{"product_id":"original-german-wwii-kriegsmarine-navy-flak-gun-leader-bootsmannmaat-petty-officer-blue-wool-uniform-jumper-trousers","title":"Original German WWII Kriegsmarine Navy Flak Gun Leader Bootsmannmaat Petty Officer Blue Wool Uniform Jumper \u0026 Trousers","description":"\u003cp\u003eOriginal Item. Only One Available. This is a lovely Kriegsmarine Navy Blue Wool Jumper \u0026amp; Trousers Uniform set belonging to a petty officer in the who held the position of \"Flak Gun Leader\", as indicated by the insignia on the left sleeve. The Kriegsmarine was the navy of NSDAP Germany from 1935 to 1945. It superseded the Imperial German Navy of the German Empire (1871–1918) and the inter-war Reichsmarine (1919–1935) of the Weimar Republic. The Kriegsmarine was one of three official branches, along with the Heer and the Luftwaffe, of the Wehrmacht, the German armed forces from 1935 to 1945.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis beautiful Navy Blue Wool Kriegsmarine jumper belonged to an \u003cem\u003eBootsmannmaat\u003c\/em\u003e, or “Boatswain's Mate” which is the direct translation. In this case their rating is Bootsmann, and rank Maat, an NCO equivalent to a U.S. Navy Petty officer, third class, and is indicated by the gold embroidered \"Fouled Anchor\" badge on the left sleeve. Under this is a \u003cem\u003eSonderausbildung Abzeichen\u003c\/em\u003e (Special training badge), also called a \"trade badge\" or \"specialist\" badge, which is oval and features a red embroidered \"Winged Shell\" over a single chevron, which indicates they were a \u003cem\u003eGeschützführer, Flak\u003c\/em\u003e (Flak Gun Captain). Both patches are of wool construction and appear to have been hand stitched on. There is very little mothing present on the insignia. On the right breast of the jumper there is the correct Kriegsmarine Wehrmachtadler Eagle, BeVo machine embroidered ion gold yellow on a navy blue background, which was then sewn to the jumper. The insignia shows no sign of being added later and is all of the period. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe checked inside of the jumper, but we were not able to locate any type of manufacture markings. It is in very good condition, with the navy blue \"whipcord weave\" wool showing only light wear, though there is some scattered mothing present. The \"tar flap\" on the rear is still present, and the jumper retains the button for fastening the collar closed. These uniforms were usually worn in colder weather, so buttoning up the color was definitely a plus.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe included navy blue trousers are in very nice shape, featuring an internal waist band that the front then buttons to. The buttons are all present, and the size adjustment straps on the sides are functional as well. There is no major wear, but there definitely is some mothing present.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis is a lovely uniform set that doesn’t often come up together like this. Ready to display!\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eApproximate Measurements:-\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr aria-hidden=\"true\"\u003eCollar to shoulder: 9.5\"\u003cbr aria-hidden=\"true\"\u003eShoulder to sleeve: 18”\u003cbr aria-hidden=\"true\"\u003eShoulder to shoulder: 24\"\u003cbr aria-hidden=\"true\"\u003eChest width: 22”\u003cbr aria-hidden=\"true\"\u003eWaist: 19\"\u003cbr aria-hidden=\"true\"\u003eHip: 20\"\u003cbr aria-hidden=\"true\"\u003eFront length: 27\"\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePants:-\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr aria-hidden=\"true\"\u003ewaist: 14\"\u003cbr aria-hidden=\"true\"\u003eInseam 30\"\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMore on the Kriegsmarine\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eIn violation of the Treaty of Versailles, the Kriegsmarine grew rapidly during German naval rearmament in the 1930s. The 1919 treaty had limited the size of the German navy and prohibited the building of submarines\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eKriegsmarine ships were deployed to the waters around Spain during the Spanish Civil War (1936–1939) under the guise of enforcing non-intervention, but in reality supported the Nationalists against the Spanish Republicans.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn January 1939, Plan Z, a massive ship-building program, was ordered, calling for surface naval parity with the British Royal Navy by 1944. When World War II broke out in September 1939, Plan Z was shelved in favour of a crash building program for submarines (U-boats) instead of capital surface warships, and land and air forces were given priority of strategic resources.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe Commander-in-Chief of the Kriegsmarine (as for all branches of armed forces during the period of absolute NSDAP power) was AH, who exercised his authority through the Oberkommando der Marine (\"High Command of the Navy\").\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe Kriegsmarine's most significant ships were the U-boats, most of which were constructed after Plan Z was abandoned at the beginning of World War II. Wolfpacks were rapidly assembled groups of submarines which attacked British convoys during the first half of the Battle of the Atlantic but this tactic was largely abandoned by May 1943 when U-boat losses mounted. Along with the U-boats, surface commerce raiders (including auxiliary cruisers) were used to disrupt Allied shipping in the early years of the war, the most famous of these being the heavy cruisers Admiral Graf Spee and Admiral Scheer and the battleship Bismarck. However, the adoption of convoy escorts, especially in the Atlantic, greatly reduced the effectiveness of surface commerce raiders against convoys.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFollowing the end of World War II in 1945, the Kriegsmarine's remaining ships were divided up among the Allied powers and were used for various purposes including minesweeping. Some were loaded with superfluous chemical weapons and scuttled.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Original Items","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":44543034490949,"sku":"ONJR25DENV190","price":695.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1524\/1342\/files\/ONJR25DENV190__1A.jpg?v=1768655804","url":"https:\/\/www.ima-usa.com\/products\/original-german-wwii-kriegsmarine-navy-flak-gun-leader-bootsmannmaat-petty-officer-blue-wool-uniform-jumper-trousers","provider":"International Military Antiques","version":"1.0","type":"link"}