WW2 GERMAN ERSATZ LAST DITCH 1945 ISSUE HOB NAIL WOOD SOLE JACK BOOTS, ARMY SHOE

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I BOUGHT SOME STUFF AT AN ESTATE SALE THAT I HAD NEVER SEEN BEFORE......
You are bidding on a
PAIR OF 'LAST DITCH' GERMAN 1945 ARMY COMBAT BOOTS.  THESE ARE LEATHER SIDE-BUCKLE BOOTS WITH A HOB-NAILED WOODEN SOLE!  IF YOU WERE ISSUED A PAIR OF THESE, AND A CRUDE VG-1 RIFLE....YOU HAD TO KNOW THE END WAS NEAR.
THE INTENT WAS TO ISSUE THESE TO TROOPS IN THE REAR, SO FRONTLINE SOLDIERS COULD HAVE A FULL ACCESS TO STOCKS OF STANDARD -BETTER QUALITY- JACKBOOTS.   THE EFFECT WAS DEMORALIZING FOR THE TROOPS THEY WERE ISSUED TO. THE BOOTS FIT POORLY, AND THE 'HORSEY' SOUND THEY MADE WHEN MARCHING CREATED LAUGHTER AND DERISION.  WITH WARS-END, ANYONE WEARING THEM - DISCARDED THEM - AS SOON AS ANYTHING ELSE WAS AVAILABLE.
THIS PAIR IS UNISSUED, AND MARKED ON THE BOTTOM AS A SIZE 39 (US 8 1/2). STORAGE HAS BEEN EXCELLENT, AND THE LEATHER IS STILL SUPPLE.  THE WOODEN SOLES HAVE STEEL TOE & HEEL PLATES IN ADDITION TO THE MILITARY HOB-NAIL TACKS.  IT LOOKS AS IF LEFT & RIGHT BOOTS WERE SEPERATELY SOURCED.  BOTH ARE SIZE '39', BUT HEEL STYLES & SOLE PATTERNS ARE DIFFERENT...THE LEFT SHOE ACTUALLY WEIGHS HALF A POUND
MORE THAN THE RIGHT BECAUSE OF THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF WOOD USED!!! APPARENTLY ONLY L/R & SIZE WAS A PRIORITY AT THAT PERIOD!  MARKINGS ARE LIMITED TO THE INK STAMPS AND SOME 'X' MARKS ON ONE OF THE WOOD SOLES.
THE BOOT STYLE IS VERY SIMILAR TO AN EXAMPLE FROM THE BUCHENWALD CAMP THAT IS IN THE US HOLOCAUST MUSEUM (Object / Accession # 1990.333.60 a-b) LISTED AS 'HANDMADE SHOES WORN BY AN INMATE OF BUCHENWALD CONCENTRATION CAMP'.   THE MUSEUM EXAMPLE HAS A CLOTH & LEATHER UPPER, BUT OTHERWISE SHOWS THE SAME MANUFACTURING. THEY WERE PROBABLY USED BY - OR OBTAINED FROM - A CAMP EMPLOYEE OR GUARD.   IN 1945 PRISONERS WERE WRAPPING THEIR FEET IN RAGS.
THESE BOOTS HAVE AN ALL-LEATHER UPPER.  THE FACTORY SOURCE APPEARS TO BE THE SAME.
THIS IS WHAT MILITARY FOOTWARE LOOKS LIKE WHEN THE WHEELS ARE COMING OFF THE TRAIN!!  MOST OF THE 'LAST DITCH' EQUIPMENT FELL INSIDE THE RUSSIAN ZONE WITH THE COLLAPSE OF GERMANY, SO FEW EXAMPLES OF THESE HAVE SURVIVED.
THIS IS
A WONDERFUL EXAMPLE OF MANUFACTURING DESPERATION WHEN 'ALL IS LOST'!
. THE SET OF 'FINAL ISSUE JACKBOOTS' IS JUST OUT OF LONG TERM STORAGE.
A GOOD ONE FOR THE COLLECTOR OR SOMEONE WHO REMEMBERS HISTORY!!   SORRY, BUT US BIDDERS ONLY ON THIS ITEM.  E-BAY IRELAND & UK HAVE BANNED VIRTUALLY ALL KNIFE LISTINGS...AND OTHER COUNTRIES ARE INCREASINGLY RESTRICTIVE.  WELCOME TO THE BRAVE NEW WORLD! AS USUAL, A LOW START & NO RESERVE. PLEASE CHECK MY OTHER AUCTIONS!   IF YOU LIKED THIS ITEM, YOU WILL PROBABLY LIKE MY OTHER STUFF TOO!!