Bakelite 6×30 Dienstglas – CXN 41658
During the war the German army issued binoculars to some of their troops with specialised functions. The Gruppenführer or group leader would have one for instance. These binoculars or Doppelfernrohr where expensive and strictly army property. These where therefor engraved with Dienstglas noting the army property. The most common type is the 6×30 strength Dienstglas. 6×30 designates the capacity of the binoculars. The first number (6) refers to the magnification and the second number (30) indicates the diameter of the objective lens (the light-gathering lens) in millimeters. These binoculars where made out of different materials such as Aluminium, Zinc and Bakelite. The metal ones where first furnished with a leather or pressed paper wrap and later in the war in different finishes such as Anodization, Paint or Bluing. Later in the war binoculars where also finished in tan or Sandgelb paint. The binoculars have two adjustable eyepieces or Okulare with bakelite or aluminium end pieces. The right eyepiece features a reticle or Strichplatte in scale 6400 which is used to calculate distances. I will further discuss the use of this in another article that will be linked here.
The binoculars are featured with 4 accessories:
1 Trageriemen, a narrow leather string attached with two metal studs. Sometimes these straps are adjustable with multiple stud holes but most of the time they are not.
1 Okularschutz, a leather, bakelite or rubber eye shield cover to keep dirt out of the lenses. It is attached to the straps and often referred to as a rain shield.
1 Knopflasche, a leather or Presstoff piece of material meant to strap the binoculars to a button on the tunic. It is fastened with one or two metal studs.
1 Behalter, a leather, bakelite or Presstoff case to protect the binoculars in transit. This case has a loop on the back to be carried on the equipment belt and a strap to be slung over the shoulder.
Markings: CXN, Dienstglas 6 x 30
Maker: Emil Busch A.-G., Optische Industrie, Rathenow
Year: 1944-1945
Serial: 41658
Material: Dark red bakelite and painted zinc and steel.
Finish: Metal parts are painted in tan paint.
Strap: Adjustable strap with painted steel studs
Rain cover: This exact type of rain cover can be seen on the wartime pictures shown in the gallery below. It is removable from the main strap on two small pips. There are two different types of rain covers found on these but always in rubber. They are slightly bigger then the regular 6×30 cover.
Notes: These binoculars are made in a late war effort to save more raw materials. They are made utilizing bakelite as a material for the main body of the binoculars. They are fitted with a adjustable strap that is affixable to two sets of bales on the reverse of the main body. They are often seen broken or incomplete. These binoculars have the end cap of one of the bottom lenses affixed by a piece of cloth stuffed in to keep out the dust. I have added two pictures of these type of binoculars in use. They can be seen on the left hand side of the picture worn by the Unterscharführer.
