With creation of a new Panzer arm, came a new unifrom. The uniform became established with an order on the 17th November 1934. Initially this uniform was intended for use in the vehicles only, the Field grey uniform being used at all other times.

Needless to say this was soon ignored and the troops wore the uniform all the time, in the war zone, on Heimat duty and walking out, particularly after lightning victories of 1939/41. The Panzer arm being the 'darlings' of Germany at this time.

It is said that General Guderian had a hand in the design of the jacket, copying some of the features from ski-clothing! The jacket was tight fitting to prevent snagging on the many pieces of equipment and machinery found in the confined spaces of armoured vehicles. The colour black chosen to conceal stains from the inevitable oil and dirt associated with armoured vehicles.

The jacket was hip length double breasted buttoning left over right with a 'deep fall' collar and lapels. The fly front concealed 4 large horn or plastic buttons on the right side, 2 more are located above and below the national emblem enabling the jacket to be buttoned up to the neck. A hook and eye placed between collar and lapel further secured the jacket when fully buttoned. 2 smaller buttons on the edge of the right front panel were secured by loops of tape to prevent the right panel from creasing when buttoned.

The sleeve was buttoned on the rear seam at the wrist. The jacket had a partial lining of grey herringbone twill and a pocket in the left lining. Tape passed around the waist in cloth 'tunnels' these tied to improve the tight fit.

The Trousers were of the same material and had an integral grey web belt fastened with a 3 claw buckle. Other types had external belt loops so an ordinary belt could be worn. 2 slanted side pockets a small fob pocket on the right front groin and either 1 or 2 horizontal rear pockets. All pockets closed with either buttons or press studs. The trousers were straight cut until the ankle where they tapered in sharply, a small split was button fastened and tapes used to tie the ankle tight (rarely used) could be worn with the high marching boot or ankle boots (gaiters issued for use with ankle boots rarely if ever used).

Insignia

The edge of the collar was piped in rose pink for Panzer troops (yellow cavalry) piping was discontinued mid 1942. The collar patches were of pink piped black rhomboid material with pin on skulls (these skulls derived from the 7th or 'Black Hussars'of Frederick the great’s Army,and with the later regiments of Leibhusaren and Brunswick Hussars).

The only ranking was worn on the shoulder straps (unteroffizier and above),and on the upper left sleeve (below unteroffizier rank).

The shoulder straps for enlisted and NCO’s were made of pink piped black cloth and took the usual sequence of braiding and pips. Likewise the Officers shoulder straps took the same sequence as the rest of the Heer.

The national eagle varied in quality depending on rank but was generally white, light or silver grey on black.

Headgear originally was the beret the Schutzmutze a large floppy beret that fitted over a padded inner of oil cloth. This was soon superseded by the sidecap Feldmutze also in black and eventually in 1943 by the ski cap Einheitsfeldmutze.

Officers Feldmutze

Einheitsfeldmutze

The above article is only a general overview of the panzer uniform. Many units had their own tailors and would fashion non regulation garments depending on the conditions. The panzer troops were also issued a green herringbone twill uniform which had the same cut as the black uniform. Assault gun crews wore a field grey version of the black uniform without skull collar tabs see below for an assault gun uniform in the herringbone twill used by both arms.

A couple of bonus pics are linked here:

Pic 1 (295k)

Pic 2 (193k)

This article kindly supplied by Rik Carr © June 2000