Footcloths or socks: what soldiers of the Wehrmacht wore

The topic of footcloths quite often causes discussion from historians, experts, and ordinary people who are familiar with army life and uniforms. At the same time, the public interested in the issue is usually divided into two irreconcilable groups: some believe that footcloths have never been of any convenience to a soldier;

One of the topics discussed: what did German soldiers use during the Second World War? There is a circle of people who believe that the Wehrmacht soldiers wore exclusively socks, without using footcloths.

The author of the Diodand channel is trying to figure out the issue. The plot tells that German soldiers used footcloths too. Moreover, the German footcloths differed in size: these were squares from woolen or flannel fabric of size 40 by 40 cm.

If you look at the instructions for wearing German-style footcloths, then in the drawings (in the video) you can see the leg in the toe, over which footcloths are wound. This suggests that there were various options for their use. It is noted that the Germans spoke flattering about footcloths.

The intricacies of wearing footcloths by soldiers of the Nazi army, as well as why German soldiers liked wearing footcloths, is described in the video:

Comments

[Ravil_Asnafovich]

I also had a chance to wear footcloths with yuft boots, we never complained, the main thing is to wrap correctly on the leg.

[iConst]

Quote: Ravil_Asnafovich

The main thing is to wrap on the leg correctly.

Absolutely. A footcloth sits on a bootlet after shoes and conceals the inconvenience of shoes - a dunce on a block is far from perfect. To rub a foot with a footcloth is less likely than toe.

Second: During the exercises, I appreciated the convenience of footcloths - in the cold, that footcloth, that the sock is damp. As soon as it gets damp, the foot starts to freeze. And this is fraught.
With socks - you need to have a bunch of spare with you. A footcloth - rewound with the part on the caviar - dry, warm, and you continue the fuss. The raw part on the caviar dries up and after half an hour you can rewind and so on. With socks, you understand ...

[tihonmarine]

Quote: iConst

A footcloth sits on a bootlet after shoes and conceals the inconvenience of shoes - a dunce on a block is far from perfect. To rub a foot with a footcloth is less likely than toe.

And when you leave for two weeks or more, and where there is nowhere to wait for help, the footcloth saves your legs and yourself. It was not in the cold, but in the heat, so they took an ode to a couple on themselves, but three in reserve. And no one disfigured his legs.

[militarist63]

That's right! It is nice to see the sensible comment of a knowledgeable ... from personal practice (experienced) ...., and sofa connoisseurs bred here!

[VeteranVSSSR]

Razvil, I completely agree with you. The most interesting thing is that the author knows what a sock and footcloth are, but .... I heard the same about the thermonuclear reaction and .... well, I won’t discuss this (reaction), and about footcloths, four days without taking off his boots and not corns and not scuffed ...

[Sergey Medvedev]

I am without Germans a supporter of footcloths. There is always a little water in the field, in exercises or in war; washing socks every day will not work. And if the footcloths smell bad after a week, then the socks will just stand up to the stake.

[tihonmarine]

Quote: Sergei Medvedev

And if the footcloths smell bad after a week, then the socks will just stand up to the stake.

Most importantly, you can not wash everywhere, there are places where it happened a liter a day for drinking. The tailor the help. But in Europe, the sock was better for the Germans, neither heat nor cold, and socks were not a problem, in any village it was possible to remove.

[Blacksmith 55]

As far as I know, especially in 41 and 42 years, near Moscow and Stalingrad, they wore everything that warms. Then the situation changed, they realized that the blitzkrieg failed. They began to collect warm clothes for the army throughout Germany.
During service, I liked footcloths more, but when it was not very cold, I also wore socks.

[tihonmarine]

Quote: Blacksmith 55

During service I liked footcloths more, but when it was not very cold, I wore socks

Even in Africa, I took shoes one size larger, and wore footcloths in size 45 boots. Two years ago, my son and I strongly advised our grandson to replace socks with footcloths in the exercises. After the exercises, he said that practically he and two other guys from the company had whole legs. Glory to the Russian footcloth.

[The leader of the Redskins]

But if I'm not mistaken, the Dutch came up with the footcloths. And a little footcloth and a toe ... At twenty degrees below zero, the only way to escape was on guard. There were no felt boots, but in tarpaulin boots you will "dance" in the cold!)))

