The Civilian Militia Impression

The Volkssturm impression is a lot more basic than the standard Heer requirements. Since supplies were extremely limited during this period of the war, the "generic" Volkssturm would have had a mixture of civilian and military clothing, rudimentary equipment, a weapon, and if he was lucky, ammunition for the weapon in question.

His uniform would likely consist of his civilian work clothes and shoes, combined with an issued greatcoat, helmet, breadbag and Volkssturm armband. His armband would be one of the most essential items to be worn. Without it, he would be treated as a partisan and executed if captured.

The issued weapon was most likely an obsolete rifle from WWI or from captured stocks that were taken earlier in the war. Ammunition pouches were in short supply, and many Volkssturm men carried their ammunition in their pockets. Speaking of ammunition, supplies were getting scarcer by the day, especially for foreign-made weapons. If an individual Volkssturm was issued more than a handful of ammo, he would have been extremely lucky.

If a rifle wasn't available, the Volkssturm may have been given a Panzerfaust or Panzerschreck anti-tank weapon.

A typical Volkssturm platoon consisted of a platoon HQ and three to four squads. Each squad contained one Gruppenführer (squad leader) and eight Volkssturmmanner (privates). The squad leader wore a pair of black rhomboid collar tabs with one aluminum pip centered in each tab. The Volkssturmmanner were supposed to wear one or two plain black rhomboid collar tabs, but this apears to not have been the case, as very few photos show them being worn. No so for officers and NCO's, as they did wear the appropriate insignia on their uniforms.

A Short History of the Volkssturm

The Volkssturm was formed on October 18, 1944, as a means of creating a large national militia to help defend Germany from the advancing Allies. The official decree stated that all able-bodied men from the ages of 16 to 60 not already serving in the military and able to bear arms were eligible for service, and were to be drawn from all districts (Gaue) of Germany. The District Leaders (Gauleiters) were entrusted with the establishment and command of the units, assisted by organizers and leaders of the Nazi Party (NSDAP), Sturmabteilung (SA), SS, and the Hitler Youth. All members of the Volkssturm were classed as "Soldiers under the Army Code" for the duration of their service, which was to take place locally wherever a given area was threatened. Some 700 Volkssturm battalions were organized by the end of the war.

The Volkssturm's mission was to surround and contain large seaborne and airborne landings; guard bridges, streets and key buildings; reinforce depleted Wehrmacht units; to plug gaps in the front after enemy breakthroughs; to man quiet sectors, and to put down anticipated uprisings among prisoners of war and foreign workers.

Volkssturm recruits, many already working 72-hour weeks, were given a 48-hour training program by Wehrmacht instructors, and were expected to master the rifle, Panzerfaust and Panzerschreck anti-tank weapons, the grenade-launcher, and hand grenades. (In some cases, however, only a couple of hours training was given.) The reality was there were scarcely enough weapons to go around; many were sent into battle armed with hunting rifles or captured weapons, a trench spade, or no weapon at all.

Members of the Volkssturm were also required to procure their own uniforms from NSDAP collection sites. Accordingly, they wore older Heer, Kriegsmarine, or Luftwaffe uniforms, even those of First World War vintage; often these uniforms were donated through public appeals. Those members of the various paramilitary organizations who were also serving in the Volkssturm wore the uniforms of those institutions. These uniforms were often dyed field grey. As well, civilian clothing was also worn; often a mix of civilian, military and paramilitary uniforms were seen in the front lines

Lack of weapons, ammunition, and proper training meant that the fighting ability of the Volkssturm units was practically nil. The desertion rate was high, particularly among those units on the Western front; many older conscripts ignored the call-up, deserted, drifted home when the opportunity presented itself, or simply surrendered to the Allies at the first opportunity. (This was in itself a dangerous course of action – they could be classed as deserters and summarily shot by roving squads of Wehrmacht, SS, or Hitler Youth). The younger members drawn from the Hitler Youth, however, were a different story; they put up a fanatical resistance against overwhelming odds.