History

The headgear, uniforms, and insignia worn by members of the Kriegsmarine were based upon the designs utilized by the Kaiserliche Marine (Imperial Navy) and the Reichsmarine of the Weimar Republic. The official regulations governing the uniforms of the Reichsmarine were issued on April 5, 1921, and they were embraced, with a few alterations, as the Kriegsmarine uniforms in 1935.

From 1933-1945, the uniforms worn by personnel in the German Navy were produced and disseminated by the Navy Clothing Depot and private manufacturers.

Similar to the larger uniform items, the belt straps and buckles worn by Kriegsmarine personnel were based upon those utilized during the Reichsmarine.

The NCO/EM belt strap and buckle were worn by non-commissioned and enlisted personnel, such as Non-Commissioned Officers and Privates. They wore this belt whenever ordered, as well as with the landing and guard dress, and during guard duty or infantry training.

These NCO/EM belt straps and buckles are composed of several main elements, including the leather strap, the rectangular buckle, the buckle shield, the center bar, the double buckle claws/prongs, the leather tab, the buckle catch, and the manufacturer mark.

The NCO/EM belt straps that were worn with the blue or field-grey uniforms were typically made from blackened leather or more rarely from brown leather. They were also composed of olive-green webbing for wear with the tropical uniform. The strap has an approximate width of 45mm, and it features seven pairs of parallel holes for sizing.

The marks of private manufacturers vary widely, ranging from codes to full names, and even abbreviated letters, as well as the year of manufacture. After 1942, Reich numbers (Reichsbetriebsnummer) were also used as manufacturer marks (RB-). Prior to the elimination of leather tabs in 1942, tabs were often marked with the Navy ordnance mark "Waffenamt" which features a stylized eagle with an "M" below it.