[iConst]

Quote: Leader of the Redskins

There were no felt boots, but in tarpaulin boots you will "dance" in the cold!)))

The boots in the SA changed two times in two years. Experienced soldiers or whom the old man thought of, wondered for what period the boot would mostly fall - for winter or summer. Where it was more for the winter - they took a size larger. Then in the guard or in the field it was possible to wind two or three footcloths. But I remember for sure - for the winter two pairs betrayed: simple and bike, such as winter.

[The leader of the Redskins]

We only have one - bike. 91-93g. Not to fat was ....

[iConst]

Quote: Leader of the Redskins

We only have one - bike. 91-93g. Not to fat was ....

Well, yes - the "dashing" 90s ...

[polar fox]

Quote: iConst

Then in the guard or in the field it was possible to wind two or three footcloths.

and we shifted the newspaper ... so it was warmer))))

[113262a]

At 20 degrees, the footcloth is summer, the footcloth is winter, then the newspaper!

[militarist63]

Nuuuu, that’s good, if there is such a stock in terms of boot size .....

[Mcar]

Shoes - I do not know, but if the boots - definitely footcloths.

When the first six months I was urgent in school, we were driven so abruptly that we had to rewind footcloths several times a day. Naturally, after every 2-3 hours, the foot became wet from sweat. Unwind, and the leg seems to be from the bath. Rewind and dry again, and the wet part of the footcloth around the ankle dries up. But I don’t even imagine how to be with socks in this case.

[militarist63]

When boots (ankle boots) were introduced, they also practiced footcloths with them ... Moreover, as an officer, I wore footcloths in ankle boots in the "fields" ...

[Alexander Tkachenko]

Footcloths are a great invention.
- universal size
- highest wear resistance
- ease of washing and drying
- ease of use
- interchangeability (it is impossible to confuse the right footcloth with the left, even in conditions of limited visibility or darkness)
- cheapness in production
- the size of the footcloth is sufficient for its use in various qualities (gag, bandana, bundle, bag, bundle, you can tear on a tape, etc.)
- the ability to use the used footcloth as a chemical weapon of general irritating effect
Disadvantages:
- great difficulty in mastering stupid and lazy people.

[Ivan Slavic]

If until now Raseyushka has not learned how to sew normal socks for soldiers, it remains only to tell stories that footwear is worn and rejoiced in the rest of the world. But the invention of footcloths is not the greatest achievement of mankind.

[Micfoster]

Why give up what works well? Footcloths a thing checked by generations. If you do not have experience with them, this does not mean that they are not needed!

[Ivan Slavic]

Why is there no experience? I served in the CA for two years (1982-84) and I know about the footcloths and their advantages by hearsay. But this is an anachronism. No army in the world uses footcloths anymore, and why when there are more modern materials from which they sew socks which surpass the footcloths in all respects in their operational properties.

[tihonmarine]

Well, if you read the book "The Last Soldier of the Third Reich" by Sayer Guy, then he has something like this saying "I got woolen socks from home, without them in the Russian winter you will be left without legs. We took great care of the socks." Although the Germans had footcloths, they preferred socks.

[Ivan Slavic]

There were no footcloths in the German army. In Germany, the chemical industry has always been developed at the highest level. Already then, before the war, mixed fabrics were developed there from which sewed socks in which the leg did not sweat and did not sing. Well, in our time in the civilized world, footcloths have long been forgotten. I repeat, in a civilized ...)))

[tihonmarine]

Quote: Ivan Slavyansky

Well, in our time in the civilized world, footcloths have long been forgotten. I repeat, in a civilized ..

And I will tell the "civilized" one too. For heaven's sake, wear civilian socks, and I will wear woolen socks in winter and flannel footcloths in summer. And when a big war begins, it's not until graduation

mixed fabrics of which sewed socks in which the leg did not sweat and did not

which was the same Germans. And if you do not believe it, look at the photo of the German soldiers in the Russian winter in what they were dressed (in the internet a photo in bulk).

[113262a]

But in Ukraine, how? Bertsa Talan already put Tactical Search or 5.11 in their belt? And all, as one army is already in the membrane and Kevlar? Half of the composition both ran through the fields in their own way, and runs!

