Original Item: Only One Available. This is a lovely early pattern German WWII Wehrmacht Heer general officer Model 1936 service tunic configured for the rank of Generalleutnant (Lieutenant General). It retains its original general officer insignia and has a seven place WWI-WWII ribbon bar mounted above the left breast pocket. The tunic is nicely “well rested,” showing no evidence of recent alteration and appearing to have remained on display for many years. We carefully inspected the tunic but were unfortunately unable to locate a tailor label, maker information, or the identity of its original owner.

This is a fine example of a privately purchased Wehrmacht Heer Generäle Dienstbluse (General Officer Service Tunic). It is constructed from high quality field gray whipcord wool with a five button front closure and four pleated patch pockets with scalloped flaps. The magnetic buttons are the correct gilt pebbled pattern used by general officers and appear to have gilt steel faces with aluminum backs and attachment loops. The buttons are maker marked on the reverse, although several different makers are represented, probably indicating one or more period replacements.

The tunic is a lightweight summer example. The interior is largely unlined, apart from fabric panels in the upper front, and the sleeves are entirely unlined. There are no interior pockets. A large reinforced eyelet is incorporated into the left waist pocket, allowing a dagger suspension hanger to pass through the pocket and support a dress dagger beneath the tunic.

The right breast bears a fine quality general officer eagle constructed from rolled, twisted, and flat gilt bullion wire embroidered onto a dark bottle green wool backing. It is neatly hand stitched to the tunic in a manner consistent with German wartime tailor work. The bullion has oxidized naturally with age, developing an attractive dark golden patina.

The collar is faced with flaschengrün (dark bottle green) wool and fitted with general officer collar tabs of the traditional Alt-Larisch or Arabesque pattern. This style was worn by general officers below the rank of Generalfeldmarschall. The tabs have the correct red wool backgrounds with elaborate gold bullion embroidery. The bullion displays a matured patina that closely matches the breast eagle.

Each shoulder is fitted with a sew on Generalleutnant rank shoulder board. The boards are constructed from intertwined gold and silver bullion cords in the distinctive Russian braid pattern and terminate beneath gilt pebbled magnetic buttons. Each board bears a single gilt rank pip, correctly identifying the rank of Generalleutnant, approximately equivalent to a Major General in the United States Army.

A seven place ribbon bar is mounted above the left breast pocket. Based upon our examination, the ribbons appear to represent the Imperial German WWI Iron Cross 1914 2nd Class; a Bavarian Military Merit Cross with Swords on the military ribbon, believed to be the 1913 pattern; the Oldenburg Friedrich August Cross; the Honor Cross of the World War 1914-1918 with Swords, commonly called the Hindenburg Cross; two Wehrmacht Long Service Award ribbons representing extended military service; and the Medal Commemorating October 1, 1938, associated with the annexation of the Sudetenland.

The ribbon colors have faded from age and display wear consistent with service. Three additional thread loops are positioned above the ribbon bar, possibly for another ribbon bar or additional insignia. Two pairs of thread loops are also present on the left breast pocket for pinback awards that are no longer present.

The tunic displays only moderate age and service wear, with no major alterations or repairs observed. The matching patina of the bullion breast eagle, collar tabs, and shoulder boards gives the uniform a very cohesive appearance. The different button makers suggest that one or more buttons may have been replaced during the period, but the buttons are all of the correct general officer pattern.

The tunic measures approximately 9½ inches from the collar to the shoulder, 26½ inches from the shoulder to the end of the sleeve, 15 inches across the shoulders, 19 inches across the chest, 19 inches across the waist, and 20 inches across the hips. The front length is approximately 30 inches.

Terms such as M36, M40, and M43 are commonly used by modern collectors to distinguish successive variations of the German Army field tunic. The Model 1936 was steadily simplified during the war in response to manufacturing demands, material shortages, and combat experience.

When the NSDAP came to power in early 1933, the Reichswehr, the armed forces of the Weimar Republic, was nearing the end of a two year program to redesign the Army Feldbluse (field blouse). The new tunic was initially issued to the Reichsheer and subsequently to the rapidly expanding Wehrmacht Heer. Minor changes continued until the appearance of the standardized Army service uniform generally known as the Model 1936.

The Model 1936 tunic retained the traditional Imperial German and Reichswehr field gray wool but introduced four front patch pockets with scalloped flaps and central pleats. Earlier Reichswehr tunics had internal, angled lower pockets. The front closure was reduced from eight buttons to five, while the collar and shoulder straps were made from contrasting dark bottle green material.

Compared with Weimar era uniforms, the skirt was shorter and the tailoring more fitted. This reflected the increasing mechanization of the German Army, as soldiers spent more time inside vehicles where a shorter tunic was less likely to catch on equipment or collect dirt from the seats. Standard enlisted issue tunics also incorporated an internal suspension system that allowed the equipment belt to be supported by hooks passing through the tunic. These hooks connected to internal straps that distributed the weight of the soldier’s equipment without requiring external suspenders.

This privately purchased general officer tunic combines high quality lightweight tailoring with the full gilt insignia of a Generalleutnant. Its matching aged bullion, seven place ribbon bar, correct Russian braid shoulder boards, and untouched overall appearance make it a particularly impressive example of a German WWII general officer uniform.