Bundesgrenzschutz Camouflage Jacket

This type of jacket was worn by the Bundesgrenzschutz, or West German Federal Border Guards, who were set up in 1951 and tasked with protecting West Germany’s borders. Many BGS personnel were absorbed into the newly formed Bundeswehr in 1956 and the BGS became the Bundespolizei in 2005. This size 48, or 96cm chest jacket is an earlier model dated 1960 and is in the distinctive BGS “Sumpftarn”, or “Sumpfmuster” camouflage scheme. It features four flapped front pockets, buttoned arm cuffs, reinforced elbows, an internal chest pocket and a small dressing pocket on the right front skirt. An interesting feature is the double layer shoulder cape under which the equipment suspenders would pass through slits in the shoulders. There are an interesting array of buttons around the collar, possibly for a detachable hood? and there is a D-ring and tab for attaching a canteen on the rear skirt. Bearing the stamping “W&O  VII/60  BGS/48”, the jacket is in very good vintage condition with all buttons present and has not been slashed/de-milled like many examples have. The only minor flaw is the missing buttonhole tape for cinching the waist band.