Overview
German army uniforms changed a great deal between the 1870s and the 1940s, and again after the Second World War. The changes followed politics, war and economics: new regulations, the move to field gray, and material shortages late in each war. This guide follows the main stages and points to the clues collectors can use to place an item in time.
Dates here are approximate. Sources often disagree on the exact year a change began, so treat a single year as a guide rather than a fixed rule.
Prussian uniforms around 1870
Before unification in 1871, the Prussian army was the largest force among the German states, and its uniforms shaped later German dress. Infantry wore a dark blue double-breasted tunic called the Waffenrock, with collars and cuffs in regimental colors. The leather pickelhaube helmet, introduced in 1842, was the most recognizable part of the outfit. Its spike and brass fittings made it easy to spot.
Why the Prussians favored dark blue is less clear. Explanations vary across sources, so treat any single reason with caution.
The Imperial army, 1871 to 1918
After unification, Prussian patterns became the basis for the German army as a whole. Regional contingents, such as those from Bavaria, Saxony and Württemberg, kept some of their own details, so a regional variation is not automatically a sign of a fake.
Field service needed something less visible than dark blue. Germany moved toward field gray (feldgrau) for field use in the years before the First World War. The change was gradual, and by roughly 1910 to 1915 it was well established. Dark blue stayed in use for parade and dress.
In 1916 the steel helmet (Stahlhelm) replaced the leather pickelhaube for most troops, because leather offered little protection against shell fragments.
Ranks of the Imperial German Army
Ranks are a common question, so here is a simplified overview from senior to junior:
- Generals: Generalfeldmarschall (field marshal, the highest rank), general of a branch (for example General der Infanterie), Generaloberst, Generalleutnant and Generalmajor.
- Staff and field officers: Oberst, Oberstleutnant and Major.
- Company officers: Hauptmann (called Rittmeister in cavalry and some mounted units), Oberleutnant and Leutnant.
- Officer candidates and wartime titles: Fähnrich and Fahnenjunker. In wartime, Feldwebelleutnant was given to some NCOs promoted to a low officer grade.
- Senior NCOs: Feldwebel and Vizefeldwebel.
- Junior NCOs: Unteroffizier, and Oberjäger in light infantry.
- Enlisted: Gefreiter and Obergefreiter, plus a basic private’s title that varied by branch, such as Grenadier, Kanonier or Pionier.
Titles and insignia changed over the period, so use a rank chart for a specific year before identifying a grade.
The Reichswehr, 1919 to 1935
The Treaty of Versailles limited the size of the German army after the First World War. The Reichswehr that replaced the Imperial army kept much of the wartime kit, including the steel helmet. Its uniforms changed gradually, so items from the early and late 1920s can look alike. Check details such as collar and cuff styling, not the helmet alone.
The Wehrmacht, 1935 to 1945
The name Wehrmacht was adopted in 1935 for the German armed forces. The army’s field uniform used a field gray tunic (Feldbluse) in several models. The M36 was the early standard. Later models were simplified to save material and labor as the war went on, and the M43 is the late-war model collectors know best.
Specialist clothing stood out from the standard issue:
- Panzer crews wore a black double-breasted jacket introduced in the mid-1930s, with Totenkopf (death’s head) collar tabs. Our Panzer crew jacket guide covers it in detail.
- Afrika Korps units wore lighter cotton tropical uniforms in khaki and sand tones.
- Camouflage patterns, including splinter patterns, were used more widely as the war went on, especially by elite units.
Many late-war items used less decoration and fewer pleats. That simplification is one of the clues collectors use to place an item in time.
After 1945
- Bundeswehr: West Germany’s armed forces were established in 1955. Their uniforms were deliberately plain and free of Nazi symbols.
- NVA: East Germany’s National People’s Army used its own uniforms and insignia.
- Reunification: after 1990, the NVA was integrated into the Bundeswehr.
Using the timeline to date an item
No single feature dates an item. These clues work best together:
- Cut and collar. Compare the tunic’s cut, collar and closures with the era.
- Colors and piping. Match them to the branch and period.
- Insignia. Eagles, cuff titles and rank marks changed over time.
- Helmets. Look at construction and decal details.
- Markings and labels. Use them as evidence, not proof.
Check any item against reference photos before drawing firm conclusions. For how the field gray shades look on surviving items, see our color guide. For a wider overview, see the WWII German uniforms and equipment guide.