Ritterkreuzträger of 1. Unterseebootsflottille (1st U-boat Flotilla) "Weddigen"

The 1. Unterseebootsflottille, also known as the Weddigen Flotilla or 1. U-Boot-Flottille, was the first operational U-boat unit of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine, founded on 27 September 1935 in Kiel under Fregattenkapitän Karl Dönitz and named in honor of World War I hero Kapitänleutnant Otto Weddigen, who famously sank three British cruisers in a single day with U-9 before perishing in 1915 when SM U-29 was rammed by HMS Dreadnought; it began with a handful of Type IIB boats including U-9 and U-1 through U-12 (several of the latter serving initially as training vessels attached to the school in Neustadt in Holstein) and under a succession of commanders—Kpt. z. S. Karl Dönitz until October 1936, Kpt. z. S. Otto Loycke until September 1937, Kptlt. Hans-Güther Looff until September 1939, Korvettenkapitän Hans Eckermann through October 1940, Korvettenkapitän Hans Cohausz until February 1942, Kptlt. Heinz Buchholz briefly in 1942, and Korvettenkapitän Werner Winter (holder of the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes) until the end—played a central role in the Kriegsmarine's early naval strategy by supporting the invasions of Norway and Denmark as well as the fall of France while its boats and skippers contributed significantly to the First Happy Time of U-boat successes in the Battle of the Atlantic before the capture or loss of prominent aces such as Otto Kretschmer with U-99 and Joachim Schepke with U-100 in March 1941; in June 1941 the flotilla relocated from its original base in Kiel to Brest in occupied France to facilitate longer-range Atlantic operations, eventually assigning a total of 140 U-boats of types ranging from early IIB/IIC/IID to later VIIB, VIIC, VIIC/41, VIID and XB over its lifespan, until it was disbanded in September 1944 with its surviving vessels redistributed to other flotillas as Allied air and escort superiority made continued independent operations untenable.

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REINHARD SUHREN (U-564)
Fregattenkapitän Reinhard "Teddy" Suhren (1916-1984) first gained distinction as 1. Wachoffizier on U-48 and later as Kommandant of the Type VIIC submarine U-564 in the 1. U-Boot-Flottille. After joining the navy in 1935 as part of Crew 35, completing training on the school ship Gorch Fock, the light cruiser Emden and various specialist courses, and serving briefly on destroyers and earlier U-boats, Suhren spent nine war patrols from 1939 to 1940 aboard U-48 (initially in the Wegener Flotille) under commanders Herbert Schultze, Hans-Rudolf Rösing and Heinrich Bleichrodt, where as torpedo weapons officer he fired the majority of the boat’s successful torpedoes and contributed decisively to the sinking of roughly 200,000 gross register tons of Allied shipping, for which he received the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes on 3 November 1940 as Oberleutnant zur See; the award was personally advocated by Bleichrodt, who credited Suhren’s skill more than his own command and threatened to refuse his own decoration if Suhren were overlooked. In April 1941 Suhren commissioned and took command of U-564, and during his six patrols as Kommandant he sank eighteen merchant vessels totalling 95,544 GRT plus the British corvette HMS Zinnia (900 long tons) while damaging four further merchants of 28,907 GRT; his first three patrols, which together accounted for ten ships of approximately 28,324 GRT including the sinking of HMS Zinnia on 23 August 1941, earned him the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes mit Eichenlaub on 31 December 1941 as Oberleutnant zur See, while his next three highly successful cruises—culminating in the sixth patrol into the mid-Atlantic and Caribbean near Trinidad, where despite an aircraft attack that forced him to dive to 200 metres he sank five ships of 32,181 GRT—brought the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes mit Eichenlaub und Schwertern on 1 September 1942 as Kapitänleutnant. After handing over U-564 in October 1942 Suhren served as an instructor with the 27. U-Boot-Flottille, rose to Fregattenkapitän and held senior operational posts as Führer der Unterseeboote Norwegen and ultimately Commander-in-Chief of U-boats in the North Sea; following the war he worked in the petroleum industry and died of stomach cancer on 25 August 1984.

