Nazi Germany had probably the finest range of uniforms

Hauptsturmführer in the SS

This Waffen-SS uniform is in the "mouse gray" or "mouse brown" color.

The wearer has earned the Close Combat clasp in gold, worn above his service ribbons, and is responsible for destroying at least one enemy tank, using hand held explosives, as shown by the Tank Destroyer badge on his upper right arm.

Around his neck is the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak leaves and the 1st Class Iron Cross is on his breast pocket. His Iron Cross 2nd Class is worn on his ribbon bar.

He also wears the distinctive SS officer's belt buckle. His hat bears the dreaded symbol of the SS, the "Death's Head" or Totenkopf.

On his hat is one of the variations of the National Emblem, the German eagle with outspread wings clutching the mobile swastika in a wreath. On his arm is the "Deutchland" cuff title.

On his right hand (unseen in this image) he wears his SS ring. There were many approved variations, and some that were accepted but did not have official approval. All were private purchase items but it was not uncommon for a senior officer to gift one to a rising star like our Hauptmann. This design was favoured by his CO.

Hidden by his left arm is his SS ceremonial dagger. The Germans made great use of edged weapons a ceremonial items and each branch of service had individual designs. Most Officers wore them as a matter of course, even in services like Red Cross and Chaplains Department.

Hauptsturmführer in a SS Panzer unit

The distinctive black panzer "wrap" tunic was developed for streamlining purposes, to eliminate buttons and flaps that would catch on the inside of a narrow hatch opening.

Black was the logical choice for a job where engine grease and soot are part of the daily grind. Note the cap piping and shoulder board underlay in the rose-pink "Waffenfarbe" (fighting colors) of the Panzer elite. His hat has the Totenkopf.

This officer has a "tank destruction badge" on his upper right sleeve, indicating that he has destroyed at least one enemy tank using hand held explosives.

Not surprising since his gold-and-silver Panzer Assault badge announces that he has taken part in at least 75 Panzer missions in various units, some in Poland, Holland & France in the early war but mostly on the Russian Front. On his right hand he wears the flashy red-enameled Iron Cross with SS runes ring complete with lightening bolts on the side. He thinks it a little too much but it was a gift from his widowed mother, so he wears it anyway.

His current unit, SS-Panzergrenadier-Division Götz von Berlichingen was raised in Oct 1943 from replacement units and conscripts and stiffened with some experienced men like our Hauptmann. It saw action against the US forces in Normandy from 10 June 1944 and suffered heavy losses. The surviving parts of the division refitted in the Saar during Sep and took on manpower from Heer and Waffen-SS stragglers. It fought around Metz in October and November before once again retreating to the Saar, seeing action there in December.

It fought in Lorraine in 1945 during the Nordwind offensive and in March it retreated towards Nuremburg. The survivors surrendered to US forces in Bavaria at the end of the war. His "Götz von Berlichingen" cuff title was authorized for this unit in October 1943.

His awards and decorations include the Iron Cross 2nd Class (worn as a ribbon tucked into his button-hole), Iron Cross 1st Class. It shows a bit of wear and tear as can be expected from a medal that is worn in the field. Some of the baked enamel finish has been knocked off his medal and shows the iron core but he wears it proudly regardless. He also wears the Wound Badge in black.

Hauptmann of the Heer (early in the war)

(Heer translates to 'army')

This Hauptmann wears the early Grossdeutschland cuff title and gold GD ciphers on his epaulets.

His leather Y-strap is the early war model. Later in the war a canvas mesh variation, originally designed for tropical use, was issued widely because of its lower cost.

His decorations include the Iron Cross 2nd Class, General Assault badge, Iron Cross First Class which is one of the variations made with a brass core, not iron, and so it shows up as a golden colour. This manufacturing practice was not allowed to continue and his is a rare item.

He also wears the Ritterkreuz (Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross), along with ribbons for the War Merit Cross First Class with swords and a 4 year Wehrmacht Long Service medal.

Hauptmann Heer (later in the war)

This later war "feldbluse" (4-pocket service tunic) was made of material inferior to earlier issues, and for that reason required an additional button to keep from "gapping" at the closures.

Note that the M40 stahlhelm lacks the tri-color and Heer eagle decals of earlier helmets, and is coated with "zimmerit," a cement-like paste used to thwart the placement of magnetic mines on armored vehicles.

Many infantry soldiers borrowed zimmerit from panzer units and used it to reduce their steel helmets' characteristic gloss finish.

His decorations now include the Eastern Front Campaign ribbon on his ribbon bar.

Note too that he is wearing the German Cross in Gold, in an embroidered cloth version for field wear. He also wears the Wound Badge in Gold. Not surprising considering his record of combat.

He carries the 9-mm MP-40 sub-machine gun with folding metal stock. Allied soldiers mistakenly referred to this weapon as the "Schmeisser," and that misnomer still persists even though designer Hugo Schmeisser, famous for the Bergmann MP-18 submachine gun of World War I, actually had nothing to do with the MP-40.

The simplified Grossdeutschland cuff title is of post-1940 design. He has covered the gleaming gold officer rank pips with wool felt wraps matching his tunic, to make himself a less attractive target.

