Any suggestions about this U-Boat

[leatherman]

Need some help with this one

 

[Smithy]

It's not a service issue Kriegsmarine deck coat but a lot of private purchased coats were used as well.

Is someone claiming this is an actual coat used in the U-boat service? If so be very, very careful. Actual issued coats which were used at sea are quite rare - hardly surprising given that 3/4 of the active service ended up at the bottom of the sea.

First off you want provenance because a lot of people sell German made jackets of this and similar design as an "actual U-boat used coat". Provenance first and foremost.

The second thing which many don't know is actually the smell of the coat - yes hard to get over the internet but the real things still reek to this day. U-boats were fetid things and the smell inside the boat of dozens of unwashed men, weeks of sweat, fuel, farts, food, etc meant that these jackets both the deck and engine personnel versions stink and still have an odour to this day if the real deal. My mate Ken Wynn lived in Germany for 5 years researching and writing the history of all the U-boats and handled quite a few of the genuine ones of these. Every single one still stank or still carried an unpleasant odour he said and very noticeably.

Be very wary if someone is claiming this is the real deal. The real deals are very rare.

 

[B-Man2]

Here’s a photo of an original later model German Submarine Officers coat . The earlier ones look similar. Hope that helps .

 

[Silver Surfer]

if i am not mistaken, the pre war-early war jackets [coats] of this type were brown moo, and had glass buttons with an anchor, wreath, or both, as well as side button down straps. they became more uniform in look and construction during the war and most were grey, with metal button as shown above. later in the war grey and black moo was used, and if they could be found,, metal buttons, though horn buttons were used as well. it is important to note that these jackets were not official issue by the kriegsmarine. they were, like the majority of german officers uniforms in all branches, private purchases. enlisted men received basic issued kit in the wehrmacht, luftwaffe, and kriegsmarine. most with any provenance look beat to hell.....wonder why?

 

[B-Man2]

Silver surfer is right on the money about these jackets . The grey one above is from around the 70-80s time frame and is an issued jacket. The tag inside states 6/74

 

[leatherman]

Here’s a photo of an original later model German Submarine Officers coat . The earlier ones look similar. Hope that helps .
View attachment 33810View attachment 33809

This is German police jacket from 70's and 80's, I sold many of them, signed with a date.

 

[leatherman]

The problem is, that this one has no labels and nothing stamped.
Look at the chest pockets, they have rare form, not like others.

 

[Southoftheborder]

To be honest it looks identical to a fifties one I bought and moved on a few years ago. That had the scolloped pockets and half belt detail like this as well. I think these coats are actually called coachmen's coats and have been around in very similar form since Victorian times.

 

[leatherman]

To be honest it looks identical to a fifties one I bought and moved on a few years ago. That had the scolloped pockets and half belt detail like this as well. I think these coats are actually called coachmen's coats and have been around in very similar form since Victorian times.

It looks like, but I don't think it's so vintage, even the lining is very old. Will you send me pic of yours? I'm waiting for other suggestions

 

[Southoftheborder]

Don't have it anymore. It was quite a few years ago. The fifties were only a very few years after the end of the war.

 

[B-Man2]

This is German police jacket from 70's and 80's, I sold many of them, signed with a date.

Interesting post . I purchased this from a fellow VLJ member as a German Officers Submarine jacket . Would you happen to have any photos or documentation that this is a German Police jacket ?
Cheers

 

[Smithy]

Just for the sake of completeness and since this thread is titled about U-boat coats I thought I'd add this for those who are interested.

The Kriegsmarine issued two types of leather coat to U-boat crews (although private purchase and occasionally coats from other branches of the military were also used).

The first type is the deck coat which was unsurprisingly for the use of deck personnel. The issued coats are proper 3/4 length coats, longer than what some may have expected. They were made in both black and grey, have no buttons or adornment on the sleeve ends and have a straight seam on the front yoke, no scalloping. They fasten with four buttons and have a fifth to fasten the neck closed.

Here is Otto Kretschmer about to go on patrol in a grey deck jacket.

The second type of issued Kriegsmarine jacket was for engine personnel (Maschinenpersonal). This coat was single breasted with 5 buttons and was made in both black and grey like the deck coats. Also like the deck coats the most common colour was grey amongst U-boat crews.

Here's Günther Prien in an engine personnel jacket:

 

[leatherman]

Interesting post . I purchased this from a fellow VLJ member as a German Officers Submarine jacket . Would you happen to have any photos or documentation that this is a German Police jacket ?
Cheers

Sorry, it's not a police jacket, they don't have buttons on flaps.

 

[Kunja]

Good looking long coat. Looks heavy duty!