• Great Zeltbahn w/ Factory Repairs Bekleidungs-Werkstätten

  • $185.00 USD

  • Description

    Where'd it go? Always a hard item to photograph for our website.

     

    Very interesting zeltbahn for a collector of variations. The maker stamp is Deutsche Bekleidungs-Werkstätten. It is basically complete and in good condition. The bottom most buttons are missing. There are a number of extremely well done repairs which appear to be factory done and these repairs are over top of minuscule defects in the fabric, which most end users would probably not have even noticed or cared about, but which would have likely been cause for concern in a quality control setting. This indicates to me that the zeltbahn was made and likely then rejected due to these defects, but because nothing is wasted in wartime Germany, the zeltbahn was then repaired. It is possible that this was done at the original factory but it seems more likely to me that the defective zeltbahn was sent on to a subcontractor for repairs. I have uncovered a number of such unusual, almost surplus like, markets in wartime Germany with smaller shops or networks of shops performing repairs or recycling surplus material. Its a very fascinating and seldom discussed part of the German wartime economy.  This seems to be confirmed with the unusual markers stamp and lack of a normal manufactures stamp.

     

    I do believe these repairs were done before this zeltbahn was ever issued. They are too well done and when you handle it you can just tell it was done in an industrial setting. One of the corner grommets was completely covered and omitted. This one may have never left the workshop; it might have been only partly finished.

     

    All of that aside, this is just a nice looking zelt. Its one of the more pleasing color variations and in good condition.