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| Uniform and Equipment Requirements |
| This is a list
of
required uniform items, equipment and gear needed to be a Soldat in the 352.Infanterie-Division.
Your impression will be of a simple Infateriesoldat
(infantry soldier). We have no Fallschirmjäger
or SS
or other “elite” units here. If
that’s what you are interested in, we can get you in contact
with one of those units. We are common, simple soldiers,
which made up 90% of the German Wehrmacht.
(Nowadays, in reenacting, its closer to the reverse – it
seems there are 90% elite units and only 10% common infantry
soldiers). What's most important in regards to uniform, gear and equipment is if you have a question about anything, ASK BEFORE BUYING! We do not want you to spend your money on a questionable item, then show up to an event only to have the commander or someone else say that you cannot use it. In general (unless you have reenacted before and are familiar with German uniforms and equipment), it is a good idea to ask about every item before buying it. Leutnant Runge is more than willing to answer your questions and give you the go-ahead to buy uniforms and gear. Simply send one of them an email with the link of what you are wanting to buy, and they will look it over and let you know if it is acceptable or not. It is important to note that you may buy whatever you want, but the Cadre of the Division will decide if it is acceptable for use at 352-Infanterie Division events or not. Public displays for our unit are a different matter. Most public displays are done in conjunction with the WWII Reenacting Corps. The WWIIRC can represent any faction that fought in World War II. You have the ability, and are encouraged if you can, to wear alternate impressions at public displays, so long as the impression is complete. Alternate impressions can include, but are not limited to, Waffen-SS, Pioneers, Artillery soldiers, Kriegsmarine, Luftwaffe, Panzerkorps or Afrikakorps, among others. Another important thing to take into consideration before purchasing your items is to be wary of Asian sellers. You will find that most Asian products are cheap, both in price and quality. There are a few Asian sellers that really do make good quality items, but they are few and far between. Ask before you buy these products, and if you do buy them, don’t be too disappointed when they aren’t entirely correct. Some uniform items and gear (East German, West German, Swedish, Austrian, Post-War, etc...) are acceptable for use as stop-gap items. Stop-gap items are intended for temporary use until the correct item can be purchased and used. Stop-gap items should not be used on a regular basis and should be replaced as soon as possible. Some examples of stop-gap items include Post-War Jackboots and Post-War canteens. Stop-gap items must be approved by Division Cadre before use. Below is a list of items you need, and in what order you will need them. There are three Tiers – Basic, Complete and Advanced. Some exceptions can be made to the lists and items below – they just need to be cleared by the unit commander. Some exceptions in our unit are okay, but the exception should not become the rule, and we do not want a whole squad of exceptions running around (e.g. – one camo helmet cover per ten guys, one smock per ten guys, etc…). Continued refusal to abide by our unit's uniform and equipment standards will result in expulsion from the 352.Infanterie-Division. TIER I – BASIC IMPRESSION This is a list of the equipment required for you to participate in a public display, a public battle or a tactical reenactment. Once you obtain these items you will be promoted to the rank of Grenadier (private). Mauser K98k Rifle (Gewher) - It doesn’t have to be German, but it does have to be of the same Mauser design (e.g. – Most Czech and Yugo models are okay). These can be found at most gun shows. The rifle might or might not have a site cover – this is not necessary. Your rifle will need a cleaning rod and needs to have the bayonet attachment. If the rifle does not have a bayonet attachment, then it is not an infantry rifle. Bent-handled bolts are preferred, but straight-handled bolts are acceptable.  Steel Helmet (Stahlhelm) – M40 or M42. Because we mostly represent a late-War Division, try to not buy an M35. It can be field grey (light green) or depot green (dark green). Do not get a black helmet. Unless you can modify it to look German, do not buy the pre-WWII Spanish helmets.  Helmet Decals – These are optional items, but are not recommended. Orders were issued early in the War to remove the National Colors decal first, then orders came to remove both decals all together. Most young Soldaten in the 352nd Infantry Division would not have had helmet decals.  Tunic (Feldbluse) – M40, M42 or M43. Do not buy an M36 or an M44. M36's are reserved for Division Cadre, and we already have enough Soldaten with the M36. Yes, it is a good looking uniform, but it wasn't standard issue and was only worn by officers and Alte Hasse by mid-1944. M44's were only used very late in the War.   