Description
The best copy we can offer!
A copy of the German M44 bread bag, a simplified late-war model. It is made of dense olive-colored fabric. The fabric is custom-made, and we achieved a complete match with the original in density, weave and color. The leather details are sewn by hand.
Compared with the M31 bread bag, the 1944 model introduced the following simplifications:
- the buttoned belt loops were replaced with one-piece sewn-in loops;
- the central metal belt hook was replaced with a simple fabric loop;
- the rear D-shaped rings for the shoulder strap are still present (on some examples they were omitted);
- a separate internal pocket for the RG34 rifle-cleaning kit was added.
All hardware is steel and neatly painted gray. The bag is marked: RB-Nr. 0/0765/0004 (or a similar marking with a different number).
The model itself is very rare, and a copy of this quality is practically unique!
Historical reference.
The German Brotbeutel M31 bread bag was adopted by the Reichswehr in 1931, and after the creation of the Wehrmacht it became an integral part of the equipment of every German soldier. Despite the name, it was intended not only for carrying breadcrumbs. In it, the soldier kept his daily ration, cutlery, personal hygiene products, spare socks, documents and other things necessary for the campaign.
The design of the bag turned out to be so successful that it practically did not change during the Second World War. The basic principle remained the same: a sturdy fabric bag that was attached to the waist belt and served as the basis for hanging the M31 flask, M31 boiler and other items of equipment.
In the early years of production, breadcrumbs were made of thick green-gray cotton fabric, and all leather parts were made of high-quality genuine leather. The metal fittings were made of aluminum, which made it possible to reduce the weight of the equipment.
The details of the bag gradually changed. The color of the fabric became olive-green by the end of the 1930s. Since 1940, aluminum fittings have been replaced by steel. To protect against corrosion, steel parts were painted gray, and by the end of the war, galvanizing and phosphating were widely used.
The changes also affected the skin. If the early designs had brown straps and loops, then from the late 1930s, in accordance with new supply requirements, leather parts were increasingly painted black. At the same time, both variants were found at the front at the same time — with both brown and black leather.
In the second half of the war, when Germany faced a severe shortage of raw materials, manufacturers began using less dense fabrics and simplified leather finishing: the parts were cut without knurling or beveled edges. In November 1944, the simplified M44 model appeared. Compared with the M31, the buttoned side belt loops were replaced with permanently sewn fabric loops, the central metal belt hook was replaced with a simple fabric loop, and the rear D-rings for the shoulder strap and the leather belt-loop reinforcements were omitted. A separate internal pocket for the RG34 rifle-cleaning kit was added. These changes reduced the use of leather and metal and simplified production.
The breadcrumb bag was used in all theaters of military operations — from Poland and France to North Africa and the Eastern Front. It was the centerpiece of an infantryman's kit.
Our copy of the rare German M44 bread bag is made with the utmost attention to historical authenticity. It reproduces all the features of the simplified 1944 model. All hardware is steel, and the fabric bears the marking RB-Nr. 0/0765/0004.
The original is on top, and our copy is at the bottom.
The fabric is made to order. It fully corresponds to the original, not only in color, but also in density, texture and the nature of the weave. The leather parts are made of high-quality natural vegetable-tanned leather (not cheap chrome) in compliance with historical dimensions, thickness and processing. The steel hardware is reproduced according to original samples and is indistinguishable from wartime products.
Compare how well the fabric copies the original. The only difference is that the original was sewn across the split line (which is not correct, but was not always controlled for small equipment), and the copy was sewn along, as it should be.
The result is a practically unique, high-quality copy of the very rare M44 bread bag. It accurately reproduces the appearance, materials and simplified construction of the original 1944 model and is an excellent choice for both historical reenactment and a collection.
