History

The German Wehrmacht was composed of three main branches, the Heer, the Kriegsmarine, and the Luftwaffe. The Heer and Kriegsmarine uniforms were based upon the designs utilized by their predecessor organizations, the Deutsches Heer and the Kaiserliche Marine. Conversely, the Luftwaffe uniforms were based upon the uniforms worn in the sports and para-military organizations that were the forerunners of the Luftwaffe. The Luftwaffe uniforms were specifically designed to deviate from the designs of the other Wehrmacht service branches. It was also necessary that the uniforms differentiate between military and civilian pilots.

Marching boots were worn by Enlisted Men and Non-Commissioned Officers in the Luftwaffe. They were generally composed of blackened leather, steel tips, and studded soles.

These boots were permitted for wear as part of the service dress, field dress, parade dress, and reporting dress.

The marching boots were only worn by Luftwaffe personnel until 1941. Afterward, they were replaced by short ankle boots and associated gaiters. This measure was enacted to conserve leather supplies.

The shoe size and manufacturer may be stamped into the interior leather sections, or stamped on a tag which was sewn into interior cloth lining.