WH/WSS Infantryman rig made in Litzmannstadt(Łódź) Jewish ghetto

[Manu Della Valle]

Beautiful rig consisting of Koppeltragegestell and complete Gefecthspack all made in the Łódź Jewish Ghetto (WirtschaftAmt Litzmannstadt).
I’m very fond of the items made there because my late aunt was born in Łódź and was  lucky enough to be transferred to Augsburg thank to a man (can’t tell if he was German or whatever because she wouldn’t say and now it’s too late for asking) who took care of a group of polish women.There she worked as an interpreter until the arrival of the Allies.
Maybe it’s me getting old but every time I touch these items I feel very sad inside because they tell an even sadder story.
The “starving man” big M1910 kochgeschirr is a matching Ritter found in Italy near the Austrian border and its painted green and stamped HRE41.The strap came with the A-Frame
The Y-Straps are made of german and recycled British webbing whereas the A-Frame and Ditty Bag are mainly made of German webbing

[Desert Rat]

Very Nice Item Manu,

Great images and good history with it, thanks for showing us on MCN.

Best to you....Desert Rat/ Ian

[Manu Della Valle]

Thank you for stopping and watching,Ian!

[Richard Auld]

Manu,

Do you really beleive that this set of Y straps are as they would have left the factory in Lodtz allegedly?

Can you see no issues with them or have you yourself perhaps restored parts of them? It is after all not uncommon to find just the shoulder straps without the belt strap reused post war?

I am aware of how they were recycled etc but there are a few bits about them that just don't look right.

Nice mess tin and zelt by the way.

Best

Rich

[Björn]

These Y-straps looks right as rain to me. They do show up once in a while.
The Lodz story is a tragic one, and almost all the jewish poulation was annihalated towards the end of the war. They worked there and produced quite a lot of equipment for the german forces like the items shown by Manu.

https://fjm44.com/articles/y-straps-wirtschaftsamt-litzmannstadt/

These men are cobblers, producing winter-felt boots for the german forces:

 

 

These people are making Artillery backpacks if I'm not mistaken:

 

These people are making basket-winter shoes for the eastern front:

 

And here is a picture of the production of A-frames and A-frame bags, from captured british materials:

 

 

I don't have much equipment to contribute with myself, but I do have a nice Kragenbinde or Kragenschoner (button-on collarliner) for the german field tunic, wich has been made in the Wirtschaftsamt Litzmannstadt:

 

Best Regards
Björn

 

 

 

 

Edited October 6, 2019 by Björn

[Desert Rat]

Super Images and very good reasoning Bjorn,

in what you explain, I can understand your passion and your help us in assisting us with these items.....during all their tragic suffering and persecution not only of the Jews but all nations under the horrific Nazi Regime.

Thank You & Best Wishes....Ian

[Richard Auld]

Bjorn,

I have seen only 2 photos war time to compair, I know they existed. I understand they were recyled from worn parts and as such you could probably get away with explaining the difference in the ware on the d-rings to the material by this factor, although I do doubt that they were scouring the battlefield looking for those parts to re use at Lodtz. Ignoring that but looking at the black leather edge re enforcement on the British belt parts, they and the stiching show honest signs of wear where the leather ring protector in red does not, note also the blackened stiching against where the loops are added? The other odd thing is I can't recall anyone showing a set of these before the pictures surfaced. There is a very tallented bloke in Poland that has mastered German webbing already and that was about 10 years ago. I doubt they are right as rain and I bet even in the hand it would be hard to judge because you could argue that yes they were cobbled together. You know when you have an item in your hand when it has always been together. I am sugesting that the shoulder straps have been married with the belt support, lets face it that happens often enough with normal Y straps. Now I don't know what these retail at but I certainly would not buy those.

Rich

[Björn]

I agree with your point of view. The Y-straps might have had a repair. Wether it has been done during ww2 or later is a bit harder to determine. But the british webbing loops around the German steel parts could absolutely be a cause of problem, where the steel parts would eventually "eat" their way trough the webbing, and fall off. It would not surprize me at all, if this type of straps would be a source of problem, and that they would need constant repairs and maintainance to keep up wit their "work"

I have found a random picture, that I think would point in that direction:

I do like the seams and the construction in general. 
Some are missing the leather flap all together.
 

 

And I do agree that some seams on the set originally posted in this thread looks alot whiter and secondary to the set, in comparisement to the general condition of the set.
But if this is something that was done in a field schneider or depot towards the end of the war, or done postwar is hard to determine. It would be a bit easier with a hands on inspection.

 

 

Edited October 7, 2019 by Björn
Edited out spelling errors.

[Björn]

I think I was mistaken on this picture earlier. I rather think that they are combat engineers backpacks and equipment being produced here:

 

 

 

https://www.lux-military-antiques.com/en/p/german-late-war-pioneer-combat-assault-pouch-set-backpack.htm

 

 

[Richard Auld]

Bjorn,

I can't remember who said it but someone in the hobby once said the more you need to explain why an item is as it is the less chance it has of being real, I think this holds true today. The longer the story the less the chance.

I don't know what these items command at auction or at expensive high end dealers but I would not be paying it even if I had won the lottery, at least not for the set that started this thread. 

The A frame looks ok from what is visible the mess tin and zelt too but the areas I have highlited will not go away and if you need to explain them, well....?

Not our problem I would say?!

Best

Rich