Trouser Suspenders or Trouser Belt (Feldhosenträger oder Feldhosengürtel)– This is dependent on what type of trousers you get.  Service Shirt (Diensthemd) – These can be a bit pricey for what they are, so East or West German sleeping shirts are acceptable. They should be green or white. The white shirts may or may not have a collar (a collar is recommended, though because it helps protect your neck from getting scratched up by your wool tunic collar).    - OR - Jackboots (Marschstiefel) – The Jackboots (originally brown, but dyed black, with rough outer leather, leather soles, heel iron and hobnails) must be dyed black. Other than being used as a stop-gap item, no post-war boots accepted (post-war boots are smooth, shiny leather and they do not have heel irons or hobnails and often have rubber soles).  Enlisted Man Belt with Army Buckle (Leibriemen mit Koppelschloss) – Black leather belt with the "Got mit uns" Army belt buckle. The buckle can be painted green, or it can be bare metal.  Enlisted Man Collar Tabs (Litzen) – The collar tabs can either be generic mid or late war (colorless stripes) or infantry (white stripes, as shown below).  Enlisted Man Infantry Shoulder Boards (Infanterie Schulterklappen) – White piped, field grey shoulder boards (not the early war bottle green).  Enlisted Man Late War Army Breast Eagle (Reichsadler am Brust) – Mid to late War design.  This is a list of the equipment that will fill out your basic impression. Upon obtaining these items, you will have completed your full German Infanteriesoldat impression. Y-Straps (Koppeltragegestell) – Black leather, not webbing. Do not get post-war straps - most of them have padding and are of the wrong design.  Tunic Belt Hooks (Feldblusegurthaken) – One set of four tunic hooks. This is an optional item. Some people like the hooks because it helps distribute the weight of your gear and keep your belt from sliding down. Other people don't like them because they dig into your side.  Field Cap (Feldmütze) – Either the M38 side cap (or overseas cap, on the left) and/or the M43 field cap (on the right). The M38 requires the cap eagle and cockdale, and the white infantry soutache (white stripe) is optional. The M43 requires the late war trapezoid eagle/cockdale combination. (Do not get the crooked-wing eagle cap patch).   Gas Mask Can with Straps (Tragebüchse) – Having the gas mask is nice, but not necessary. In fact, the empty gas mask can is a great water-proof place to store a lot of stuff (food, camera, water bottle, farby stuff, etc…)  Standard or Folding Entrenching Tool with Carrier (Kleines Schanzzeug mit Schanzzeugtasche). You can either get the straight handled entrenching tool or the folding entrenching tool. There are a lot of post-War entrenching tools that are acceptable. If you have questions - ASK!   K98 Bayonet with Frog (Seitengewehr mit Seitengewehrtasche) – The bayonet does not have to be original. They bayonet frog needs to be black leather. Be careful about Turkish bayonets. Read this article to know how to spot a German bayonet from a Turk one.  K98 Ammo Pouches (Patronentasche) – Two black leather pouches with white stitching – holds 60 rounds.  Mess Kit with Utensils (Kochgeshirr mit Geshirr) – Ask before buying this item – There are several post-war models of mess kits around – some are more acceptable than others. Utensils can be war-time models or post-war.  Breadbag (Brotbeutel) – There are lots of reproductions out there, and they are all made differently. In the end, it doesn't matter which type you get because all that is going to be seen is the outside of your bag. But, if you are shooting for the most authentic breadbag, here's what to look for - it can be green or tan, or anything in-between (but no blue), the tabs should be pointed, buttons should have three holes, there should not be a divide inside the bag.  Canteen with Cover, Cup and Straps (Feldflasche mit Abdeckung, Trinkbecher und Riemen) – M31 Canteen, preferred 0.8L but if that is not possible, the 1L version will be okay. These are getting hard to find, so some post-war converted models are acceptable. For example, you can purchase a plastic East or West German canteen and put it into the correct War-time cover, straps and cup. No one will see that you are using a post-War canteen, and it is much cheaper, and it is easier to clean.  Shelter Quarter (Zeltbahn) – Splinter camo, reversible pattern. Do not get the SS Zelts, which are Oak Leaf pattern. Do not get the square or rectangle pattern. Make sure that it is triangle shapped, and in the correct pattern!  