German Colonial Uniforms

German South West African Schutztruppe Home Uniforms 1897-1918

Figure 1 Officer	Figure 2 Officer	Figure 3 Trooper	Figure 4 Paymaster

Home Uniforms of the Schutztruppe 1891-97
Prior to 1896 the Schutztruppe of South West Africa and East Africa had worn different uniforms when on leave or home duty in Germany. The German South West African Schutztruppe had worn Corduroy Uniforms while the Schutztruppe of German East Africa and Cameroon had worn Dark Blue Uniforms. On 19th November 1896 a New Corduroy Uniform (known as the "Kord Waffenrock") was authorised for the Schutztruppe of all colonies. It was based on the Prussian Infantry Waffenrock but had a stand and fall collar. White single Litzen were on the collar and cuffs which were, along with the piping, in colony colours (blue for South West Africa, white for East Africa and red for Cameroon).

South West African Schutztruppe Officers 1897 Grey Home Uniform
Photos by C Dale at the Bavarian Army Museum Collection

This is a privately purchased officers uniform. The blue collar, cuffs and piping show that the original owner served in the South West African Schutztruppe. Note the officers large metallic lace Litzen on the collar (and smaller on the cuffs). Also note the officers shoulder straps with a single pip showing the wearer to be a Oberleutnant. The tunic does not have the owner's medals, only stitch marks can be seen on the left breast where they were once worn. Note the officers cockade with a white metal ring on the Südwester hat.

The 1897 Home Uniform
On 11th March 1897 new uniform regulations were again issued for the Schutztruppe. The Kord Waffenrock was dropped for East Africa and Cameroon (I have so far not found any period photographs showing its use by the Schutztruppe of either colony in this short time), and a new uniform in the same cut but made from light grey cloth (therefore known as the "Tuchuniform") was authorised for home wear by the Schutztruppe of all colonies and for the Schutztruppe of South West Africa on parade in Africa.

It was piped in colony colours, white for East Africa, blue for South West Africa and red for Cameroon (yellow for Togo, green for New Guinea and pink for Samoa were authorised in 1912 but were probably not issued before the First World War) and had a high stand and fall collar in colony colours with silver double Litzen lace (white for other ranks) and deep Swedish style cuffs again in colony colours with silver double Litzen. It had eight white metal buttons down the front, two on each cuff and three down both of the scalloped rear pleats also piped in colony colours. It had no exterior pockets.

On parade all ranks wore aiguillette cords in imperial colours across the left breast. These were in white cord for other ranks and metallic lace for officers.

Non-combatant officials such as doctors, paymasters and gunsmiths wore the same uniform but with distinctive colours for their arm of service.

Another version of the tunic in the same style but with no Litzen and the collar and cuffs only piped in the colony colours rather than filled was known as the "Interimsrock".

Shoulder straps for officers were black/sliver/red braid with pips (one for Oberleutnant in this case) to display rank in the same way as the Imperial Army (see Officers Rank Insignia Page). Other ranks shoulder straps were woven from twisted cord in black/white/red. NCO rank was displayed in the form of white metallic lace edging on the collar and cuffs and white metal buttons on the collar (see NCO Rank Insignia Page).

The grey trousers (or riding breeches) were also piped in colony colours. White gloves were authorised with this uniform.

Headdress
The 1896 Südwester was usually own with the home uniform (see Südwester Page). It was of grey felt with a hatband and edging in colony colours. It was held up on the right hand side with a large imperial cockade.

The field cap was also worn, again in grey cloth with hatband and piping in colony colours and a small imperial cockade on the front. It had a black leather peak.

Footwear
In 1896 short brown leather boots were authorised but in 1897 these were changed to black leather for wear with the home uniform. They were worn with the trousers loose over the top. Mounted officers and NCOs could wear brown leather riding boots or short boots with gaiters with the trousers or riding breeches tucked inside.

Equipment
As the uniform was not intended for use in the field full equipment and marching order was not usually carried. Usually just a belt and side arm was carried. For other ranks this consisted of a polished black leather belt with an other ranks belt buckle (see Belt Buckles). The side arm was a bayonet (see South West African Bayonets). Officers worn a belt of white metallic lace with red and black thread stripes and an officers belt buckle. Officers and senior NCOs carried the sword.

1916 Field Grey Uniform
On 25th February 1916 new regulations were authorised for the home uniform worn by the small number of Schutztruppe staff at the Colonial Office ("Reichskolonialamt") in Berlin. The main changes for the uniform was that it was now made in the same field grey as Prussian army uniforms. Aside from that they retained the same cut with colony coloured cuffs and collar with Litzen. The Südwester hat was officially replaced by a Prussian army Pickelhaube with an imperial eagle. I have so far not seen a period photograph of this uniform.

South West African Schutztruppe NCOs 1897 Grey Home Uniform Photos © A Private Collector


This is an other ranks uniform with parade aiguillette cords in imperial colours. The blue collar, cuffs and piping show that the original owner served in the South West African Schutztruppe. Note smaller other ranks Litzen in non-metallic white cloth. The lace edging the collar and cuffs show the wearer to be an Unteroffizier. Note also the other ranks shoulder strap in imperial colours. The buttons on the shoulder strap are replacement dull metal buttons with the Prussian crown as opposed to the tunic's original shiny white metal buttons with the imperial crown on the rest of the tunic. Also of interest is the view of the pleated rear skirt.