Source :
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1st_U-boat_Flotilla
https://uboat.net/flotillas/1flo.htm

Ritterkreuzträger in Kradmantel

The German Kradmantel, or motorcyclist's protective coat, was a distinctive and highly functional piece of Wehrmacht equipment that played a vital role during World War II. Introduced on November 12, 1934, as the Schutzmantel für Kraftradfahrer, it was specifically designed for motorcycle troops—known as Kradschützen or Kradmelder—including dispatch riders, reconnaissance units, and field police who operated high-mobility BMW R75 and Zündapp KS 750 sidecar motorcycles across Europe's varied terrains. Constructed primarily from rubberized grey-green fabric for waterproofing and wind resistance, the three-quarter-length, double-breasted coat featured a large cut to wear comfortably over standard field uniforms, equipment, and even steel helmets. Early versions had matching rubberized collars, while later M1940 models incorporated a contrasting dark green or field-grey wool collar for added warmth and style. It included pebbled buttons, an inner chest pocket, and versatile fastening options—such as buttoning the hem to form leg coverings or turning up the collar—that allowed troops to adapt it for riding in rain, mud, dust, or cold. Variants included tropical olive linen versions for the Afrika Korps. Popular among soldiers for its rugged durability, protective qualities, and somewhat stylish appearance that evoked a dashing image of mechanized warfare, the Kradmantel saw service from the Blitzkrieg campaigns in Poland and France through the harsh Eastern Front winters and North African deserts. Though production and material quality declined later in the war, originals and reproductions remain prized collector items today, symbolizing the German emphasis on mobile infantry tactics in the early years of the conflict.

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HEER

General der Panzertruppe Leo Geyr von Schweppenburg (1886-1974), born on 2 March 1886 in Potsdam into a Prussian military aristocratic family with a legacy of producing Field Marshals, was a highly regarded German officer who rose to the rank of General der Panzertruppe and became one of the Wehrmacht's foremost experts in armoured warfare. Joining the German Army in 1904, he served with distinction in World War I on multiple fronts as a Rittmeister, remained in the Reichswehr during the interwar period, advanced to Oberst in 1932 and Generalmajor in 1935, and served as military attaché to the United Kingdom, Belgium, and the Netherlands from 1933 to 1937 while based in London. Promoted to Generalleutnant, he assumed command of the 3. Panzer-Division in 1937, leading it effectively during the 1939 invasion of Poland as its most powerful armoured formation with 391 tanks, earning battlefield praise from Hitler for actions at Kulm. In February 1940 he took command of the XXIV. Armeekorps (motorisiert), directing it through the 1940 Battle of France before spearheading advances in Operation Barbarossa as part of Generaloberst Heinz Guderian's 2. Panzerarmee in Army Group Centre. On 9 July 1941, as General der Panzertruppe and Kommandierender General of the XXIV. Armeekorps (motorisiert), Geyr von Schweppenburg was awarded the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes for his masterful leadership during the initial phases of the invasion of the Soviet Union: he skillfully planned his Panzerkorps' crossing of the Bug river, then drove energetically through the challenging terrain of Polesia to Kobryn, directing an unstoppable five-day advance to Bereza Kartuska and Sluck that resulted in the capture or destruction of approximately 150 enemy tanks and a similar number of artillery pieces, while personally exemplifying devotion to duty in the foremost combat zones and contributing decisively to the broader objectives of the Panzergruppe. Later commands included the XXXX. Panzerkorps in the Caucasus, Panzergruppe West (formalised as 5. Panzerarmee) in France where he prepared armoured reserves and attempted counteractions during the 1944 Normandy invasion until wounded in an Allied air attack on his headquarters at La Caine, followed by service as Inspector General of Armoured Troops until 1945. Postwar, after American captivity, he contributed to historical studies and the formation of the Bundeswehr before his death on 27 January 1974 in Irschenhausen.

