Let's talk about vintage German Bundeswehr parkas

[RAH]

Recently, I purchased via online auction this vintage blue German Bundeswehr parka with it's appropriate liner. It's not in the best of shape, with a few white paint spots on the hood. Thankfully, when the hood is down, they don't show. That said, I bought it for a beater parka, so I'm not too worried about how it looks or how it will wear in the long term. It has some fraying on the sleeve ends. I'm contemplating whether to sew bias tape onto them, probably black, or just leave it and call it vintage charm.

My question though, and the reason I started this thread is, what on earth is the one button for that resides underneath the left front pocket? Anybody have an answer?

It's a warm coat, and longer than my M65, which is nice. The 100 percent cotton outer material does not repel water at all. I am contemplating waxing it come summer, or once again, leaving it for its nostalgic charm.

I'm assuming also that blue coats were for navy personnel. I could be wrong. I believe it was after re-unification that the Bundeswehr went to a camo pattern, Flecktarn.

I hope to hear about your experiences with this fine vintage parka.

 

[Tom71]

Yes, old navy issue. The army had green ones. You can get decent mil-spec repros to this day.
As military equipment they were pretty useless. Too heavy, too bulky due to the thick lining, not waterproof. Back in the day, I was able to get my hand on one of the first Gore-Tex Parkas the army tested and was over the moon.

The button is for parts of equipment that you would button to the jacket to get your hands free. Could be anything from gloves to field-cutlery. Can’t remember exactly, but a lot of stuff had button-holes. The Field-Jackets also had the same button configuration. Nobody ever used it.

 

[Tom71]

Still occasionally wear one too.

 

[RAH]

Yes, old navy issue. The army had green ones. You can get decent mil-spec repros to this day.
As military equipment they were pretty useless. Too heavy, too bulky due to the thick lining, not waterproof. Back in the day, I was able to get my hand on one of the first Gore-Tex Parkas the army tested and was over the moon.

The button is for parts of equipment that you would button to the jacket to get your hands free. Could be anything from gloves to field-cutlery. Can’t remember exactly, but a lot of stuff had button-holes. The Field-Jackets also had the same button configuration. Nobody ever used it.

Thanks so much for your helpful reply!

 

[Pandemic]

I’m trying. To find a photo. In about 1992 the Brit music paper Melody Maker ran a story on a new niosepop band called Slowdive. The lead singer was wearing a Bundeswehr parka and it looked so damn cool I went out and bought one immediately. A lovely grey-green and the flag patches had already been removed. Ideal for keeping a skinny university student warm and looking like an indie band wannabe, hahah!

 

[Edward]

I still have one of these somewhere I bought for wearing to a retro club night in 2001. All of £15. I doubt it fits me now, alas. When I first really became actively interested in clothes when I was about 14 (I'd always had firm opinions on what I would NOT wear, but that was when I started seeking out a particular look). Rejected mainstream fashion from that age and started when I could get away with it dressing a lot out of the local army surplus place. Problem in those days was finding stuff small enough for me.... opposite problem these days. I had half a dozen of the shirts that I wore for years on end, and a couple of light field jackets. I do look back and wish I'd bought a clutch of original M65s and MA1s that they had racks of - £15 and £25 a piece, as I recall.

 

[Tom71]

I’m trying. To find a photo. In about 1992 the Brit music paper Melody Maker ran a story on a new niosepop band called Slowdive. The lead singer was wearing a Bundeswehr parka and it looked so damn cool I went out and bought one immediately. A lovely grey-green and the flag patches had already been removed. Ideal for keeping a skinny university student warm and looking like an indie band wannabe, hahah!

You gotta be kidding me! Slowdive are playing my city on April 4.
I relate thought, nobody knew them anymore!