I'm doing my first officer figures for a diorama, and have the superb DML Command set. But the color chart is vague about details, including the color for the band around the hats and the belts. The pants are gray and the jackets feldgrau. The illustration seems to show both brown leather and black, but it's confusing.

On a related matter, some research turned up that officer uniforms were private purchase and therefore subject to variation in color. Is this generally true or more rare?

intresting topic, as I myself am just building them too

I will follow this one


Greetz Tha Pit

The German officers cap band colour would depend on which branch you wish to depict, Heer or SS. For the Heer, it would be a very dark green (also used for collars and shoulder straps in the early years), while the SS band would be black. There are a couple of colour photos to be found on this site, http://www.hajot-net.de/uniformen.html . DML 6213 are Heer officers, as indicated by the simple two prong belt buckle (SS would have a circular clasp type).

about belts: in 1930' they were brown, but from 1938 -black. although many officers (especialy Great War warhorses) doesn't like that chnge and still use brown belts.
if You are talkin about DML's 'german command staff' 6213, You can see that only oldest and with highest rank officer have brown belt. BTW, note leather patches on cavalry officer trouses.

ne of the fig is definately a cavalerie officer,did they serve only in a horse division, or did 'old timers' sometimes keep on wearing them?
should I remove'm because there will be no horses in my set up

sorry for q'n on your topic, but all info is welcome,...not??


Greetz Tha Pit

As regards the spurs, field officers in German Infantry divisions were quite often seen on horseback, as in the main infantry units, as opposed to Panzergrenadier (or armoured infantry), were horse drawn. It wouldn't be unusual for a German officer to be seen wearing "pegged" riding breeches & riding boots, as these were part of the uniform, even for officers not on horseback. In cavalry units or artillery units (horse drawn), all ranks would wear riding breeches & riding boots with spurs. The sartorial elegance of German officers is in marked contrast to Allied practice, & of course marked them out immediately in combat. This was not universal though, one has only to look at photos of quite senior German commanders in Normandy to appreciate some dressed much more like their men, particularly SS men like PanzerMeyer & Max Wunsche, who freqently wore camo. I've even seen photos of Army or Army Group commanders like Dietrich or Hausser wearing SS "pea Pattern" clothing. Generally, German officers purchased all their own clothing privately, so variations in colour & cut were not unknown. However many junior officers purchased OR clothing from the unit stores & added their officer insignia, or got a tailor to spruce up the clothing. Naturally there was less difference in the winter clothing. There were certain items of officer wear that were not available to other ranks, like raincoats.

Don't be put off by the belt buckles if you want to use them as SS men. The SS officers belt buckle was the same pattern as the Allegemeine SS one, so was really designed as a parade type item. It's simple hook fastening was to liable to open in field service, & was not appropriate if belt gear was worn, so most SS officers adopted Heer style belts with the square frame & prongs during the war. As far as I can tell brown & black belts were worn all throughout the war, as also were brown or black mapcases, but belts would be black in SS units.