Source :
https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/30100753

Ritterkreuzträger of 12. Panzer-Division

The 12. Panzer-Division was a Wehrmacht armoured division that fought exclusively on the Eastern Front throughout World War II. It originated from the 2. Infanterie-Division (mot.), which had been motorised in the mid-1930s and participated in the invasions of Poland in 1939 and France in 1940; the unit was reorganised as a Panzer division in October 1940 and formally activated on 10 January 1941 under the command of Generalmajor Josef Harpe, with its home station in Stettin. In June 1941 the division joined Operation Barbarossa as part of Army Group North, fighting in the battles of Minsk and Smolensk before advancing toward Leningrad; it endured heavy casualties during the Soviet winter counter-offensive of 1941–42 and was withdrawn to Estonia for refitting. For most of the war it remained with Army Group North, although it briefly transferred south in July 1943 to take part in the Battle of Kursk and subsequent defensive operations before returning north in January 1944, arriving too late to influence attempts to relieve the Siege of Leningrad. During the Soviet Operation Bagration in June 1944 the division, by then critically understrength and lacking its full reconnaissance and Flak elements, was detached as Army Group North’s largest remaining armoured formation to counterattack and relieve the encircled German forces in the Minsk pocket; despite its weakness, with only a single panzer company and limited infantry support, it launched a daring night attack on 1 July 1944 from Maryina Horka toward Babruysk that successfully bluffed Soviet troops into believing they faced a full Panzer division, opening an escape corridor through which approximately 25,000 German soldiers broke out southwest of Minsk. Thereafter trapped in the Courland Pocket, the 12. Panzer-Division continued defensive fighting until it surrendered to the Red Army on 8 May 1945.

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EICHENLAUBTRÄGER


Generaloberst Josef Harpe (1887-1968) was a senior German panzer commander who served on the Eastern Front throughout much of World War II and rose to lead major formations including the 9th Army and Army Group A. As Generalmajor and commander of the 12. Panzer-Division he earned the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes on 13 August 1941 for his outstanding leadership during the defensive battle at Wop on 24–25 July 1941, when his division held a 40-kilometre sector against a fresh Siberian corps, repelled the assault through superior combat direction and close Luftwaffe support, and then launched a decisive counterattack that completely destroyed the 91st Siberian Division. He received the Eichenlaub zum Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes on 31 December 1941, still as Generalmajor commanding the same division, in recognition of his part in the capture of Tikhvin together with his personal decision to remain with his troops after sustaining a head wound and his skilful conduct of an orderly rearguard withdrawal from 10 to 17 December 1941 that enabled three divisions to retreat with minimal losses despite the threat of encirclement. Later, as General der Panzertruppen and commanding general of the XXXXI. Panzerkorps, Harpe was awarded the Schwerter zum Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes mit Eichenlaub on 15 September 1943 for his masterful handling of operations south of Orel in July 1943, during which he smashed Soviet offensive assembly areas, repelled repeated enemy attacks while inflicting heavy losses, rallied retreating units north of Orel with only a small escort and restored a coherent defensive line, and personally hastened to forward division command posts northwest of Orel to issue immediate counter-measures that reformed the front and drove back Soviet divisions and tank brigades. These successive awards reflected Harpe’s consistent ability to stabilise critical sectors through bold personal leadership and rapid tactical decisions in the fluid conditions of the Eastern Front.

Source :
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/12th_Panzer_Division_(Wehrmacht)

