Ever Fancied A German secret police Overcoat ?

[Old Fogey UK]

I've just gotten 2 nice leather overcoats off German eBay. One is a dark gray/green colour and pretty much mint condition. I guess it's 1950's. It's so nice it's going to be my everyday overcoat next winter.The other is dark brown and I would guess it's 1940's or even earlier. It's in almost as good condition.
Both are long trenchcoat style, double-breasted and close with an internal strap and a belt on the outside.
I paid the equivalent of around $30 each for them and the shipping wasn't quite as scary as I thought it'd be.
So here's a hint if you fancy something to wear when knocking on apartment doors in the middle of the night. Go to German eBay, select Sammeln & Seltenes and search for "ledermantel". There are usually 20 - 30 for sale and the nicest of them seem to sell in the $25 - $40 range.

 

[Vladimir Berkov]

Do you speak German? If not, have you had any problem communicating with the sellers after you won the coats?

I really want one of these vintage long-length coats in brown, and it seems German ebay is where they are at. The only thing that worries me is the language issue.

 

[The Wolf]

I actually had a green leather overcoat from 1940's Germany years ago. Believe it or not I got rid of it because it squeeked.

Sincerely,
The Wolf

 

[Matthew Dalton]

I think I might make one of these one of my next purchases.

I wonder if people would be dense enough to give me "Matrix" comments if I wear one without a hat... Or worse "Grandma's Boy" comments.

 

[PADDY]

Can we have some photos please of these creaky great German leather coats

Love to see some photos of these babies please.

And we all love to see great photos of great coats!!

I'm sure I'm not the only one who has had his appetite wetted for one of these jackets. thanks in advance!

 

[Shaul-Ike Cohen]

Do you speak German? If not, have you had any problem communicating with the sellers after you won the coats?

I really want one of these vintage long-length coats in brown, and it seems German ebay is where they are at. The only thing that worries me is the language issue.

I'm not at all a proponent of Nazi chic, but language shouldn't be an issue in most cases. More or less everybody does know English, though it tends to be of a more awkward kind than with Skandinavians or Dutch people. And: a Frenchman will typically think you should rather know his language, while a German will either feature an inferiority complex for not writing better, or not realise at all.

 

[otterhound]

I'm not at all a proponent of Nazi chic

I'm with you on that one, S-I. I can't say I'd ever feel comfortable wearing Nazi chic.

 

[Marc Chevalier]

I don't worry too much about it, because almost all of the vintage German horsehide overcoats around today were made for the civilian market. In other words, the chances are very slim that one of those overcoats was issued as a Gestapo uniform.

The most difficult vintage German horsehide overcoats to find are the ones in black, and with buttons. Overcoats in brown or dark green with belts (but no buttons) are easy to find on German eBay.


.

 

[Shaul-Ike Cohen]

In other words, the chances are very slim that one of those overcoats was issued as a Gestapo uniform.

To me personally, it would still be Nazi chic, only without the added thrill.

 

[Marc Chevalier]

I would call it German chic. Put a couple of epaulettes and some silver buttons on it, and it becomes Nazi chic ... which I despise.

When I was a young kid, I saw a picture of a black SS uniform and shouted, "Cool!" My father heard me and said, "Marc, that uniform means torment, death and evil. I can't look at it without feeling sick inside, and I hope you will come to feel the same way." I do, now.

.

 

[dr greg]

SS Style

I think one can admire the aesthetics of the nazi uniforms as an example of the power of image, but I definitely wouldn't wear something in the hope of emulating it. I once had an old german helemt I found in a shed, and I kept it for some years as an example of one of the great functional designs of the 20th C, but in the end I sold it for next to nothing to a biker because I just didn't really think I should keep it, putting aside family members killed in the war etc, it just didn't feel right. Now I realise I could have sold it for big bucks on ebay, but whatever, money isn't everything.

 

[BellyTank]

99% of those ebay.de Leather Coats, which sell for under $100,
are '50s Vintage.
Not military and definitely not wartime.

No Gestapo.

B
T

 

[Shaul-Ike Cohen]

99% of those ebay.de Leather Coats, which sell for under $100,
are '50s Vintage.
Not military and definitely not wartime.

No Gestapo.

To me personally, it would still be Nazi chic, only without the added thrill.

 

[dr greg]

a good look

The Australian Army issued heavy brown leather trenchcoats in WW2 to coastwatchers, and that is not the famous New Guinea civilian group, but the guys who patrolled our coast on night duty in the colder areas down south, I can't show you one as both I've owned were stolen when I lived in the city, but they were an extremely good looking coat and I wore them a lot at the time.

 

[PADDY]

This is a cracking thread on vintage leather coats...

fftopic: I know there's always a temptation to slide into the Nazi associations and cliches. Try to resist the temptation here please chaps. (I've had to keep my pruning shears handy)

Thanks for your time gentlemen, and crack on.

Regards, P.

 

[Tomasso]

Herr Hasselhoff

Seems to pull it off

 

[Old Fogey UK]

I only went after the coats because they're great if, as I do, you spend your winter weekends charging around the countryside in open vintage cars.
I certainly didn't intend to glorify a brutal dictatorship. The leather overcoat seems to have been a popular item of clothing in interwar Europe (although not to the same extent in Britain or the US - anyone know why?) so it's not surprising that it was worn by some members of the Geheime Staats Polizei. I think Hollywood is to blame for bringing it into notoriety; but I wonder why the same thing hasn't happened with black fedoras and little wire spectacles ?
For anyone who is, nevertheless, still interested in trying to get one on German eBay, I find most sellers who ship internationally will try to communicate with you in English - and you can always email them with words like "Groesse ?" (size), "Zustand" (condition) and "Versandkosten" (shipping).
Good luck !

 

[Shaul-Ike Cohen]

I certainly didn't intend to glorify a brutal dictatorship.

I have no doubt. I'd like to stress I'm sure none of those of us who go for these coats wants to walk around and impersonate Gestapo officers.

Only, to the casual onlooker your intentions won't be visible, and I for instance just have this association, all the more so if the coat is combined with a fedora.

 

[Story]

I really want one of these vintage long-length coats in brown, and it seems German ebay is where they are at. The only thing that worries me is the language issue.

Try Babelfish, combining your original English in the email with an attempt at German. http://babelfish.altavista.com/

By comparison, one of the $227US reproduction Gestapo leather trenchcoats
http://www.replicaters.com/ww2 German Gestapo uniforms and Gear/ww2 german leather overcoat.jpg
http://www.replicaters.com/gestapouniforms.html

 

[Story]

I think I might make one of these one of my next purchases. I wonder if people would be dense enough to give me "Matrix" comments if I wear one without a hat... Or worse "Grandma's Boy" comments.

If you want some Matrix-y giggles, look up ledermantel and Andere Artikel des Verk?§ufers on German eBay.