German Paratroopers Vol.I: Uniforms

This three-volume work is the most comprehensive and detailed study of the World War II German paratrooper to date, providing in-depth examinations of nearly every uniform item—including all models of jump smocks—and equipment used from the airborne forces’ establishment in the mid-1930s to May 1945. It also extensively covers specific insignia and various unique ephemera. Finally, the work provides in-depth summaries of the operations the “Green Devils” fought in, from the air assaults on Norway, Belgium’s Fort Eben Emael, Holland and Crete, over ground combat in North Africa, Russia, Italy and Normandy through the Battle of the Bulge and on to the last days of the Third Reich.

The author and publisher were able to draw on an unprecedented degree of cooperation with collectors and museums from all over the world. The three volumes run to more than 1,000 pages, with thousands of specially commissioned colour photographs of original Fallschirmjäger artefacts, some of them never shown before, accompanied by many unique period black and white images, many of them hitherto unpublished.

Book Data

Author: Karl Veltze
Language: English
Pages: 368
Photos: Approx. 1000 colour, 280 black & white photos
Physical: Hardcover with dust jacket, 305x230mm, portrait

Chapters

Foreword: From a Paratrooper’s Life
Introduction
Acknowledgements

1. The blue-grey uniform

Rank Insignia
Headgear
Tunics and Blouses
National Insignia
Trousers
Coats
Shirts
Other Outerwear

2. Chapter II: Jump smocks

“M36” Jump Smock (First—Trial—Model)
“M38” Jump Smock (Second Model)
“M38” Variants Worn by Sturmabteilung Koch
“M40” Jump Smock (Transitional Model)
“M42” Jump Smock (Third Model)
National Insignia
Jump Smock Rank Insignia

3. Paratrooper trousers

Paratrooper Trousers, Trial Model
Paratrooper Trousers, First Model
Paratrooper Trousers, Second Model

4. Footwear

Jump Boots
Other Footwear

5. Tropical and winter clothing

Tropical Clothing
Headgear
Tunics and Coats
Insignia on Tropical Clothing
Trousers
Shirts
Winter Clothing
Headgear
Outerwear

6. Special clothing

Paratrooper Gloves
Elastic Bindings
Knee Pads
Elbow Pads
Shoulder Pads
Dragging Suit
Other Special Clothing

7. Non-standard clothing

Headgear
Outerwear
Scarves

Appendixes

Abbreviations
Specific Luftwaffe Directives, 1938
Notes
Bibliography

About the author

Born in 1962, Karl Veltzé has been interested in military history and, in particular, the history of the German airborne forces since his youth – not least because his father was among the first who volunteered for the airborne troops of the young German Bundeswehr in 1956. Mr Veltzé himself did his national service from 1983 to 1984 with Fallschirmjäger-Bataillon 252 in Nagold, Germany. Following the Bundeswehr, he studied modern history and English literature at the University of Tübingen. Although Mr Veltzé has translated some titles covering contemporary and military history, including several for the Zeughaus Verlag, this is his first book. He is an avid collector of paratrooper memorabilia, albeit that of the French airborne forces of the 1946-54 Indochina war.