History

In July of 1940, the SS-Verfügungstruppe was officially renamed the Waffen-SS. Uniforms that were issued prior to this date will be included in the SS-Verfügungstruppe section. These uniforms include: the SS Black Service Uniform, SS M35, SS-VT drill uniform, SS-VT M36, and the SS-VT M37.

The predecessor organisation of the Waffen-SS, the SS-Verfügungstruppe, entered the war wearing the M36 uniform. The M36 tunic can be readily distinguished by its box-pleated patch pockets and dark green stand-and-fall collar, which features black and silver piping. All future Waffen-SS uniforms were simplifications of this model.

The M1944 uniform design was based on the need to preserve declining inventory stock and limit production time. The uniform was first agreed upon in 1943, but it was not produced and delivered to troops until 1944.

This new uniform drastically changed the appearance of the German armed forces for the remainder of the war. Inspired by the British Army battledress blouse, the tunic was cropped to the waist, had two small breast pockets, and was only partially lined with silk. Unlike previous models that featured a vertical seam down the back of the tunic, the M44 tunic was produced using a single panel of cloth. In addition, the tunic no longer features metal belt hooks.

The M44 uniform was primarily produced in “Feldgrau 44,” which was an olive-brown colour that was very similar to the previous uniforms worn by the SS-VT. There are many variations of the M44 uniform and a wide array of wool was used in production, including: German field-grey, Italian, gabardine, and the M44 field-grey.

The M44 was intended to replace the uniform of all Army and Waffen-SS personnel, except for the armored troops and mountain units. However, the uniform proved unpopular and soldiers continued to wear their old uniforms. As such, the German armed forces wore a wide variety of uniforms in the last months of the war.