The right to wear a uniform...

[Chris Boonzaier]

Hi,

I occasionally see documents giving an ex officer the right to wear the uniform of his regiment. Was this given to all officers? The latest one I saw was "auf allerhöchster Befehl"... I assume it was only for certain occasions?

All the best

Chris

[dedehansen]

Hi Chris,

I would rather say that it was distinction.

Kind regards
Andreas

[Chris Boonzaier]

Indded, but for who, and when coul they wear it? Feiertage, parades etc?

[Glenn J]

Chris,

as a general rule, officers who had served 10 years active duty would be granted the permission to wear the "Army Uniform", that is a non unit specific uniform. Those who had served 15 years would be granted the authority to wear "Regimental Uniform" as would those who had served a lesser period but were retired on account of wounds received during wartime. Generals including brevet major generals were always granted the permission to wear the generals' uniform with "inactive status" insignia. 

In the case of Reserve and Landwehr officers the qualifying periods for the two distinct types of uniform was 20 and 25 years respectively.

As you surmise, worn as spectators at parades, Feiertagen and the like.

Regards

Glenn

[Chris Boonzaier]

Hi Glenn,

 

thanks, that fits perfectly, commisioned Lt der Reserve, lost a leg on the Somme, repatriated to Germany and released in April 1918, he was then given the right to wear the uniform of the 19th bavarian Inf. regiment,

[Dave Danner]

The one part I don't understand is which uniform you wore, when you served in multiple regiments.  It would seem like it should be the regiment you retired from or the one you spent the most time in, but I have seen cases all over the place. The regiment you felt the most affinity toward? Did you need permission from the regiment, and there was risk of getting turned down?

In Andreas' document above, we see Fritz Erich with the uniform of IR 44. Erich served 1870-78 in 4.GRzF, 1878-1890 in IR 44, 1890-97 in IR 132, and 1897-1901 in FR 36.  Erich served the most time in IR 44, but he was commissioned in the more prestigious 4.GRzF, and went to war with that regiment, earning the EK2 as a Portepee-Fähnrich.

[Glenn J]

Dave,

it is something I am looking into but I get the impression that although one pretty much automatically earned the right to the continued wearing of uniform on retirement after serving the requisite number of years, the officer still had to formally apply, and I assume that he would choose the regiment he felt the most affinity towards.

Regards

Glenn

[Chris Boonzaier]

Here is one of mine.... he served most of the war in the 23rd Reserve Regiment, but the 7th Inf Regt gives him the doc that he may wear the 19th regiments uniform.... Walter Sperber of the 23rd Reserve Inf regt.