Germany, Kriegsmarine. A U-Boat Service Oberleutnant’s Leather Jacket, Owner-Attributed, by Gustav Nitsch

(U-Boot Lederjacke für einen Oberleutnant). A well-preserved Kriegsmarine U-Boat service Oberleutnant’s jacket, constructed of multiple panels of dark slate-grey leather which is reinforced along all seams with heavy machine stitching. A turned-down collar transitions into two breast lapels, while two pockets set into each side close with buttonless horizontal and vertical flaps. The shoulders are topped by boards which are constructed of dark navy blue wool with rigid card stock cores, topped by four bands of silver aluminum wire piping, and which are pinned with a single pip. Each measuring 30 mm (w) x 100 mm (l), the boards are secured in place with stitching at the outer edge and with aluminum buttons on the inner edge. Four matte grey aluminum buttons are set into each breast flap, with the right side buttons meeting an equal number of reinforced buttonholes on the left flap. All buttons on the jacket are maker marked on the reverse with the logo of F.W. Assmann & Söhne, Lüdenscheid. A multi-piece dark slate-grey wool liner encompasses the interior, terminating at the shoulders, where a black rayon liner extends through the arms to the cuffs. A single interior pocket is located at the upper left breast, and is formed by a continuation of the leather base into the inner breast. The collar retains a manufacturer’s label marked “GUSTAV NITSCH, WIEN”, with a size mark of “48”, while a tag stitched onto the collar bears an embroidered owner’s surname of “SCHULTZE”. The jacket measures approximately 48 cm across the shoulders, with an arm length of 62 cm, and an overall body length of 95 cm when folded on a flat surface. Age-appropriate material fatigue is visible to the leather base, while a nametag formerly situated over the collar is missing. It remains in a near extremely fine condition.

Footnote: Two Kriegsmarine Kapitänleutnants bore the surname Schultze, including Heinz-Otto Schultze and Herbert Schultze, commanders of U-432 and U-48, respectively. Both were holders of the Knight’s Cross of the Iron Cross (the latter with Oak Leaves) for meritorious service on patrols. While the rank on the jacket provided is a mis-match with the rank with which both ultimately concluded their careers, the name and quality of construction indicates it was possibly owned by one of these notable commanders prior to promotion.