Uniforms and insignia of the Kriegsmarine

The Kriegsmarine full dress uniform (Grosse Uniform) was worn typically by officers ranked Korvettenkapitän and above. The uniform consisted of a double breasted midnight blue frock coat worn with a white swordbelt, full sized medals, sword, large epaulets, and a cocked hat (Zweispitz). There were two modifications to this uniform worn by all officer ranks: Grosser Gesellschaftsanzug which was an evening dress version of the uniform with bow tie, short open mess jacket, and a cummerbund. The Kleiner Gesellschaftsanzug was a "toned down" version of the dress uniform worn with a ribbon bar, dagger in place of full sword, a white service cap, and standard epaulets. A third category was the "walking out dress" (Ausgehanzug) which was essentially a standard service uniform worn with epaulets, belt, and sword or dagger.

Officer dress uniforms

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  "Walking-out" dress

Photo of Erich Raeder in the full officer service uniform. The uniform was worn with a raised necktie, both shoulder epaulets and sleeve stripes to denote rank, as well as full medals and ribbons. In day-to-day operations, officers often wore the "lesser service uniform" with no epaulets, regular tie, and minimal decorations.

The Dienstanzug (Service uniform) was worn in headquarters settings and constituted (for officers) of a double breasted naval coat with sleeve stripes worn with ribbons, medals, badges, and a white dress belt. A raised collar white shirt with black neck-tie was worn underneath. The Kleiner Dienstanzug (lesser service uniform), allowed the officer to wear a normal collared shirt with a plain black tie. The lesser uniform was also typically worn without a full ribbon bar or belt, but still with highly notable awards such as the Knight's Cross, Iron Cross or German Cross. The officer uniform was colored midnight-blue[lower-alpha 1] and the double-breasted jacket had ten brass buttons and a matching peaked cap.

Officer service uniforms

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  Vizeadmiral
• 
  Konteradmiral
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  Kapitänleutnant

Chief petty officers wore a uniform very similar to the officer jacket, but with shoulder epaulets instead of sleeve stripes to denote rank. The service uniform for an enlisted sailor consisted of a jacket, a pair of trousers, a white and a blue shirt, matching collars edged with three stripes, a silk neckerchief, grey gloves and a cap with two ribbons. The enlisted cap was emblazoned with the script "Kriegsmarine". The enlisted "dress service uniform" was worn with an open coat, buttoned in the center, with white dress shirt and embroidered gold sleeve buttons. The undress version consisted of a double breasted coat, worn over a dark shirt and black tie, with the coat displaying dark blue collar tabs.

Chief petty officer service uniforms

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  Steuermann
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  Obermaschinist (Group)

Sailor service uniforms

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  Obermaat
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  Maat
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  Verwaltungsmatrose

Two Kriegsmarine officers wearing the khaki tropical uniform variant

For standard everyday wear on-board naval vessels, enlisted sailors wore a frock coat with limited medals and badges (typically only war badges and high combat awards) as well as a simple system of collar tabs to denote between regular seaman and petty officers (Maat). In heavy weather, a thick overcoat was also worn.

The Kriegsmarine further maintained a summer uniform known as the Tropen- und Sommeranzug (Tropical and Summer Dress) designed for use in hot climates. The uniform classification was divided into tropical khakis, which the Monsoon Group wore this as their standard uniform while deployed to bases in Southeast Asia, and the "summer white variant" which consisted of a white service jacket for officers (with rank epaulets but no rank stripes), a similar white jacket with shoulder straps for chiefs, as well as a "pull over" white enlisted jumper for sailors and petty officers.

Kriegsmarine personnel permanently assigned to shore stations, to include coastal artillery, wore a grey green uniform in the same style as the German Army. The uniform was worn with closed collar with collar tabs and shoulder rank epaulets. Officers wore standard epaulets while chiefs wore shoulder straps with rank pips and a centered anchor crest. Enlisted seaman wore dark green chevrons and a bare shoulder strap while petty officers wore a rank strap similar to that of an army Unteroffizier.

Working sailor uniforms

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  Matrose
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  Matrose und Maat

Navy shore uniforms

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  Coastal gunner
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  Coastal Artillery officer

Special uniforms

Special uniform variants included Kriegsmarine sportswear (Sportanzug) which consisted of running shorts with a white T-shirt, often worn with black shoes. Engineering personnel on-board surface ships were further issued with a boilersuit devoid of any insignia except for a swastika eagle emblem and worn with a blue garrison cap. A special variant, known as "sentry dress", was essentially a standard enlisted uniform worn with an ammunition belt while on armed sentry duty. Personnel assigned to deck guns or anti-aircraft crews also were issued flak helmets, sometimes with vests and flash hoods, depending upon the caliber of the manned guns.

Due to the arduous nature of U-boat duty, uniforms varied greatly depending upon the actions and activity of the service member. All submarine personnel were required to maintain standard Navy uniforms, with the undress service uniform being the most commonly worn when on shore. Upon departure and return to base, especially when the submarine was visible to onlookers, officers would wear a modified version of the service uniform to consist of the blue service coat along with grey all weather over-trousers. Commanders who had earned the Knight's Cross would often wear tin copies for the ceremonial entrance and exit to port. All medals, ribbons, and badges were removed once fully underway at sea.

The standard "patrol uniform" consisted of a grey-brown denim jacket for officers and chiefs while a grey all weather smock coat was worn by enlisted personnel. Some of the original U-boat uniforms had been issued from British stocks abandoned at Dunkirk.[1] U-boat personnel were also issued a variety of weather clothing to include fleece lined footwear and all weather over-trousers of brown or grey leather.

As an unwritten rule, the captain of any submarine wore a white peaked cap in contrast to officers and chiefs who wore blue service caps. Lookouts wore oilskins and sou'westers on duty while sailors in the control center and on deck were required to wear garrison covers. Dress restrictions for engineering and torpedo man personnel, who often worked in cramped and humid conditions, were far more lax and most in these duties wore comfortable civilian clothes. An unofficial modicum for the ship's Chief engineer was the "checkered shirt" which was a comfortable working shirt often worn with pants and suspenders.

Submarine duty uniforms

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  U-boat smock coat
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  U-boat chief engineer (checkered shirt)

Within the rank group of Unteroffiziere mit Portepee there were two career paths; one leading to Warrant officer equivalent, and one leading to Chief petty officer equivalent. The first path was based on the Imperial Navy Deckoffiziere, Warrant officers, and lead straight from Petty officer, third class equivalent to Warrant officer equivalent. The second led from Petty officer, third class equivalent, to Petty officer, second class equivalent, to Petty officer, first class equivalent, and finally to Chief petty officer equivalent, for those allowed to remain in service after the end of the twelve years service obligation.

The generic rank title was Feldwebel, the specific rank titles for each branch is specified below.

Feldwebel (also: Unteroffiziere mit Portepee)
Epaulette
	Stabsoberfeldwebel[lower-alpha 2]	Oberfeldwebel[lower-alpha 3]	Stabsfeldwebel[lower-alpha 4]	Feldwebel [lower-alpha 5]
German Army equivalent[5]	Stabsfeldwebel	Oberfeldwebel		Feldwebel
United States Navy equivalent [3]	Chief Warrant Officer	Warrant Officer	Chief Petty Officer	Petty Officer 1st Class

Maate (Unteroffiziere ohne Portepee)
Title	Obermaat	Maat
Epaulette (Shore troops only)
Collar tab
Sleeve insignia (Bootsmann ratings shown)
	Oberbootsmannmaat	Bootsmannmaat
German Army equivalent	Unterfeldwebel	Unteroffizier
United States Navy equivalent[3]	Petty officer, second class	Petty officer, third class

Petty officers also wore a large rating badge on their left sleeve, beneath which were displayed authorized trade badges. Shore uniforms were worn with a Germany Army style sergeant's shoulder boards and golden collar trim.

Mannschaften (English: Seamen ranks)
Title	Oberstabsgefreiter[lower-alpha 6]	Stabsgefreiter[lower-alpha 7]	Hauptgefreiter[lower-alpha 8]	Obergefreiter	Gefreiter	Matrose
Epaulette (Shore troops only)
Collar tab
Sleeve chevron
German Army equivalent[7]	None	None	Stabsgefreiter	Obergefreiter	Gefreiter	Oberschütze	Soldat
United States Navy equivalent[3]	None		Seaman 1st class	Seaman 2nd class	Seaman 2nd class	Apprentice seaman

Enlisted sailors wore a rating badge above their rank chevrons while trade badges were displayed below. Enlisted chevrons on the shore uniform were gold colored with a dark green background. Unrated seamen were called Matrose. Rated seamen had a rank title depending on the rating. Rated deck branch seamen were called Matrosengefreiter. Rated carpenters were called Zimmermansgefreiter, rated Engine room seamen were called Maschinengefreiter etc.

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  Flags, uniforms and insignia of the Kriegsmarine and Luftwaffe c. 1936
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  Kriegsmarine rank insignia in an allied uniform guide 1943
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  Kriegsmarine rank insignia for field gray uniform (naval, coastal artillery) c. 1945

Signalman headquarters badge

To denote additional qualifications within a particular rate, the Kriegsmarine issued a number of "trade badges" which were worn as red on blue patches beneath either the seaman's rank chevron or petty officer's badge. Trade badges were not worn or displayed by either officers or chiefs.

Kriegsmarine uniform chart displaying various trade badges

Qualification trade insignia was issued in up to four classes, beginning with a basic badge followed by apprentice, journeyman, and master. All trade badges above basic were denoted by chevrons on the trade patch; some trade patches were authorized up to all three chevrons while others were eligible for only one or two. One of the more common engineering trade badges was that of Handwerker (damage controlman) which appeared as a red diver's helmet and was issued up to the master qualification level.

A special insignia also existed for signalman who were posted to a naval headquarters. The insignia appeared as a small patch showing a German Imperial Navy signal flag and was worn above the sailor's signalman's rating badge.