Jackboots – 1944
Together with the helmet, the jackboots or Marschstiefel where amongst the most iconic parts of the German uniform. The tall (mostly) polished boots mirrored the political and military ideology of the Nazi regime being strong, tough and able to trample. The hobnailed jackboots where a good strong choice which could be comfortably worn on long marches.
The prewar jackboots where around 39 cm tall and since 1939 produced 4cm shorter due to material scarcity.
Eversince 1937, Soldiers in the German army received a pair of Schnürschuhe (lowboots) next to their issue pair of Marschstiefel(Jackboots). They where first only meant as a part of the Drillichanzug(a offwhite uniform for basic training made of linen HBT) but as the war progressed the Schnürschuhe saw action on the front. They where meant to be worn with Gamaschen(Gaiters) to overlap the boots with the trousers.
The sole consists of 3 major components; the heel, the base sole and the front half sole. The heel is constructed of a series of stacked leather pieces and has a steel heel iron. The base sole is slightly curved and stretches from front to back. It is both stitched and nailed with wooden pegs. The Stitches normally run in a “hidden stitch” left and right of the wooden pegs. The front half sole was affixed with wooden pegs and carries a number of steel hobnails. Though most boots come out of the factory untanned, the sides of the soles where always blackened. The soldiers where ordered to blacken the boots until it was discontinued in 1943.
Maker: –
Length size: 28 1/2
Width size: 6
Year: 1944
Material: Tanned leather
Notes: This is the wartime variant, 35 cm tall. They are a unmatched pair but found together. Interesting to see the two different construction methods. The left boot has the upper portion constructed out of two layers of leather in stead of a single layer like the right boot. This was a way to save on raw materials as thick leather was hard to get.
S. Van Wingerden collection