Ritterkreuzträger of 6. Infanterie-division

The 6. Infanterie-Division, nicknamed the Westphalian Division and garrisoned in Bielefeld, was formed in October 1934 from the cover designation Infanterieführer VI during the expansion of the German armed forces and was mobilized on 26 August 1939 with an initial structure that included Infanterie-Regiment 18 based in Bielefeld, Infanterie-Regiment 37 in Osnabrück, Infanterie-Regiment 58 in Herford, Artillerie-Regiment 6, and various divisional support units such as the Aufklärungs-Abteilung 6. The division took part in the Invasion of Poland in 1939 and the subsequent campaign in France in 1940 before being transferred to the Eastern Front for Operation Barbarossa in 1941, where it saw extensive combat in the advance into the Soviet Union and later defensive actions amid mounting casualties. In December 1940 portions of its regiments were transferred to form elements of other divisions, while in late 1942 its infantry regiments were redesignated Grenadier-Regiment 18, Grenadier-Regiment 37, and Grenadier-Regiment 58 in line with army-wide changes; by October 1943 it underwent reorganization as an Infanterie-Division neuer Art, which reduced the regiments to two battalions each after heavy losses and created a new Division-Füsilier-Bataillon 6 from the existing reconnaissance detachment. The division was largely destroyed during the Soviet Operation Bagration in June and July 1944 and was officially dissolved on 18 July 1944, though a successor 6. Grenadier-Division was quickly formed on 25 July 1944 at Sennelager by incorporating remnants of the original unit together with personnel from the 552nd Grenadier Division; this formation retained the core regiments and artillery and was renamed the 6. Volksgrenadier-Division on 9 October 1944. It suffered final destruction during the Soviet Vistula-Oder Offensive in January 1945, was briefly reconstituted as the 6. Infanterie-Division on 10 March 1945 using elements of Shadow Division Dresden, and ultimately surrendered on 8 May 1945 after serving under various commanders including Generalleutnant Horst Großmann and Generalleutnant Hans-Walter Heyne during its later phases.

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EICHENLAUBTRÄGER


Oberst Georg Freiherr von Boeselager (1915-1944) was a German nobleman and Wehrmacht cavalry officer born on 25 August 1915 near Kassel who was killed in action on 27 August 1944 near Łomża in German-occupied Poland at the age of 29. As Oberleutnant and Chef of the 1./Divisions-Aufklärungs-Abteilung 6 he was awarded the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes on 18 January 1941 for his actions during the Battle of France, when on 9 June 1940 he and a small group of men from his Schwadron swam across the Seine near Les Andelys to establish a bridgehead on the far bank which he then expanded by seizing the village of Villers, and on 16 June 1940 he led his Schwadron in a decisive flank attack that captured a French battery impeding the advance of the Vorausabteilung. Promoted to Rittmeister, he received the Eichenlaub zum Ritterkreuz on 31 December 1941 for his outstanding performance during Operation Barbarossa, most notably on 4 October 1941 when his Schwadron together with attached bicycle elements ruthlessly advanced to capture the locality of Komarj and secured a bridgehead over the Lebasmuna stream, thereby blocking the Bjeloj-Cholm road and obstructing the Soviet withdrawal route from the Bjeloj area toward the Dnieper positions, in addition to his consistent excellence in reconnaissance and river crossings earlier in the campaign. As Oberstleutnant and Führer of the 3. Kavallerie-Brigade he was posthumously awarded the Schwerter zum Ritterkreuz on 28 November 1944 for the brigade’s distinguished success in the heavy defensive fighting between the Bug and Narew rivers during August 1944, where it excelled through relentless attack momentum and hardness under his leadership at the front; he met his death while personally leading an assault against a heavily fortified Soviet position near Łomża on the Narew River.

Source :
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/6th_Infantry_Division_(Wehrmacht)

Ritterkreuzträger of Kavallerie (Cavalry)

