face blackening

[Pyotr]

I have noticed over the years that many German Heer, FJ reenactors blacken their faces prior to tactical events.

I know that Germans were aware, perhaps more than the US, how much a face stands out. Their 1942 era helmet nets ahve a face drape built in, the SS had face masks, there is at least one FJ helmet cover made into a face mask, and there are other photos of either field made or issued facemasks.
But I have not seen many photos (two perhaps??) in all my years of looking.

I also understand, photos were not always able to be made while in action, but still, I wonder, is this something way overdone, or am I being a fool not to darken my face because I can't prove it?? I do wear the net vale down, as I have seen this in photos, and I have a FJ helmet cover made into a mask though I rarely use it.)
Peter

[grenadier Biermann]

Hang on mate I got some for you got lot more but I can't find it

[funker50]

are they not just dust/mud mixed in with sweat etc from being on active service and not deliberate camoflage?
that middle one is just dirt from being on motorbikes/top cover in wagons and the bottom one looks like he triped up and took a face dive into a Somme like goo?

[grenadier Biermann]

Absolutely correct Because there was no any form of artificial face camouflage Please don't mix it with Yanks in Vietnam using a Woman's make up

[pepperpot]

while with the early FJR6, (non of the current units using that number) my German Fallschrimjaeger always told us clean your rifle at night, clean you self in the morning and uniform as well. Went on parade with jack boots not cleaned, got a right b********, told to go and clean them or else, I though he was joking, then I realised he wasn't!!.
The photos IMO only show that the individual(s) were not able to get clean probably due to lack of water and cleaning kit and probably very late war.
graham

[funker50]

I wasn't and didn't mention vietnam..... I also wasn't saying it was cam, just dirt from being on ops and not, as pepperpot says, being able to clean themselves up. That middle pic, isn't that in the opening stages of Op Barbarossa?
As an aside Allied forces, usually Paratroopers and Commando types (in ww2) did use to darken/cam their faces up with soot/ash mixed with water, paint/coloured cream of some sort and other substances etc.
I can't see why the german forces didn't also do the same but not being into FJ stuff I've not seen any photos.

[Halle]

The vast majority of pictures taken of German soldiers on front line duty show them with essentially clean faces . Dirty faces of motorcycle riders often appear in propoganda photographs . Cleanliness was encouraged at all times . A clean face when reenacting looks far better than one that has been artificially blackened . The results of three or four days at Victory or W&P however is a different matter

[labrador]

There are a few photos of 12the SS grenadiers with what could possibly be blackened faces. Here's one:

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-gZ2WG1qiA-g/T ... oldier.jpg

[Jooooonas]

I'm personally against it, but: