The Nazis were known to have taken an explicit interest in arts and aesthetics- from the utilisation of Arno Brekker’s sculpting skills to display Aryan ideals, to the destruction of “degenerate art.” The Nazi uniforms were well-designed as well, with decorative awards, the usage of leather, and cuts of cloth that are much more fashionable than the blousier uniforms of the allied powers. This is evident when Major General Victor Fortune surrendered to Erwin Rommel, or Victor Klemperer’s quote from “I Shall Bear Witness” on viewing allies uniforms for the first time: “They are not soldiers in the Prussian sense at all. They do not wear uniforms, but overalls or overall-like combinations of high trousers and blouse all in gray-green. The steel helmet is worn comfortably as a hat, pushed forward or back, as it suit them.”
From this evidence, I am of the opinion that the Nazis used uniforms as another vector of propaganda. Himmler himself, in “The SS as an Anti-Bolshevist Fighting Organisation” said, “I know there are many people who fall ill when they see this black uniform; we understand that and do not expect that we will be loved by many people.” The care and attention to detail to look better than other nations and armies, particularly by the SS’ black uniform, both at war and during peace is very evident. Even the wearing of the iron cross whilst at battle shows a pride in the German uniform internalised by the average soldier.
My question is: does anyone have any further scholarship on this topic? Are there memoirs, or quotes like Himmler’s that show an explicit attention to the usage of Nazi uniforms as propaganda? Or, from allied memoirs, are there impressions of Nazi uniforms that are enlightening of their effect on foreign forces?
I wonder if you aren’t reading too much into it. Not that the Germans didn’t find psychological effect in their uniforms, but that, Sukhomlinov Effect notwithstanding, -all- armies do it. Most of what you post could as easily be applied to the US Army. Pride in the uniform? The US Army traces its current two-tone blue uniform to the Revolutionary War. The upcoming Pinks and Greens just announced last year are a deliberate callback to the US’s WW2 uniforms. The German uniforms of today hark back to pre-war times, with cues that even the East German Army retained.
The example you give of the iron cross seems no different to me than my automatic glance at the right shoulder of a US Army soldier in combat uniform, the badge there indicating prior combat deployments. Then the left chest. Combat badge there? He not only deployed, he actively got shot at. The old Glosters regiment of the British Army, they wore two cap badges, one front, one back of the hat, because their uniform reflects their earned right to wear it that way when they literally fought back to back. The uniform symbolizes more than just the side you’re on. When the US Marines switched to MARPAT, part of the officially announced reasoning for not goingthe same camo as the Army was to make it obvious you were looking at a Marine. (Which seems to rather miss the point of Camo, if you ask me, but anyway).
Further, a smart uniform provides both morale and discipline advantages. It may seem rather insane to us now, but if you were marauding across France in Patton’s Third Army, you had better be properly dressed, to include wearing your necktie. Much to Willie and Joes’s annoyance. https://i0.wp.com/www.defensemedianetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/Bill-Mauldin-Willie-and-Joe-Cartoon.jpg The discipline to maintain proper appearance would translate into discipline all things. Mind the pennies, and the pounds will take care of themselves. That said, the Australians in particular might prove the lie to that statement. If you look like a soldier, you’ll act like a soldier. If you’re wearing a smart uniform, you’ll take pride in yourself. It probably doesn’t hurt for recruiting either.
Now, there are some additional minor points, such as asking at what point do you sacrifice fashion for combat capability? Believe it or not, some militaries didn’t figure it out until the post-war period, I’m sure there are some books out there on the cut and design of German W2 uniforms specifically, but I can’t imagine that any design considerations were unique to Germany. Well, there might be some exceptions.I leave you with Mitchell and Webb. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ToKcmnrE5oY
