MajGen's Tunic

Discussions on Axis uniforms, headgear and insignia. Hosted by John G & William Kramer.
User avatar
NY Marine
Member
Posts: 15
Joined: 19 Sep 2007, 02:07
Location: Kansas

MajGen's Tunic

#1

Post by NY Marine » 19 Sep 2007, 02:17

After my wife's grandfather passed away, a German MajGen's tunic was found in his closet. Is there anyway to find out what German MajGen it belonged to? The ribbon's on the uniform were:

Top row L-R: WWI Iron Cross 1st and 2nd class (WWI), Eastern Front Medal (WWII), War Merit Medal of Saxe-Meiningen (WWI), Hindenburg Cross (WWI), Schlesischer Eagle (WWI), Baltic Cross (WWI).
Bottom row L-R: 25 Year Long Service medal, 25 Year Long Service medal(WWI and II), 1 Oct 1938 Czech medal (WWII), Hungarian WWI veteran medal (WWI),
Nazi Mine Rescue medal (WWII), Bulgarian War medal (WWI)

Laurence Strong
Member
Posts: 1221
Joined: 16 Jan 2005, 07:01
Location: Alberta, Canada

#2

Post by Laurence Strong » 19 Sep 2007, 03:12

Is there any name written on the tailors tag?


User avatar
NY Marine
Member
Posts: 15
Joined: 19 Sep 2007, 02:07
Location: Kansas

#3

Post by NY Marine » 19 Sep 2007, 04:36

On the tag it says Unione Militare, no name. The only things a history professor could tell me was he was a MajGen in the German Army and he probably fought in Africa, Greece or Italy because of the color of the tunic. The uniform also has a WWI wound badge and Iron Cross. I'm trying to find a data base or resource that might be able to put a name with the uniform.

Laurence Strong
Member
Posts: 1221
Joined: 16 Jan 2005, 07:01
Location: Alberta, Canada

#4

Post by Laurence Strong » 19 Sep 2007, 13:39

If you would post or send me a photo, I will find out for you. I talked to some other people and they have a couple of problems and wish a photo.

Laurence Strong
Member
Posts: 1221
Joined: 16 Jan 2005, 07:01
Location: Alberta, Canada

#5

Post by Laurence Strong » 22 Sep 2007, 13:53

here you go. Do you have more photo's of the tunic?
Attachments
P1000212.JPG
P1000212.JPG (86.63 KiB) Viewed 2481 times

User avatar
John G.
Host - Militaria sections
Posts: 5775
Joined: 25 Apr 2006, 19:56
Location: USA

#6

Post by John G. » 22 Sep 2007, 15:52

Just a couple points, on the ribbon bar it's a 12 Yr. & 25 Yr. Long Service Awards and the one IDed as Mine Rescue is a foreign award (by placement on bar)....need better picture to ID. The EK should be center pocket and Wound badge below, but what it really should have is a 1939 Clasp 1st Cl. with the EK below.....
I will reserve comment on the tunic.....need to see good pictures of tabs, boards, breast eagle, inside lining, etc.....with as much detail & proper lighting as possible. If original, this could be an important "find" and easily "restored for display" or could be professionally restored (the mothing by the eagle)....Look closely inside for "slash" pockets that sometimes are hard to see...you might get lucky....also inside pockets & cuffs.....
Will be watching....
John G.
Mainemilitaria

User avatar
William Kramer
Host - Militaria sections
Posts: 2867
Joined: 27 Oct 2003, 05:48
Location: Illinois
Contact:

#7

Post by William Kramer » 23 Sep 2007, 22:31

Hello,

Please post more images.

William Kramer

NTZ
Member
Posts: 205
Joined: 23 Apr 2006, 15:44
Location: USA

#8

Post by NTZ » 25 Sep 2007, 13:20

"Unione Militare" is an Italian marking. I have a Italian visor with that tailor mark. They are located in Rome I believe.

User avatar
John G.
Host - Militaria sections
Posts: 5775
Joined: 25 Apr 2006, 19:56
Location: USA

#9

Post by John G. » 25 Sep 2007, 14:58

It's not unusual to find German tunics that were Italian-made, especially for high officers, and even more especially in the tropical version as there wasn't a German made "officer's" tropical tunic.....several General's are known to have worn this "cut" tunic....undoubtedly Ital. made for Afrika service & Sicily/Italy tropical wear
Can't tell from the pictures if it's really tropical or just faded Italian gray/green, can't tell if the eagle is a General's or a Navy......tabs might be ok, can't see enough of the boards to tell anything. The ribbons which are real could be original to the uniform and might be appropriate for a General officer in WW2 (and maybe traceable....not many General's would have had Silesian Eagle & Baltic Cross (Freikorps Awards). What do the sleeve cuffs look like? Show the "loops" the badges are pinned to. We need those pictures. May be a rare tunic or a put together uniform using an Italian tunic as a base....
Waiting.....
John G.

