Karl Veltzé
Uniforms and Equipment 1936 -1945
The books will be indispensable to collectors, uniform enthusiasts and military historians alike. This three-volume work is the most comprehensive and detailed study of the World War II German paratrooper to date, providing in-depth examinations of nearly every uniform item—including all models of jump smocks—and equipment used from the airborne forces’ establishment in the mid-1930s to May 1945. It also extensively covers specific insignia and various unique ephemera. Finally, the work provides in-depth summaries of the operations the “Green Devils” fought in, from the air assaults on Norway, Belgium’s Fort Eben Emael, Holland and Crete, over ground combat in North Africa, Russia, Italy and Normandy through the Battle of the Bulge and on to the last days of the Third Reich.
The author and publisher were able to draw on an unprecedented degree of cooperation with collectors and museums from all over the world. The three volumes run to more than 1,000 pages, with thousands of specially commissioned color photographs of original Fallschirmjäger artefacts, some of them never shown before, accompanied by many unique period black and white images, many of them hitherto unpublished.
Volume I: Uniforms
Chapter I: The Blue-Grey UniformChapter II: Jump Smocks
Chapter III: Paratroopers Trousers
Chapter IV: Footwear
Chapter V: Tropical and Winter Clothing
Chapter VI: Special Clothing
Chapter VII: Non-Standard Clothing
ISBN: 978-3-938447-86-4
Order-No. Zeughaus Verlag: 5Z134
Volume II: Helmets, Equipment and Weapons
In the 368 pages of this second of the projected three volumes of German Paratroopers – Uniforms and Equipment 1936-1945 the author, Karl Veltzé, not only takes a very detailed look at the Fallschirmjäger helmets – more than a third of this volume is dedicated to them – , but also deals with the paratroopers’ special equipment (gasmask bags, hand grenade bags, ammunition bandoleers, medic equipment). The standard field equipment is covered next, followed by a chapter devoted to the individual and crew-served weapons utilized by the German airborne forces; among these are both versions of the special FG 42 paratrooper rifle. The parachutes used by the German paras are examined on 40 pages, whilst the last chapter looks at their drop containers.
This volume follows the development of the many pieces of equipment used by the German paratroopers from the early days to the last days of the Third Reich, describing in great detail the characteristics of the various models.
Six years of research and collaboration with some of the most important Fallschirmjäger collections have gone into these volumes so far. Collectors and military enthusiasts will be able to study some of the rarest original pieces and find a lot of interesting and new information in these pages. The full-colour photographs of the various items are accompanied by hundreds of period photos, more than 150 of them not published before, showing helmets, equipment and weapons in wear.
From the author Karl Véltze:
I just spoke to my publisher and was very thrilled to hear that both the English and the German edition of volume 2 have been printed now and should be available from dealers from mid-November.
I hope to meet some of the forum members at the Kassel show in November, to finally put faces to the names. We’re still looking for interesting material for volume 3….
- 132 pages dedicated to helmets, 54 to special para equipment, 40 normal equipment, 52 on weapons, 40 on parachutes and, finally, another 32 on drop containers.
- 45 helmets, uncovered incl. all 3 models
- 11 helmet covers
- 11 helmets with wire camo etc
- 7 gas mask bags
- 4 hand grenade bags
- 17 bandos
- both FG 42 bandos
- para medics’ pouches incl. rare blue one
- all 4 patterns of parachutes, incl. some modern packing of chutes
Click here for Volume 2 – Errata and Addenda.
ISBN: 978-3-938447-87-1
Order No. Zeughaus Verlag: 5Z135
Volume III: Campaigns and Combat Operations, Decorations, Ephemera
This book concludes the three-volume series covering World War II-era German paratroopers and their uniforms and equipment. This time, the contents cover those topics not included in the previous volumes.
Initially, the operational history of the German airborne forces between 1936 and 1945 is summarized. This section includes detailed views of more than 45 accurately uniformed mannequins, over half of which were specifically assembled for this project. They illustrate the appearance of German paratroopers from their beginnings in Regiment “General Göring” through the unconditional surrender of the Wehrmacht in May 1945.
Aside from the exhaustively covered paratroopers of the Luftwaffe, the approximately 2,000 army and Waffen-SS paratroopers receive their own chapter in this book. Along with rare uniform items, documents and many hitherto unpublished photos are shown here.
A further chapter devotes nearly 100 pages to specific qualification and formation insignia of the airborne forces– parachutist badges, cuff bands and specific unit insignia – as well as typical decorations and awards along with their award documents.
This volume also presents service record books (Wehrpässe) and pay books (Soldbücher), as well as other personal papers used by the Wehrmacht that were also utilized by personnel of the airborne forces. The chapter also includes a section that covers paratroopers’ ID discs in detail.
The next chapter contains biographical sketches of 20 paratrooper privates, non-commissioned officers and officers, and shows pertinent items from their estates. These individuals are representative of the approximately 250,000 men who served in airborne units between 1936 and 1945.
A final chapter includes assorted memorabilia that did not fit thematically into other sections, yet is closely related to the German airborne forces.
This volume includes more than 350 period photographs, of which more than 200 have not been previously published.
- Chapter 1: Combat Operations
- Chapter 2: Army Paratroopers, Waffen-SS Paratroopers
- Chapter 3: The Parachutist Badge, Cuff Titles, Formation and Unit Badges, Awards and Documents
- Chapter 4: Identity Disks and Personal Documents
- Chapter 5: Estates of Paratroopers
- Chapter 6: Canteen Ware, Printed Matter, and More
ISBN: 978-3-938447-88-8
Order No. Zeughaus Verlag: 5Z136
