Original Item: Only One Available. This is a very attractive German WWII Heeresverwaltung, or Army Administration, official’s service tunic with the insignia of an Oberstleutnant-equivalent field-grade official. The tunic has an unusual Reichswehr-style appearance with extensive dark bottle-green wool facing, red administrative secondary piping, gilt HV shoulder-board ciphers, and an early officer’s hand-embroidered bullion breast eagle.

The tunic is constructed from field-gray wool with four front pockets, each fitted with a scalloped flap, and a six-button front closure. Silver-colored pebbled aluminum buttons are sewn directly to the fabric rather than secured by removable metal retaining clips. The collar closes at the throat with two metal hook-and-eye fasteners.

No maker, tailor, or size markings were located inside. The fitted construction and higher-quality materials indicate that it was most likely a privately tailored or bespoke garment made for a senior Army administrative official.

The collar, cuffs, and front edges are faced in dark bottle-green wool, giving the tunic an appearance strongly influenced by earlier Reichswehr officer uniforms. This extensive contrasting trim is less commonly encountered than the standard dark-green collar used on regulation M1936 field tunics and gives the garment a particularly distinctive formal appearance.

The dark-green collar bears a matched pair of Heeresverwaltung officer’s collar tabs. Each tab is constructed on a forest-green wool base and bears twin gold bullion Litzen. The bullion has darkened considerably with age, but the underlying buckram and red piping remain visible.

Bright red piping surrounds three sides of each collar tab. Army administrative officials used dark green as their primary corps color, with a secondary color, or Nebenfarbe, identifying the wearer’s specific administrative career. Red was associated with the political or general military administrative field. The use of distinct secondary colors was officially discontinued in 1940 in favor of light gray, although previously issued uniforms continued to be worn.

The sew-in shoulder boards are constructed from field-grade silver Russia braid with a green stripe incorporated into the braid. Beneath the silver braid is a layer of bright red secondary-color piping over the dark-green Heeresverwaltung base.

Each shoulder board is fitted with a gilt metal: HV. Cipher for Heeresverwaltung, together with a single gilt rank pip. The braided field-grade construction and single pip correspond to an Oberstleutnant-equivalent grade. German military officials held civil-service titles while simultaneously wearing insignia corresponding to established military ranks, so the wearer would not necessarily have used the actual title Oberstleutnant. Depending upon his administrative career, his official title may have been one of several senior civil-service designations.

The right breast bears an early-pattern officer’s national eagle hand embroidered in silver bullion on a dark bottle-green wool backing. The bullion shows heavy wear, darkening, and areas of loss. The eagle has been rather crudely stitched through the tunic and interior lining, suggesting that it may have been replaced or reapplied at some point. Its present application should not be assumed to be the original factory installation.

The tunic shows moderate exterior wear with scattered moth nips, minor fraying to the collar-tab trim, and expected age to the wool and insignia. The interior displays considerably heavier service wear, including staining, abrasion, and areas of tearing.

The internal equipment-support straps and dagger hanger opening remain present. These surviving fittings are desirable details and show that the tunic was configured for wear with an officer’s belt and dress dagger.

The combination of a Reichswehr-influenced cut, extensive dark-green facing, red administrative piping, gilt HV ciphers, Oberstleutnant-equivalent shoulder boards, and an early bullion breast eagle makes this an especially interesting example of German Army administrative dress. Despite the honest wear and possible reapplied eagle, it remains a visually impressive and uncommon tunic from a specialized branch of the wartime Heer.

Approximate Measurements:
Collar to Shoulder: 9 1/2"
Shoulder to Sleeve: 23"
Shoulder to Shoulder: 15 1/2"
Chest Width: 18 1/2"
Waist: 17"
Hip: 20"
Front Length: 29 1/2"