Original German WWII Kriegsmarine Administrative Official Leutnant zur See Reefer Jacket Original Items

Original Item: Only One Available. German Naval uniforms and headgear were based on the traditional designs that date back to the creation of the Prussian Navy in 1848. The uniforms and headgear did evolve during the interim years, many items used during the Third Reich era would still have been quite recognizable to the Imperial sailor.

The Reefer jacket was a basic uniform item intended for all ranks, with minor variations, and followed the basic design of the Imperial German Navy Reefer jacket. Officers and certain senior NCO ranks were responsible for purchasing their own uniforms and headgear and as a result, were allotted a clothing allowance through the Offizier Kleiderkasse der Kriegsmarine, (Officer’s Clothing Account of the Navy). Although enlisted personnel were issued their uniforms and headgear from government supplies, they were also permitted to purchase privately tailored items, but the price may have been restrictive. Generally speaking officers bought nicer quality, private purchase uniform items, but they could also choose to buy their uniforms directly from the military clothing depots.

This is a very nice, high quality private purchase Reefer Jacket with a navy blue wool construction, three quarter length. The double breasted style jacket features fold back, peak lapels and a lay down collar and has two, vertical and parallel rows of five front closure buttons with corresponding button eyelets on both the left and right front panels. The top button on each side are ornamental and not functional. The fold back peak lapels also have a single ornamental button eyelet to each. The right breast has a hand embroidered national breast eagle in gilt wire threads with gold celleon accent threads, mounted on a cut-out, navy blue wool base. The eagle is neatly hand stitched to the jacket. Original award loops are still present on the front left. The jacket has two, horizontal slash, front hip pockets with straight edged flaps. The sleeves have straight cut, non-adjustable cuffs and each sleeve has a single horizontally ribbed, woven gilt wire horizontal rank tress strip. The tress strips features two raised horizontal bars and a recessed crosshatch pattern. The tress strips are machine stitched in position and would been applied at the time the jacket was manufactured as they are inserted into the reverse sleeve seam. The sleeves also have a small, hand embroidered career administrative insignia. The career insignia is neatly hand stitched to the sleeves.

The tress signifies the rank of Leutnant zur See. The jacket has no shoulder boards but does have officers’ collar tabs present. The interior of the jacket is fully lined in black rayon with white striped rayon sleeves. The lining has a horizontal slash pocket to both the left and right front breast panels. Nice Kiel tailors label. All the buttons are the silver gilt stamped magnetic sheet metal type with an embossed, fouled, anchor on a horizontally ribbed field with a simulated, twisted, rope outer border. The buttons are all still clean and bright and appear to have their original stitching. They are marked on the back with Extra Fein.

This is a wonderful example of a WWII German Kriegsmarine Reefer Jacket. Comes more than ready for further research and display!

Approx. Measurements:
Collar to shoulder: 9.5″
Shoulder to sleeve: 23.5″
Shoulder to shoulder: 15.5″
Chest width: 18.5″
Waist width: 19″
Hip width: 21″
Front length: 30″