German cavalry units in World War II, though secondary to the Wehrmacht’s emphasis on mechanized and armored forces, retained importance especially on the Eastern Front due to challenging terrain, fuel shortages, and the need for mobile reconnaissance and security forces in areas unsuited to vehicles. Prior to and at the start of the conflict, most of the army’s 18 pre-war cavalry regiments were disbanded or converted into bicycle and reconnaissance battalions integrated into infantry divisions, leaving only the 1. Kavallerie-Brigade which was expanded in October 1939 into the 1. Kavallerie-Division; this formation, consisting of multiple Reiter-Regimenter along with horse artillery and support elements, participated in the Invasion of Poland, the Battle of France where it advanced through the Netherlands and Belgium into central France, and Operation Barbarossa in the central sector before growing to six regiments and being converted into the 24. Panzer-Division in late 1941. Across the entire war the German Army depended overwhelmingly on horses for logistics, employing a total of approximately 2.75 million horses and mules to pull artillery, supply wagons, and sustain infantry divisions, with an average of over one million animals in service at any time and each infantry division often relying on thousands for its trains. Dedicated cavalry formations saw a resurgence in the Waffen-SS starting with the SS-Kavallerie-Brigade raised in 1940–1941 for rear-area security and "Bandenbekämpfung" anti-partisan operations in the occupied Soviet Union, particularly in the Pripet Marshes, before being reorganized in 1942 into the 8. SS-Kavallerie-Division “Florian Geyer” which conducted extensive security duties, scorched-earth withdrawals, and combat support until its destruction in the Siege of Budapest in early 1945; this was supplemented by the 22. SS-Kavallerie-Division “Maria Theresia” raised from Hungarian Volksdeutsche volunteers. In the Heer a parallel revival occurred from 1943 onward when three independent cavalry regiments—Kavallerie-Regiment Nord, Mitte, and Süd—were formed under Army Group Center for reconnaissance, screening, and anti-partisan roles, later reorganized in 1944 into the 3. Kavallerie-Brigade and 4. Kavallerie-Brigade, each typically built around two two-battalion Reiter-Regimenter and reinforced with limited armored cars or assault guns; these brigades were upgraded to full divisions in February 1945 and operated within the I. Kavallerie-Korps alongside the Hungarian 1. Kavallerie-Division, seeing heavy defensive fighting such as repelling Soviet breakthroughs between the Bug and Narew rivers. Foreign auxiliaries further augmented German cavalry strength, notably the 1. Kosaken-Kavallerie-Division formed in 1943 from Soviet defectors and later expanded into the XV. SS-Kosaken-Kavallerie-Korps. By early 1945 German and SS cavalry had reached a wartime peak of six divisions plus supporting corps headquarters, participating in final offensives such as the Lake Balaton operation before the remnants retreated into Austria and surrendered, often still accompanied by thousands of horses.

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3. KAVALLERIE-BRIGADE


Oberst Georg Freiherr von Boeselager (1915-1944) was a German nobleman and Wehrmacht cavalry officer born on 25 August 1915 near Kassel who was killed in action on 27 August 1944 near Łomża in German-occupied Poland at the age of 29. As Oberleutnant and Chef of the 1./Divisions-Aufklärungs-Abteilung 6 he was awarded the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes on 18 January 1941 for his actions during the Battle of France, when on 9 June 1940 he and a small group of men from his Schwadron swam across the Seine near Les Andelys to establish a bridgehead on the far bank which he then expanded by seizing the village of Villers, and on 16 June 1940 he led his Schwadron in a decisive flank attack that captured a French battery impeding the advance of the Vorausabteilung. Promoted to Rittmeister, he received the Eichenlaub zum Ritterkreuz on 31 December 1941 for his outstanding performance during Operation Barbarossa, most notably on 4 October 1941 when his Schwadron together with attached bicycle elements ruthlessly advanced to capture the locality of Komarj and secured a bridgehead over the Lebasmuna stream, thereby blocking the Bjeloj-Cholm road and obstructing the Soviet withdrawal route from the Bjeloj area toward the Dnieper positions, in addition to his consistent excellence in reconnaissance and river crossings earlier in the campaign. As Oberstleutnant and Führer of the 3. Kavallerie-Brigade he was posthumously awarded the Schwerter zum Ritterkreuz on 28 November 1944 for the brigade’s distinguished success in the heavy defensive fighting between the Bug and Narew rivers during August 1944, where it excelled through relentless attack momentum and hardness under his leadership at the front; he met his death while personally leading an assault against a heavily fortified Soviet position near Łomża on the Narew River.

