History

In June of 1939, a white summer tunic that was identical in cut to the standard black SS tunic was introduced for Allgemeine SS Officers and Non-Commissioned Officers (NCOs).

The tunic was only permitted to be worn from April 1st until September 30th. As SS personnel were allowed to wear the standard black tunic year round, few members purchased this superfluous article of clothing. As a result, the white summer tunic is a very rare item.

The white tunic was available for a short period of time and was discontinued in 1940. High-ranking Officers continued to wear it despite the fact that it was deregulated after its discontinuation. Individuals who became Officers after 1940, would privately purchase white tunics to imitate longstanding Officers.

The single-breasted, open-collared tunic is cut in the traditional military “Rock” style and features two pleated breast pockets, two lower slash pockets, and a rear vent. The tunic has four front closure buttons, and all exposed buttons are pebbled and matte silver in colour. The tunic waist features two belt suspension hooks, and the sleeves have deep turn-back cuff

A wide range of material was used to manufacture these tunics, including wool, doeskins, cotton, and linen.

The white tunic was worn with a white shirt, black tie, white linen trousers, white shoes, and a white peaked cap. The only insignia that could be worn with the white tunic were the following: collar tabs, shoulder boards, and an NSDAP armband.