The items listed here are completely optional to buy, but will enhance your impression and the impression of the unit as a whole. It’s the small things that really make your impression believable and immersive not only for you, but for those around you. Starred items (*) require commander approval before you can use them as a part of your impression with the 352.Infanterie Division. M36 Tunic * (Feldbluse) – These tunics are pre-war tunics, and are reserved for the Cadre and leadership of the Division.  HBT Uniform (Fischgrätmuster Uniform) – HBTs are lighter uniforms that are much more comfortable in the warmer months. A good idea, especially for our part of the country. The temperature in Kansas in summer is about 15-20° F hotter than it was in summer in northern Europe.  Walking-Out Belt with Buckle – Having an extra belt and buckle for a walking-out uniform is very helpful, as it can be a real pain taking all the gear and equipment off of your combat belt. It's recommended that you get the un-painted, bare aluminum belt buckle for your walking-out uniform.  Collar Blind (Kragenbinde) – Small piece of cotton material buttons around the inside of your tunic collar and protects your neck from getting scratched up by your tunic's wool collar.  Great Coat (Übermantel) – M40 or M43 . A heavy duty large coat that keeps you very warm. Good for using as a blanket as well.  Cold Weather Gear – To include wool gloves (Handschuhe), a toque (Toque) and a scarf (Schal).  Camouflage Smock/Parka * (Tarnhemd/Tarnanzug) – This can be either splinter pattern with a hood, or white for winter battles. Several Soldaten can wear winter camo, but only one Soldaten per ten may wear a camo smock at an event. 
 Helmet Cover (Tarnhelmüberzug) – This could be the splinter camo cover (only one per ten men allowed for the camo cover), chicken wire, a rubber band or a bread bag strap.  Jackboots (Marschstiefel) – The Jackboots (originally brown, but dyed black, with rough outer leather, leather soles, heel iron and hobnails) must be dyed black. Other than being used as a stop-gap item, no post-war boots accepted (post-war boots are smooth, shiny leather and they do not have heel irons or hobnails and often have rubber soles). M38 Gas Mask (Gasmaske) – A great addition to fill that gas mask container!  A-Frame with Assault Pack (Gefechtsgepäck und Beutel) – A-Frames are pretty easy to find. A good replica assault pack is not. Ask if you need help finding the right assault pack.  M34 Tornister Pack with Tornister Straps (Tornister mit Riemen) – This is the standard small bag issued to all infantry soldiers (the one with the fur) and is used to carry much of the soldier’s personal items for long marches.  Rucksack (Rucksack) – War-time model preferred. If you get post-war models, you can bring them to events to carry your stuff, but you won’t be able to use them in the event. Try and keep them out of sight. It’s much better to have a post-war rucksack or large duffle bag that looks close to war-time to hide all your farby stuff in rather than just have all of your farby stuff lying around.  Extra Equipment Straps (Trageriemen) – for your field blanket, your overcoat, and other random gear. It's a good idea to have several of these to strap your equipment to your pack.  Army Blanket (Manschaftsdecken) – The Germans had several different types of blankets. The standard was grey, with or without a stripe, and it may or may not have been stamped. These can be post-war – they just need to be of the same basic style and color as what the Germans might have had access to.  Esbit Stove with Fuel Tablets – A great little stove used to heat up cans of food or to heat up a cup of water. It is fueled with small tablets that you can still buy at almost any sporting goods store.  First Aid Package (Verbandpäckchen) – In most tunics, there’s a small pocket inside on the right side near the bottom. This little pocket holds a small first aid package. It’s a small detail, but it will come in handy if there really is an injury in the field.  Butter Dish (Fettdose) – A good dish that is waterproof and holds butter, lard, peanut butter, etc...  Extra Zeltbahns – The more the unit has, the better. It takes 4 Zelts to make a small tent (2-man tent) and 8 Zelts to make a large tent (6-8 man tent).  M33 Field Phone with Como Wire (Feldfernsprecher 33) – Can be post-War if it is close to being correct. Our unit already has three phones and over a half mile of a mile of wire, but the more phones we have, the better we can operate in the field.  Army Soldier's Book (with Cover) (Heer Soldbuch mit Einband) – Filling out your Soldbuch is a lengthy and somewhat difficult task, but you can get help from the Division Cadre, and there are services that can do it for you. Leutnant Runge has 352.Infanterie-Division stamps for the book. The cover for the book is optional.  ID Disc with Cord (Erkennungsmarken) – Preferably, the tag needs to be zinc, but aluminum or steel are acceptable. Tag printing is available – ask Leutnant Runge for details. You can also get a leather tag cover.  Barracks Items – Such as the blue checkered bed sheets, period towels and clothing bags. 
