Original Heer uniforms are not particularly difficult to find- but they are relatively expensive, with examples in good condition costing about $1,500-$5,000 at the time of this writing. To accumulate a wide range of sizes and styles can cost tens of thousands of dollars. Further complicating this is the fact that many tunics were altered during the War, which often ruins any patterning value they may have had.

The "secrets" of German uniform sizing are stamped right in the tunics themselves. Unlike the US Army, which simply used the chest size and length, the ever-anal-retentive Germans include the chest and neck measures, and the sleeve, waist and hem lengths. Later tunics also give the height range of the soldier the tunic is intended to fit.

The biggest mistake made by most reproductions, is their application of suit coat patterning standards to the German tunic. These have been around for years and it's an understandable error. The grading rules (how the parts of the garment "grow" or "shrink" as the size changes) are readily available in books and online. Even the best of the best reproductions sometimes used these standards. All one needs is a tape measure to figure that out.

What's my documentation? My favorite social media reenacting celebrity who has a vast collection of reproductions says otherwise!
Well, we've been making German uniforms for nearly 30 years, we have several dozen originals on hand to check, plus WWII tailoring standards and tunic specifications, the hdv 337 German Army sizing guide, and we've dis-assembled numerous originals to verify our patterns. That's about all.

How did the Germans size their Tunics?

Here's how to read the tunic size stamps. All numbers are in centimeters.

What is the torso length? The distance from the base of the collar to the level of the center belt hook holes.

Torso Length: The length of a German tunic is determined by the upper left-hand number on the size stamp. This is the Rückenlänge or torso length, sometimes translated as "back waist" or "belt line". It's measured from the base of the collar to the level of the center belt hook hole. In theory, this places the belt at the wearer's natural waist, the narrowest part of the torso. It is not based on the height of the soldier's elbow!

German tunics came in no less than 8 back waist lengths, each of which is designed to fit a soldier of a certain height. Heer uniforms use back waist lengths of 37, 39, 41, 43, 45, 47, and 49. Those cover soldiers from 145cm (under 5ft.) to 200cm (6ft. 6in) in height. SS and LW tunics use even or odd numbers 38-49 so they have at least 12 possible lengths. The reason for this difference is unknown. Hdv 337 notes that (Heer) Feldblusen only come in odd number lengths as the belt hooks offer 1cm of adjustment longer or shorter. Thus, a tunic with a length of 45, can be adjusted to 44 or 46 by using the upper or lower belt hook holes.

This length system remains constant throughout all chest sizes.

For those who demand documentation...here it is. Heeres Druckvorschriften 337: "Regulations for the sizing of the most important uniform items".

	General explanation of lengths	Sample order form for Quartermasters

Total Back: (Ganze Länge) The distance from the base of the collar to the hem of the skirt. This was dispensed with on some late War number blocks. By taking the difference of the Back length and total back, one can arrive at the skirt length. This can matter when checking for SS tunics, which usually have shorter skirts than comparable length Heer tunics.

Sleeve Lengths: There is more variation here than with the torso lengths. Although it would seem reasonable to have a stock sleeve length for each Rückenlänge, we have found this not to be the case when we surveyed dozens of original uniforms. Each length of tunic (for example, "43") can have a range of sleeves lengths, typically varying by 3-4 cm. Say 62, 63 or 64 on 43 Rückenlängen. So, some tunics will have cuffs that end below the skirt, and other will be higher. Why or how this was determined is unknown.

Neck Size: The circumference of the collar is associated with the chest size. Each chest size will normally have one of two possible collar sizes. A 96 typically has a 42 or 43, a 104 has a 44 or 45 and so forth. Again, anomalies exist, but there is a distinct average.

Depot and year: The Munich Depot has always flustered newbies- they lose their minds when they see an M43 tunic stamped "M44". The letter is not "model" but rather an abbreviation for whatever regional depot the factory was associated with. The year is the year of manufacture, not the tunic type or model.

So, picking a uniform was simply a matter of checking the chest size of the soldier, then noting his height, follow the chart (or the the stamps in the tunic) and presto! However, in practice, I'm sure so many possible combinations (at least 128 possible sizes) must have caused nightmares for supply personnel and many, many German soldiers did not get the precise size and length garment as prescribed by the regulation. This is born out by looking at period photos.

Common Feldbluse Myths

The end of the "all tunics were short" myth.
Factory uniforms with no modifications, same chest size (94), but not the same length.	Same original M42 tunics, size 94 chest: one is 41/70 long and the other is 45/75. Clearly different. End of story.

The Germans had model numbers: No. The model numbers are collector inventions, used to differentiate the variations of Feldbluse. The OKW periodically issued changes for the "Feldbluse", such as gray collars, and eliminating pleats on pockets, etc.. A soldier's tunic was simply his "Feldbluse".