The Gebirgsjäger wore the regular army service uniform Model 1936 (M1936), which was specifically issued for battlefield conditions. This service uniform, which was almost identical to the Wehrmacht, was field-grey in colour and manufactured from wool/rayon mixed material. It had four box-pleated pockets, with a single metal finish button sewn to each of the four three pocket flaps. There were also five metal buttons sewn down the front of the tunic. The collar of the tunic was faced with dark blue-green material and sewn into this was the German Army collar-patch indicating NCOs and other ranks. The shoulder straps, made from dark blue-green material, was sewn into the shoulders of the tunic at the arm end and positioned at the other with a single metal button. This allowed easy access to unpin the shoulder strap in order for the soldier to remove and replace it, pending of course on the wearer’s rank as well as his branch of service. The shoulder strap could also be used to hold the soldiers military equipment in place on the shoulders.
The ends of the sleeves of the tunic were not cuff turned and were specially cut in order that the sleeve ends could be wrapped tighter around the soldier’s wrist and this allowed it to be buttoned into position.
Stitched on the right of the tunic, above the breast pocket, was the national emblem of Germany. This silver emblem consisted of an eagle with outstretched wings, clutching in its claws a wreath containing a swastika. One item of the tunic that distinguished itself from the Army tunic was the edelweiss arm badge, which was sewn on the right upper sleeve. This badge design was again repeated on the headdress. Another item of cloth normally sewn onto the uniform was the German Army rank chevron and occasionally the specialist insignia, trade and specialist badge. These items were sewn directly onto the left sleeve of the field service uniform without any backing cloth. All types of arm rank chevrons and specialist badges were worn on the upper left arm of the uniform tunic, the service and field service tunics as well as the greatcoats.
Worn around the tunic waist was the army service brown leather belt with silver metal or aluminium buckle. When the soldier had his personal equipment, the wearer’s leather support straps, ammunition pouches, and other important field equipment, needed to sustain him on the battlefield, were attached to the main tunic belt.
Apart from the tunic, the other item of clothing worn to accompany the service uniform was the trousers. These were normally field-grey in colour and were high waisted with a top button. The trousers had four fly buttons, two of which were stitched at a slanted angle and designed either with pocket flaps or no flaps at all, depending on the manufacturer. They were worn with a single button sewn into each pocket opening or pocket flap. Stitched on the right side of the trouser front was a ‘fob pocket’, and positioned just above this was a metal ring designed for the pocket watch chain.
The trousers worn were specially designed for the wearer with mountain and ski boots, where they were able to move more freely whilst undertaking specialist activities like mountaineering and skiing. The trousers were stone grey in colour, but were to be later replaced with field grey due to the demand for standardisation of the war economy. The boots could be tucked into the standard issue marching boots or slightly tapered at the ends and worn bound round with puttees.
The footwear for the service uniform was usually worn with the short lace-up ankle boots.
As for headgear worn by the mountain troops, they wore the standard army issue M1935 steel helmet, and the general service field cap known as the mountain cap or Bergmütze. The mountain cap was worn by all ranks of mountain units, ski units and Jäger personnel.
The cap was field grey in colour and positioned on the front was the German national emblem, the cockade, and two buttons. Sewn on the left side was a metal edelweiss badge. During snow conditions, this mountain cap had a special white wool knitted cover, which could easily be pulled over the cap.
Gebirgsjäger Winter Uniforms
By the time the first winter period had been endured, there were a number of winter camouflage uniforms hastily put into service. The quality of them varied, but generally they were properly manufactured. In an attempt to restore morale in the troops following the first Russian winter, the German High Command produced a handbook on winter warfare and issued it to the troops. Whole chapters dealt with building various primitive shelters, like igloos and various other constructions, whilst other parts of the book was on the subject of suitable winter clothing for the Russian winter. It admitted that winter garments, particular those of late 1941, had not reached the front until the worst of the weather had passed, but went on to reassure the reader that there would be adequate winter clothing for future operations, if victory was not attained by then. As a result of the winter handbook, it hoped to reassure the soldier that he would not freeze to death in the snow, like so many of his comrades had in late 1941. They hoped by manufacturing massive quantities of winter camouflage clothing, the troops would not only remain warm, but would be well concealed in the snow against the growing might of the Red Army. During the summer of 1942, manufacturers set an unprecedented goal to produce hundreds of thousands of winter camouflage uniforms. If the German Army were compelled to fight again in the winter, they would be ready to deal with the harsh elements, which would, in turn, increase the survivability of the soldier in sub zero temperatures.
In 1942, a new winter garment was designed, tested and then manufactured. The piece of winter clothing was a special German Army snow camouflage uniform, very similar to that worn by the Red Army. As a uniform, it was not only especially designed to keep out the harsh winter weather and keep the wearer warm, but it provided ample camouflage in the snow. German troops that wore this uniform, during the winter of 1942, tended to wear it for very long periods, both during the day and night. Due to this reason, the white side of the jacket and trousers tended to become soiled in dirt, thus defeating the whole idea of the white camouflage. Soldiers did attempt to try and clean these items of clothing but soon found that the thick blanket lining did not clean well, or took too long to dry out. For this reason, German troops wearing the reversible, continued to wear the white camouflage garments already mentioned, for these cotton covers, capes or suits could easily be washed and cleaned.
For the second winter of 1942, a German Army reversible winter uniform was manufactured and supplied to the front lines. When the troops were issued with these garments, in October and November 1942, they found the clothing extremely warm and comfortable. The uniform also provided the wearer with greater freedom of movement, especially with personal equipment. This uniform not only helped combat the severity of the cold, but helped prevent overheating during physical exertion.
The reversible clothing itself consisted of a heavy reversible double-breasted over jacket that was designed for extra frontal warmth. It had double buttoned overlaps to the flaps of the jacket to the front, which when closed were wind resistant. The bottom edge of the jacket had drawstrings attached, and the ends of the cuffs were also adjustable as well. The trousers worn were thick, as was the jacket, and was completely reversible. They were shorter in length to normal standard issue uniformed trousers but could be either worn over the top of the leather marching boots or tucked inside. The ends of the trousers were gathered in by drawstrings and tied in around the boots.
The winter reversible was normally mouse-grey on one side and winter white on the other. The soldiers wore the reversible garment pending on the terrain. If the area was snow covered, the wearer wore the uniform on the winter white side out, and during operations where there was no snow, it was worn mouse-grey side out. However, there were other variations of the reversible, which included the green splinter pattern and the tan water pattern.
The reversible uniform was designed large enough to be worn over the service uniform, including personal equipment. However, troops did favour wearing most of their equipment over the winter jacket.
For the next four years of the war, the Gebirgsjäger was seen wearing these popular winter camouflage garments. By the early winter of 1943, the winter reversible had become one of the most popular items of winter clothing worn by the troops. Soldier survivability had actually increased, in spite of the major military setbacks. In the winter of 1941, more than half the cases of casualties were caused by the extreme sub zero temperatures like frostbite. By the end of 1942, this figure had reduced considerably. A year later, in the winter of 1943, it was less than a quarter of the casualties.