Who paid for uniform differences?

[joerookery]

I know this is obscure but are there copies of the Army budgets available anywhere? What I am looking for specifically are differences in funding for different uniform types. For instance some of the helmet Wappen were far more ornate than the standard Prussian. These cost more in the private purchase world but how were the enlisted soldiers equipped? How specifically did that work for Army Corps that were kingdom specific like the Saxons? Thanks for any help for hints in advance!

[Guest Rick Research]

I've never encountered anything specific down to that level of uniform components.

[Glenn J]

Greetings Herr Oberst!

The budgetary price for clothing and personal equipment was regulated in the Bekleidungsordnung (clothing regulations) 1. Teil. This stipulated the contract price and normal peacetime and war period of wear for each individual item of issued equipment to NCOs and private soldiers. Here is the relevant section concerning helmets from the 1901 edition. It can be seen that the various prices for different types of helmet and helmet accoutrements are listed. Each contingent had its own Bekleidungsordnung. This is for Prussia.

Regards

Glenn

[Glenn J]

2nd Part

[Glenn J]

3rd Part

[Glenn J]

Last part

[joerookery]

Thank you both for the quick responses! This was obscure but apparently I hit paydirt.

Glenn how do I find a copy of this Ordnung? This really answers a huge amount of questions. So I assume that the Army Corps was given funding equal to their units. This should not be very flexible as the top line would not have varied over five-year blocks. So with the Kaiser instituting 31 different uniform changes there is no way that the budget could keep up. This explains temporary fixes on helmets.

This Ordnung could also give you a complete listing of what soldiers were supposed to have according to the Minister of war in 1901 -- for instance there were questions previously about gloves and the answer is right there.

The wear out dates are also relatively surprising. I had always thought that a leather helmet was good for 10 years. Thinking of it now I don't know where that source was and I cringe to think it may have been Bowman . based on the pencil markings it looks as though the helmets went from eight to six years sometimes after 1901.

Glenn, as usual I am in your debt! Just don't leave that Bekleidungsordnung unguarded. I would really like to see what else was in the kitbag. I really value these responses. The fact that Rick did not have this at the tip of his fingers means that it must be extremely obscure!

[joerookery]

Each contingent had its own Bekleidungsordnung. This is for Prussia.

This makes sense for Saxony, Bavaria, Prussia, and W?rttemberg. But somehow I seem to recall a teil 2 type Hessian regulation. Where am I going wrong? As usual there are conflicts in the lines and jurisdictions between the states and the Army Corps. perhaps the state announced decisions and maybe the Army Corps complied??? This is very blurred as for instance the Hessian officer corps was in the Prussian army and linked directly to the Kaiser. The Grand Duke was a figurehead.

[Paul C]

Glenn - you are the KING of INFORMATION!!! How did you ever dig that up?

[joerookery]

Back into the breach! I have been unable to find the conventions themselves but this newspaper article from the New York Times 1871 discusses the conventions before the unification. I do not know if the payments continued in addition to the Matricular contributions -- other things I have read led me to doubt that. So if there were changes dictated by the grand Duke in 1897, as shown in the regimental history of infantry Regiment 115, there must have been some paperwork that gave him that authority. The Kaiser seems to have delegated that in 1899:

Any idea of about this paperwork? Seems like Mecklenburg was the same. Any help appreciated!