User avatar
Dieter
Member
Posts: 1073
Joined: 17 Aug 2004, 00:50
Location: Watsonville, CA
Contact:

#10

Post by Dieter » 25 Sep 2007, 16:07

He was undoubtably NOT in the Afrikan campaign (no cuff title), but was in Russia during the winter war of 1941-42, as evidenced by the (possibly added-on later) ribbon bar. He was later stationed in the Mediterranian, possibly Greece, Crete, Sicily, southern France or Italy. There is also no evidence of a removed Gebirgsjager Edelweiss patch.

User avatar
John G.
Host - Militaria sections
Posts: 5775
Joined: 25 Apr 2006, 19:56
Location: USA

#11

Post by John G. » 26 Sep 2007, 15:53

Still waiting for better pictures......if you've "solved the riddle "give "us" a quick review......Assuming it is legit and that it is a Tropical cut tunic.....the owner could have been in Afrika.....this type tunic would have been a "Service Dress/Walking Out" tunic, worn on leave or while visiting Rome....Rommel wore a "tailored" Tropical Tunic (similiar to this one) as late as 1944 on occassion, and they were very popular in Tropical areas. (Rommel supposedly wore his "Afrika Tunic" at time of his suicide)...
Many serving in Africa were not members of the Afrika Korps and thus wouldn't have worn the "Afrikakorps" cuff title, and the Commemorative "Afrika" title wasn't normally awarded until after the Campaign ended (some were issued earlier, mostly to wounded & returned veterans). Service in Tunisia is certianly still Africa (not necessarily Afrika Korps) and many late arrivers had service in Russia Winter 41/42. The only thing that might raise questions about Afrika Korps service would be the lack of any Italian Awards....most General Officers would have received a couple Italian Awards if serving in the DAK....
But this might date 1943/44 after Italian Awards were recinded. Just more food for thought.
Of course, it might just be an old Italian Officers tunic with added insignia....I'd still like to see for myself....need them pictures!
Thanks,
John G.

User avatar
NY Marine
Member
Posts: 15
Joined: 19 Sep 2007, 02:07
Location: Kansas

#12

Post by NY Marine » 29 Sep 2007, 01:30

Gentlemen,
I'm sorry for not responding sooner. I'm currently attending Command and General Staff College in KS and have been busy. Laurence Strong has been gracious enough to post the previous picture. I will send more pictures to him and hopefully he will post them. The family and I are not very knowledgeable concerning the Axis uniforms, medals etc, so I'll send pictures and answers to any of your questions. I wish we gathered more information from the veteran who brought this item back to the US before he passed away. The family very much appreciates your support in answering questions about the tunic.
Thanks,
Eric Y.

CharlieB
Member
Posts: 6
Joined: 29 Sep 2007, 21:52
Location: USA

#13

Post by CharlieB » 29 Sep 2007, 23:01

Gentlemen, My name is Charlie, I am the son of the grandfather and have the tunic in question. I will try to answer your inquiries as best I can. The uniform is brown in color and matches the style worn by Rommel on the cover of " German Military Ribbon Bars 1914-1957" by Mark Hayden. A better picture is found on page 39 of this publication. The shoulder bar is gold and silver interlaced cord with two pips and lays on top of a red patch. I also found through Mainemilitaria's suggestion, that there is a "slash" pocket under the left breast pocket. Inside the pocket is a tailor's label with the name " Stumer" or "Shumer" dated 17-9-42. It also has a number 1843. The sleeve cuffs are plain with no badges or labels. I am not sure of the name so I will try to attach a picture that I took today. I understand that the current picture shown was initially to big of a file, so I might need help in reducing its size in order to post. I deeply appreciate the work done by my Nephew-Inlaw, NY Marine .It is his curiosity that has brought us to where we are today. Obviously, I have to know more, who is this brave offficer and his record in history. Thank you everyone for your contributions and thoughts. Deepest Thanks to NY Marine.I am proud to call him Family!

CharlieB
Member
Posts: 6
Joined: 29 Sep 2007, 21:52
Location: USA

#14

Post by CharlieB » 30 Sep 2007, 00:24

Picture would not post, even with a pixel reduction. We will try again later.

User avatar
pzrwest
Member
Posts: 2884
Joined: 10 Feb 2005, 12:01
Location: Cardiff Ontario Canada
Contact:

#15

Post by pzrwest » 30 Sep 2007, 05:31

If you open an account at photobucket or imageshack you can upload it there and then post the link to it

Post Reply

Return to “Axis Uniforms, Headgear & Insignia”