Hauptmann Heer, standard-issue M36 service dress

The Wehrmacht employed fashion designers as well as clothing engineers to create their notably striking uniforms. Equally important as functionality was the desired "look."

The tailoring of both officers' and soldiers' uniforms was calculated to inspire awe, creating an immediate impression of Prussian military bearing in even the most unimposing physique.

To further perpetuate the myth of the Aryan "superman," the designers placed the belt and the skirt of the tunic intentionally high, making the wearer's legs look longer and thus exaggerating his height.

Officers' standard-issue tunics, although similar in cut to those of the common soldier, were of somewhat higher quality in both materials and workmanship. They were also distinguished by their wide turned-back cuffs, which often served the functional role of a map pocket.

He wears the Infantry Assault badge (silver for infantry, bronze was for motorised infantry). He wears all 3 levels of the Iron Cross, 2nd class, 1st class and Knights Cross.

This officer wears the standard-issue M36 "feldgrau" (field gray) wool service tunic and peaked cap with cast-metal cap insignia and pebbled buttons.

He is not a superstitious man but manages to carry his 'good luck charm' on him at all times. It is a 2 Reichmark coin given him by his Grandmother. As well he wears his Wehrmacht ceremonial dagger on his left hip.

Hauptmann Heer, private purchase tunic & "extramutze"

Many German officers bought expensive custom-made uniforms and caps.

This Hauptmann's "extramutze" (private-purchase framed visor cap) boasts hand-embroidered aluminum flatwire insignia instead of the standard issue cast metal versions.

His M36-style tunic is finely tailored of wool "trikot" material, much more comfortable than the standard heavy wool flannel. He also wears detachable white collar and cuff bands for a more formal look.

The large decoration on his right pocket is the German Cross in gold, which he received for bravery in the face of the enemy.

This award was created in 1941 to bridge the broad gulf between the Iron Cross 1st Class, which the Hauptmann displays on his left pocket, and the "Ritterkreuz" (Knight's Cross) of the Iron Cross, which he wears around his neck.

	Hauptmann in the DAK (Afrika Korps) This officer is wearing a tropical cotton twill 5-button tunic, with specially reinforced additional seams for tough desert duty. His "stahlhelm" (steel helmet) is the M40 design, virtually identical to the M35 except that its ventilation ports are integral to the shell instead of attached. He bears an MG42 light machine gun, known to many Allied solders as the "burp" gun because of the characteristic sound of its 1,200 to 1,500 round-per-minute bursts. (The MG42 was the fore-runner to the now famous American GPMG M60 machine gun of the Vietnam war). The Afrika Korps wore two distinctive cuff titles.
It is said that the second one, seen here, was designed by Hitler himself with the simple legend "AFRIKA" flanked by twin palm trees on brown. As well they wore 2 different decals on their helmets. (See below for his decorations & awards).
Hauptmann in the DAK (Afrika Korps) wearing M40 field cap & scarf Many Afrika Korps soldiers wore the M40 field cap whenever possible, as an alternative to the heavy steel helmet which became a "cooking pot" in the desert heat. Locally-purchased scarves were also more practical for everyday wear than the regulation shirt and tie. Soldiers who participated in the joint Italian & German effort were entitled to wear the Italo-German Campaign award either as a ribbon or, as seen here, a full-sized medal. Above his 3 service ribbons this officer wears the Close Combat Clasp in gold, and below them the Iron Cross First Class and the Infantry Assault badge in bronze as well as the Iron Cross 2nd class ribbon.
	Hauptsturmführer Waffen-SS, in winter camouflage The SS "oak" pattern camouflage hooded winter parka was reversible to snow-white. Care was needed when wearing the white side out, however, to prevent it from being soiled with mud and losing its camouflage value. The nylon blend material was hard to clean in the field, and even harder to dry in winter weather. Helmets were also commonly camouflaged with white paint for winter. Note the SS runes decal on the wearer's helmet (right side). This officer's weapon is the G/K-43 Walther semi-automatic rifle, equipped with a rarely-seen 25-round "banana clip" instead of the standard 10-round magazine.
The G/K-43 was designed as Germany's answer to the American M-1 Garand. He also wears army-issue green canvas and leather shooting gloves. These cover his large and only semi-official Waffen SS ring.
Hauptsturmführer SS (camouflage smock) This Waffen-SS officer is wearing the "blurred edge" pattern Type 2 camouflage smock. His field gray M40 SS helmet is also camouflaged with daubs of black and sand-colored paint. This camouflage appears to have been applied by a spray gun, as was sometimes done en masse for an entire unit in the field with a paint rig borrowed from the motor pool. In addition to paint, camouflage-pattern cloth helmet covers were used. Some soldiers took other creative approaches, adding chicken wire-type wire rigs to hold branches, leaves and grass. The smock also provides loops for tying on foliage.
Shoulder rank is not worn with the smock. On his right hand he wears a variation of the Waffen SS ring. Instead we see on his left sleeve the green embroidered Waffen-SS sleeve rank for a Hauptmann (Captain). He carries the "Sturmgewehr" MP-44, considered by many to be the world's first operational assault rifle.