Prussia Generals Wearing Regimental Uniforms

[filfoster]

Many Prussian generals wore regimental uniforms, either as regimental 'chef' or 'ala suite'. Kaiser Wilhelm I most often wore the uniform of the First Foot Guards, with his appropriate rank insignia.

Question: Did these regimental uniforms incorporate the general's additional four buttons below the waist seam?

[Glenn J]

Not according to the 1911 officers' dress regulation which state the General would wear the uniform of the respective unit with the following alterations:

Generals' trousers

Generals red lined Paletot

Generals' sword belt

Litewka lapels lined in the colour of the Litwka collar patches

Generals' helmet plume

And of course Generals' rank insignia with the insignia of the respective unit.

Regards

Glenn.

[Glenn J]

And more definitively stated in "Dienst-Vorschriften der Königlich Preußischen Armee" 1879 by Oberst Karl von Helldorff:

"The Generals as Regimental Chiefs, Generals à la suite of Regiments, the War Minister, the Chief of the General Staff of the Army, Inspector-Generals of the Artillery and

Engineer Corps etc, when appearing in their respective uniforms, wear the Waffenrock with only 8 buttons......."

Regards
Glenn

[filfoster]

Thank you Glenn! This is what I needed. Once again, the GMIC comes through.

[ccj]

Are there many photographs of generals wearing these uniforms?

[filfoster]

YES! Most standard WW1 histories show von Hindenburg wearing the Third Foot Guards regimental uniform with appropriate rank insignia; von Mackensen is most often photographed wearing the Hussar Leib Regiment uniform field gray version; the Kaiser is almost always wearing a regimental uniform, most often the First Foot Guards. Even Ludendorff wore the shoulder boards for the 39th Fusilier regiment in late war photos, after he had been named honorary chef of that regiment.

[Glenn J]

Charles,

Remus v. Woyrsch in the uniform of 1. GRzF, of which he was appointed à la suite on 24 December 1908.

Regards

Glenn

[Glenn J]

Here is General der Infanterie Alexander v. Kluck in the uniform of Grenadier-Regiment König Friedrich Wilhelm I. (2. Ostpreußisches) Nr. 3, appointed à la suite on 10 September 1910.

Regards

Glenn

[filfoster]

The OP referenced pre-war dress uniforms, of which Glenn has provided some spendid examples.

I can't easily upload photos but the generals in my earlier post wore the regimental uniforms described, in field gray as 'service uniforms' as well as wearing gala or pre-war uniforms. Being the 'chef' or ala suite of a regiment was a very high honor and the generals showed their appreciation by wearing the uniforms often.

The Second World War generals did this as well. Von Rundstedt wore the regimental uniform of the 18th infantry regiment and Fedor von Bock also wore an artillery regimental uniform.

Edited July 30, 2014 by filfoster

[Glenn J]

This plate by Paul Pietsch nicely illustrates the point: Two uniforms of Generaloberst (m. d. Range als Generalfeldmarschall) Bernhard Erbprinz von Sachsen-Meiningen, one, a normal Generals' uniform and the second that of the "Chef" of Grenadier-Regiment Nr. 10.

Regards

Glenn

[filfoster]

I was thinking of FM von Leeb when I referred to von Bock above, as wearing regimental uniform in WW2. My bad.

[ccj]

Generaloberst von Heeringen

[filfoster]

As to my original question: regimental uniform for generals was without the extra buttons worn on the general's blue uniform.  Certainly the buttons were the same for field gray as for any other officer.

[03fahnen]

But not always, I've seen exceptions
a friend has a general engineer uniform with 12 buttons

Here we can see a medical general with 12 buttons

Docteur Friedrich von Esmarch

 

[03fahnen]

Otro general con unifome regimental con 12 botones
Creo que es Wilhelm Ludwig Karl Kurt Friedrich von Tümpling

Another general with regimental unifome with 12 buttons
I think it's Wilhelm Ludwig Karl Kurt Friedrich von Tümpling

[Utgardloki]

On 30/07/2014 at 20:16, Glenn J said:

Here is General der Infanterie Alexander v. Kluck in the uniform of Grenadier-Regiment König Friedrich Wilhelm I. (2. Ostpreußisches) Nr. 3, appointed à la suite on 10 September 1910.

 

Regards

Glenn

Does anyone have more images of this beautiful uniform?

Edited October 21, 2018 by Utgardloki

[03fahnen]

Below shows the detail of the embroidery.

 

[Mike McLellan]

Absolutely beautiful!

Mike

[Utgardloki]

Fantastic, thank you!

[ccj]

I can’t imagine how long it took to make the insignia for a uniform in those days. Beautiful embroidery...

[Bayern]

Yes ,hard work, all hand embroidery, and with real gold or silver thread . sometimes the design was drawn directly on the cloth of the collar or cuff patch, then embroider . others the design was cut out of paper ,then embroider on and lately , applied to the collar or cuff

Anyone interested in German embroideries must take a look of the Site The Marshall s Baton ,althoug is dedicated o the Third Reich Generals . equally contains useful data. and last but not least ,the handcraft of 3rd rReich was the same of that of the Imperial times

[Alex K]

On ‎21‎/‎10‎/‎2018 at 15:01, Utgardloki said:

Does anyone have more images of this beautiful uniform?

Just for interest, a couple of colourisations I did some time ago