[Mcar]

Quote: tihonmarine

Well, if you read the book "The Last Soldier of the Third Reich" by Sayer Guy, then he has something like this saying "I got woolen socks from home, without them in the Russian winter you will be left without legs. We took great care of the socks." Although the Germans had footcloths, they preferred socks.

Two points are obvious here: the Germans were in boots and did not know about woolen footcloths.

What is the new woolen footcloth first learned in CA. Being wound on a leg is like two woolen socks, but unlike socks it is much higher in wear resistance, as the main place of the breakthrough - the heel - changes all the time. And in boots, even in relatively warm weather, say -10-15 frost, it can be warm if you run all the time. Otherwise nothing will save. Sentinels are only allowed for 2 hours and boots are allowed with a sheepskin coat at -5.

[ODERVIT]

The footcloth is convenient, practical. At the school for four and a half years, at the graduation design, they changed into the front door, not very much.

[tihonmarine]

What's most interesting. Now I walked through the comments two hours later, and I see how many liberals and Russophobes are on the site, even when discussing "Russian footcloth and German sock"

[Glory1974]

From the memoirs of a German soldier: "Some lucky ones managed to get hold of the Russian form. Now they have a much better chance of surviving in this hell."
And the footcloth, and quilted jackets, and pea jackets were all great in the Red Army. at the parades, the German form might have looked better, but in battle and campaigns, ours was not equal.
And footcloths are still used in the army. Now the fleece is already being used in the cold. Whatever the sophisticated sock is, it will still get wet sooner or later. And the footcloth allows to rewind a part to dry on the lower leg. In the case of a sock, this is not possible.

[certero]

If you use modern shoes made from new materials, then socks in it will be preferable. If you give out boots plus or minus size back and forth. then definitely footcloths.
Tales that supposedly only footcloths are saved during exercises say that their legs will be rewound dry and so on, this is certainly good, but modern materials will not sweat. I’m talking to you as a lover of hiking. Actually, buy sportswear some north face, and then walk in a padded jacket and everything will become clear.
therefore, the conclusion of such footcloths for certain conditions is excellent, but now in modern times, shoes and socks that perform the function are more convenient.

[sergevl]

The guys are supporters of footcloths. Do not you find that some tarpaulin boots in the frost of forty degrees and in the heat of 50 degrees are a little wrong? What to wear in the heat? Slippers on a bare foot that successfully show us quite combat-ready Hussites or sneakers on a pinch. As ours did in Afghanistan.
And in the cold forty degrees we need boots with insulation or felt boots. With woolen socks. But, as disposable products, you were given boots that were not matched in size, in completeness, or in height. And so that he wouldn’t complain much of a cigarette in his teeth, he wound stinky shit on his feet, received from the grandfathers of moose, lit a cigarette and life was a success. Here it is, my dear service, now you are a real man, because you have a blue plywood sternum.
And yes, boots, a good thing for a parade ground, how can’t you come up with boots in boots? And in the army, what is most important according to the charter is a parade ground and a combatant step.
And boots and footcloths are just a way to trample a soldier in equal, to show him that he is stinking equal.

[tatarin1972]

Under tsarism, there were 10 ways to wind footcloths:

The first is winding with a sock.
The second is from the heel.
The third is the Guards' Life Label, exclusively silk footcloth was used. The free end sticks out from the shaft and it says "God save the king."
The fourth is female, a footcloth like a swaddle, like a baby swaddled.
The fifth - sapper, in two layers under the heel, so that it was softer to step.
Sixth - Plastunsky, a comrade helps to tighten the footcloth, resting his knee on the chest, so that the footcloth would not slip when crawling.
The seventh method is Cossack, in two layers, which did not fall off the boots during the horse riding and held on more firmly.
The eighth method is fishing with a newspaper, so that it is warmer and does not get wet when the footcloth dries.
Ninth - a merchant with a hundred ruble, that would surprise the girls.
Tenth - Soldier In the Soviet Union, he was left alone, the rest are forgotten. He wore footcloths in both the yuft boots (marine boot) and berets. Whatever the sock, he rolls off his leg, hence the attrition. With footcloths is good, especially if there is a spare pair, wet on the body in a circle of the torso wrapped and the body will dry them. I didn’t wear modern army shoes, maybe it’s really better, and the socks are different, I just think that at hour X, when mobilizing, they will again remember footcloths.