The Illustrations

Figure 1 is based on a photograph of Oberleutnant Kowala of the South West African Schutztruppe. He wears the 1897 grey home uniform with a Südwester hat. Both have the blue facing colour of the South West African Schutztruppe. His wears an officers belt in imperial colours and carries an officers sword.

His medals are the Prussian Order of the Crown, fourth class with swords, the South West Africa Medal for combatants with a campaign clasp, the China Campaign for combatants with a campaign clasp and the Prussian Wilhelm I Centenary Medal.

Oberleutnant Kowala was commissioned in the 69th Prussian Infantry Regiment. In 1900 he volunteered for service in China with the 3rd East Asian Infantry Regiment ("3. Ostasiatisches Infanterie Regt, II. Battalion, 7. Kompanie"). After the Boxer Rebellion he returned to the 69th Infantry Regt until 1905 when he again volunteered for overseas service, this time in the 2nd Machine Gun Unit ("2. Maschienengewehr Abteilung) of the South West African Schutztruppe during the Herero Rebvellion. In July 1906 he returned to Germany due to illness, being awarded the Prussian Crown Order 4. Class with swords upon his return in September. In April 1907 he retired from military service.

Figure 2 is based on a photograph of an Officer of the South West African Schutztruppe. He wears the 1897 grey home uniform with a Südwester hat. Both have the blue facing colour of the South West African Schutztruppe. Note the scalloped and piped rear skirt of the tunic. He wears an officers belt in imperial colours and carries an officers sword.

Figure 3 is based on a photograph of a Trooper of the South West African Schutztruppe. He wears the 1897 grey home uniform with a grey field cap with hatband and piping in blue. He wears the polished black leather belt only worn wi8th the home uniform with an other ranks belt buckle. On his left is a kS98 bayonet with a knot in company colours (see Bayonet Knots).

Figure 4 is based on a photograph of a South West African Paymaster. Colonial officials such as paymasters, veterinarians, doctors etc wore the same home uniforms as the Schutztruppe but with several notable differences. They did not wear the Litzen of the Schutztruppe. Their shoulder straps, cap and Südwester hatbands and piping were determined by their arm of service (in this case the paymasters blue piped in white). The colour of their buttons was likewise determined by their arm of service. In this case the figure wears the blue backing with white piping of a paymaster. Colonial officials were further distinguished by wearing a small imperial eagle on the front of their headgear- in this case on the front of the Südwester slouch hat.


Period Photographs of the South West African Schutztruppe Home Uniform

Unteroffizier Broedertz of the South West African Schutztruppe He wears a Schutztruppe 1897 grey home uniform with the Südwester hat. Note the lace edging the collar and cuffs showing him to be an Unteroffizier. He wears the other ranks polished black leather belt with an other ranks belt buckle. Note that like the other two period photographs here, he carries the authorised white gloves in his hand. This was a popular photographic pose of the time. Photo © Peter Klein	Hauptmann von Loßnitzer formerly of the South West African Schutztruppe He wears a Schutztruppe 1897 grey home uniform with the Südwester hat. This photograph was taken in the 1920s. Many former Schutztruppe personnel continued to wear their home uniforms on parade or for special occasions after the war. His medal bar shows the Saxon Knights Cross of St Henry, followed by the Iron Cross second class (note that as a proud Saxon wears his Saxon medal ahead of the Prussian one), the Saxe-Ernestine Knights Cross first class with swords, the Hamburg Hanseatic Cross and another unidentified medal that may be a semi-official colonial commemorative medal. Below the medal bar he wears the Prussian Iron Cross, first class and the post-war Lion Order. Photo © Christophe Deruelle	Unknown NCO of the South West African Schutztruppe He wears the 1897 grey home uniform with a marksmanship lanyard on the left breast and a pe-1913 long service award on the right breast. Note the lace edging the collar and cuffs showing him to be an Unteroffizier. He wears the grey field cap with hatband and piping in blue. He wears the other ranks polished black leather belt with an other ranks belt buckle at his left side is a kS98 bayonet with a bayonet knot in imperial colours for NCOs. Photo © Joe Robinson

Main Sources
"Bekleidungs-Vorschrift für die Kaiserlichen Schutztruppen in Afrika" (Uniform regulations for the Imperial Schutztruppe in Africa), 19/11/1896, 11/3/1897, 1898 and 29/12/1913. I got my printed copy from Deutsche Kolonien und Militaria on Ebay. Much of it can be found on the Traditionsverband Forum.
"The German Colonial Troops 1889-1918" by Jürgen Kraus and Thomas Müller (Verlag Books)
"Die Deutsche Schutztruppe 1889/1918" by Werner Haupt (Dörfler Publishing)
Photographs from the Frankfurt University Colonial Archives and the Axis History Forum

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