Source :
https://warfarehistorynetwork.com/wwii-german-cavalry-horses-of-the-blitz/

Ritterkreuzträger of Lehrgeschwader 2 (LG 2)

Lehrgeschwader 2 (LG 2), known as Demonstration Wing 2, was a multi-role experimental and demonstration unit of the Luftwaffe formed on 1 November 1938 as part of the Luftwaffen-Lehrdivision to test and showcase new aircraft, tactics, and combined-arms operations across fighter, ground-attack, reconnaissance, and night-fighting roles, with its Geschwaderstab and I.(J)/LG 2 fighter Gruppe established at Garz equipped with Messerschmitt Bf 109 aircraft under Geschwaderkommodore Oberstleutnant Eberhard Baier, II.(Schlacht)/LG 2 ground-attack Gruppe at Tutow initially flying Henschel Hs 123 biplanes under Major Georg Spielvogel, and III.(Aufkl.)/LG 2 reconnaissance elements at Jüterbog along with directly subordinated Staffeln such as the seaplane-equipped 10.(See)/LG 2 with Dornier Do 18s and the night-fighter 11.(Nacht)/LG 2 initially commanded by Oberleutnant Johannes Steinhoff; although the Geschwader headquarters was redesignated Stab/Sturzkampfgeschwader 1 on 18 November 1939 shortly after the Polish campaign, its Gruppen continued to operate independently with the Geschwaderkennung L2, seeing action in the Invasion of Poland where I.(J)/LG 2 claimed six victories and II.(Schlacht)/LG 2 suffered heavy losses including the death of its commander, the Battle of France in which the Schlachtgruppe delivered vital close air support to VIII. Fliegerkorps including the assault on Eben-Emael and repulsing armored attacks near Cambrai while I.(J)/LG 2 provided fighter cover, the Battle of Britain where I.(J)/LG 2 achieved notable successes under Gruppenkommandeure such as Herbert Ihlefeld but incurred significant attrition, the 1941 Balkans campaign and Battle of Crete with fighter-bomber and ground-support missions, and Operation Barbarossa on the Eastern Front where I.(J)/LG 2 operated in the southern sector and II.(Schlacht)/LG 2, now under Major Otto Weiß and transitioning to Bf 109 E-4/B fighter-bombers, fought in the central sector around Kalinin; by early 1942 the cohesive Geschwader structure had effectively ended as I.(J)/LG 2 was absorbed into Jagdgeschwader 77 on 6 January 1942 while II.(Schlacht)/LG 2 was redesignated I./Schlachtgeschwader 1 on 13 January 1942, with most reconnaissance components having been reassigned or disbanded earlier, leaving LG 2’s legacy primarily in the doctrinal development of Schlachtflieger tactics and versatile mixed-unit employment across multiple theaters.

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EICHENLAUBTRÄGER


Oberst Otto Weiß (1907-1955) was a German Luftwaffe ground-attack aircraft pilot who became the first Schlachtflieger to be awarded the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes with Eichenlaub; after beginning his military career in the police in 1926 and transferring to the Luftwaffe in 1934, he was appointed Gruppenkommandeur of II.(Schlacht)/Lehrgeschwader 2 in September 1939 and, during the Battle of France as Hauptmann, personally directed his unit’s ground-attack operations with Henschel Hs 123 aircraft to repel a major French armored flanking attack near Cambrai, destroying 40 tanks along with numerous trucks and mounted infantry, for which he received the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes on 18 May 1940 together with a mention in the Wehrmachtbericht. His continued exceptional leadership and combat successes during the opening phase of Operation Barbarossa on the central Eastern Front, where II.(Schlacht)/Lehrgeschwader 2 fought under VIII. Fliegerkorps and he earned the nickname "Der Löwe von Kalinin" for his actions around Kalinin, resulted in the award of the Eichenlaub zum Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes on 31 December 1941 as Major and Kommandeur of the same unit after 430 sorties, the first such decoration given to a ground-attack pilot. Shortly thereafter he briefly served as the first Geschwaderkommodore of the newly formed Schlachtgeschwader 1 before later commanding experimental anti-tank units and holding higher staff appointments, reaching the rank of Oberst on 1 November 1943 and completing approximately 520 operational sorties by the end of the war.

Source :
https://alifrafikkhan.blogspot.com/2013/11/album-foto-lehrgeschwader-2-lg-2.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lehrgeschwader_2
https://www.ww2.dk/air/lehr/lg2.htm

Ritterkreuzträger in Pelzmantel, Pelzanorak and Pelzjacke (Fur Winter Clothing)

During the harsh winters on the Eastern Front in World War II, particularly after the catastrophic first winter of 1941–1942 that caused massive German casualties from frostbite and exposure during operations like the Battle of Moscow, the Wehrmacht and Waffen-SS issued specialized fur garments known as the Pelzmantel and Pelzjacke as critical supplements to standard wool uniforms and the later padded reversible Winteranzug (winter suit). The Pelzmantel, officially the M1942 sheepskin coat, was a single-breasted, knee-length or three-quarter-length heavy overcoat made from thick sheepskin with the smooth hide (leather) side facing outward for durability and the insulating fleece (wool) side facing inward for warmth; it typically featured a wide white cotton collar often incorporating a tuck-away hood, wooden toggles or buttons, leather loops, and was designed to be worn over the standard field-grey wool greatcoat or parka for extreme cold protection. These bulky but highly effective coats were issued to sentries, guards, truck drivers, bomber crews, and some frontline combat troops, though their weight and restricted mobility made them less ideal for active infantry maneuvers, leading many mobile units to prefer the lighter padded Winteranzug. Complementing the Pelzmantel was the Pelzjacke, a shorter fur-lined winter jacket or torso-warming vest (sometimes called a body-warmer or Felljacke) usually constructed from pieced-together rabbit fur, sheepskin remnants, or similar pelts sewn into a practical garment that provided excellent localized insulation to the upper body. Highly popular across all branches of the Wehrmacht and especially among Waffen-SS troops on the Eastern Front, the Pelzjacke could be worn as a standalone outer layer, under parkas or field jackets, or over sweaters and was valued for being lighter and more versatile than the full-length Pelzmantel while still offering superior protection against sub-zero temperatures. Both items were introduced more systematically in 1942 to address material shortages and the failure of earlier winter preparations; they were often produced from domestic or captured Soviet furs, featured simple construction suited to mass production, and represented a pragmatic German adaptation to the brutal Russian climate, though distribution remained uneven due to wartime constraints. Today, surviving original examples in museums and collections, such as the Imperial War Museum’s M1942 Pelzmantel, underscore how these fur garments helped sustain German fighting capability in one of history’s most grueling winter campaigns despite their limitations in active combat.

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KRIEGSMARINE


Fregattenkapitän Heinrich Lehmann-Willenbrock (1911-1986) began his naval career in 1931 and transferred to the U-boat arm in 1939, later commanding the Type VIIC submarine U-96 as Kapitänleutnant from September 1940 until March 1942 while attached to the 7. U-Flottille and conducting eight war patrols in the Battle of the Atlantic that resulted in the sinking of twenty-four ships totaling 170,237 gross register tons along with two ships damaged for 15,864 gross register tons and one ship declared a total loss. For his achievements during the first three of these patrols, in which U-96 under his command sank fourteen ships of 115,580 gross register tons and damaged two others of 15,864 gross register tons including the prominent sinking of the British troopship Almeda Star of 14,935 gross register tons on 17 January 1941, he was awarded the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes on 26 February 1941 as Kommandant of U-96 in recognition of his rapid destruction of more than 125,000 gross register tons of enemy shipping in a short period. For further successes achieved over the course of another five war patrols in which he sank an additional ten ships totaling 58,746 gross register tons, he received the Eichenlaub zum Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes on 31 December 1941 while still serving as Kommandant of U-96, after which he went on to command the 9. U-Flottille in Brest and briefly U-256 before becoming Flottillenchef of the 11. U-Flottille until the end of the war.

Source :
https://alifrafikkhan.blogspot.com/2011/03/album-foto-jaket-bulu-nazi-jerman.html