Original Item: Only One Available. This is a very interesting early war pattern German WWII Heer Army Infantry Oberleutnant Officer's M-36 Field Tunic, made from "Russian Cloth". This is a collector's term with a lineage going back to wartime, referring to tunics that appears to be made from the same material used on Soviet Issue Meshok backpacks and other field gear. This cheaper, lightweight alternative to the standard "Drillich" material used on other German tunics was common in the Southern Russian and Caucasus regions.

We previously had one of these that was field made, however this example was definitely officially produced and issued in 1941. It still retains the complete maker and size markings on left interior near the collar, which read:

L. STROMEYER & Co
KONSTANZ
45        52
102
90       66
M41

These markings indicate that this tunic was processed through the München (Munich) depot during 1941. It is made in the early war style, and features four pockets with scalloped flaps and pebbled metal buttons, and is closed with six pebbled metal buttons on the right breast flap meeting an equal number of reinforced buttonholes on the left flap. The buttons are all magnetic, and look to originally have been galvanized and painted, however they now show oxidation from loss of the original finish. They are all still firmly sewn directly to the fabric, except for the button for the left shoulder insignia, which is missing.

The tunic is adorned with the usual rank and branch insignia used on German tunics. The attractive Army breast eagle is the correct early pattern officer's silver bullion hand embroidered type on a dark green background. There is light fraying and oxidation on the eagle due to wear. The collar has officer's field litzen collar patches on each side, which are woven from silver bullion thread with a dark bottle green background. The colored stripes on the litzen are age toned Weiß (white) Silver Bullion, the Waffenfarbe (Corps Color) during WWII for Infanterie (Infantry) and Motorisiert Infanterie (Motorized Infantry). The “sew-in” style company grade officers schulterklappen (shoulder boards) of this tunic are constructed with two rows of fine silver flatware "Russia Braid" double piping and have the correct white piping around the edges. There is a single rank "pips" installed on both, indicating the rank of Oberleutnant, equivalent to a U.S. Army 1st Lieutenant.

The second buttonhole from the top shows the rayon ribbons from a German Iron Cross 1939 and a War Merit Cross, so the wearer was awarded at least the 2nd class awards in both cases. There are also some thread loops on the left breast pocket, as well as above, so there are other awards they received that were removed. Overall condition is very good, showing moderate wear from service. These "Russian Cloth" tunics are definitely sought after, and have a classic look as seen on the Eastern Front of WWII.

A very nice and hard to find German WWII Infantry Officer M36 Field tunic made using "Russian Cloth", ready to outfit with medals and display!

Approximate Measurements:-
Collar to shoulder: 8.5"
Shoulder to sleeve: 23.”
Shoulder to shoulder: 14"
Chest width: 18”
Waist: 17"
Hip: 21"
Front length: 32"

Field Tunic (Feldbluse) Model 1936
Terms such as M40 and M43 were never designated by the Wehrmacht, but are names given to the different versions of the Model 1936 field tunic by modern collectors, to discern between variations, as the M36 was steadily simplified and tweaked due to production time problems and combat experience.

When the NSDAP came to power in early 1933 the Reichswehr, the armed forces of the Weimar Republic, were near the end of a two-year project to redesign the Army Feldbluse (field-blouse). Beginning in that year the new tunic was issued to the Reichsheer and then the rapidly growing Wehrmacht Heer, although minor design changes continued to be made until the appearance of the standardized Heeres Dienstanzug Modell 1936. The M36 tunic still retained the traditional Imperial and Reichswehr uniform color of grey-green "field gray" (feldgrau) wool, but incorporated four front patch pockets with scalloped flaps and pleats (on Reichswehr tunics the lower pockets were internal and angled). The front was closed with five buttons rather than the previous eight, and the collar and shoulder straps were of a dark bottle-green instead of the Reichswehr grey. Compared to the Weimar-era uniforms the skirt of the feldbluse was shorter and the tailoring was more form-fitting due to Germany's adoption of mechanized warfare: soldiers now spent much time in the confined space of a vehicle and a shorter jacket was less likely to pick up dirt from the seats. It also included an internal suspension system, whereby a soldier could hang an equipment belt on a series of hooks outside of the tunic. These hooks were connected to two straps inside the lining, which spread the weight of equipment without having to use external equipment suspenders. The M36 was produced and issued until the very end of the war, though successive patterns became predominant.

SS field uniforms were of similar appearance externally but to fit their larger patches had a wider, feldgrau collar, and the lower pockets were of an angled slash type similar to the black or grey SS service-dress. The second button of an SS Feldbluse was positioned somewhat lower, so that it could be worn open-collar with a necktie. Due to supply problems the SS were often issued army uniforms.