 Assorted Personal Items (Persönliche Gegenstände) – such as song book, prayer book, postcards, pictures, letters, skat cards, etc…    Wooden Crates (Holzkisten) – Can be bought or built on your own (for much cheaper). These are great to carry your gear in and look good in camp. Ask Leutnant Runge about how to build your own crates.  Ammo Cans (Munitionskiste) – Steel 8mm ammo cans for the machine guns. There are post-war copies that are close. Try not getting the 7.62mm versions, because 8mm rounds won’t fit in them laying down. Having a lot of these, especially if we have a machine gun, would make sense, and they are great for holding all of your ammo and other random items.  Dummy Grenades (Stielhandgranate oder Eihandgranate) * – fake stick grenades or hand grenades can be used at events. Some of these fake grenades can be made to smoke or pop with small fireworks.   Other Weapons * – Other weapons may be purchased and used, so long as they are properly functioning, legal weapons. Every weapon, at every event, will be examined before the event. Any weapon determined not safe will not be allowed at the event. Non-functional weapons cannot be used in public battles or tacticals, but may be shown as part of a public display. If you have BATF paperwork for your weapon, bring a copy of it with your weapon to every event. The following weapons can be obtained and used unrestricted without prior approval: MG-34, MG-42, MP-38, MP-40, P-08 Luger, P-38 Walther, K-41, G-43 or the StG-44. Any other weapons that you may want to use that are not in this list, but were used by the German Army, need to be approved for use at each event. These can include, but are no limited to, any Russian weapons, any Italian weapons, any French weapons, the Panzerfaust, Panzerschreck, other models of German machine guns and 5-cm and 8-cm mortars, among others. The reason these need to be approved on an event-by-event basis is because we want to maintain a certain level of accuracy, authenticity and safety. While German soldiers most certainly took home Russian weapons, it would be highly unlikely that they would use them if they were deployed again on the Western Front. The Reichsministerium für Rüstung und Kriegsproduktion (Reich Ministry for Armaments and War Production) was having enough trouble as it was in 1944 to get munitions out for German weapons. They would not have produced Russian ammunition for bring-back weapons. Besides - you used the weapon that was issued to you. Your rifle or MG was YOUR responsibility, and you owned it. It was registered to you in your Soldbuch, and if you lost it, you'd be in a lot of trouble. If you have one of these restricted weapons, you will be able to use it at some events some of the time, but probably not at all events all of the time. Weapons that are not allowed for use at any 352.Infanterie-Division events include, but are not limited to, obvious long-barreled sub-machine guns (particularly the long-barreled PPS-43). These such weapons violate our unit's 10-Foot Accuracy Rule, and severely detracts from your impression and the reputation of our unit. Please visit our "Links" page for suggestions as to where the above items can be purchased. Other members of our units may have extra items so be sure to check with us before making a purchase to see if you can borrow or purchase items at a greater discount. |
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