantial to many here!
(but to me still a connectable dot, but that's a different topic!...Let's call it an interesting coincidence...liner detail on my tan helmet in 2nd image, minty unissued shelf survivor!)

[NickG]

Any equipment AFTER 1948 was stamped with the crossed swords like this USSR style helmet...

[NickG]

and this camo piece...post 1948 crossed swords ink stamp!

[NickG]

So German gear adopted by the Czechs should have the rampant lion (1930's - 1947) as shown on the helmet strap and web gear...

I know Italian camo parkas (see image which also shows German winter boots!!!) were found with such stamps,
so perhaps also appearing on some SS Saharianas, but the latter were used by the early post war border guards, not regular military,
so maybe not...

Anyway anything stamped after 1948, would have the crossed swords (and no link to German armed forces "left over" gear)!
Hope this was interesting! Now we know why so many Saharianas exist in nice condition!
Sitting unissued in Czech warehouses...even after many were adopted by the various units, that's how many there were!
(and helmets,piths and SS tropical boots, SS tropical caps, Sahariana SS shirts etc...)

Hope this was interesting!

[Ian Hulley]

Excellent study Nick Many thanks.

Ian

[kammo man]

Agreed with Ian 100%
Great work !!!
Thanks for educating us today
Owen

[NickG]

Thanks Guys! Nice minty SS tropical boots shown here ! Again SS Saharianas + caps + matching SS shirts (bottom row)!
Sorry for the image being out of focus...(source: as tagged!)
Again RG (Revolutionary Guard) mambers is SS tropical kit.

Thousands of sun helmets were found in various locations too.

The helmets sell for little money in the Czech Republic 70 years later as so many were found!
and none btw with the green leather edge trim... (Heer-Army) all with brown edging (SS-LW)! (DAK tricolor shield was added)

http://www.army-surplus.cz/detail/22...macht-original

Member Bubble from the Czech Rep shared the following info:

These tropical helmets in postwar Czechoslovakia was a huge amount. These tropical helmet (without nazi insignias) were after the war sold in every grocery store called "Včela" for a few krone/cents a piece. These tropical helmets come from a warehouse near the city Třebíč, but perhaps from many other depots in other cities (?).
These helmets after the war, bought mainly scouts, tramps or children. I saw several photos and entire postwar scout groups, and all the children were wearing these helmets.
When I was a kid (70's) so many kids at school had these tropical helmets.

.