Knapsack
The knapsack is a type of backpack that is mainly used in the military sector , in which a fur or fabric covering is sewn over a rectangular wooden or plastic frame. Military knapsacks today are without a frame. The inside is usually lined with fabric. Until recently, the knapsack was popularly known as a monkey because of its fur covering .
Word origin
The word knapsack is of Middle Greek origin ( τάνιστρον tánistron "rider's feed sack "). The word about Romania penetrated the Polish language in the sloping form taistra . Connected with another Greek word κανίσκιον kanískion "basket", the composition tanistra (feed sack ) arose in the Bohemian-Slovakian region . The word came into German military language via Bohemia and from the 18th century onwards referred to the soldiers' ruffles as "knapsack". (See also high school satchel )
history
After the self-sustaining mercenary armies came to an end in the first half of the 17th century, the European states began to build up professional standing armies . The experience of atrocities against town and country, which the previous art of war had often considered inevitable, now flowed into the burgeoning humanistic conceptions of that time . A code of honor was created that was more or less valid until the beginning of the First World War , according to which wars should only be fought in open field battles without involving the civilian population. The soldier's equipment was also directly affected. The pillaging , unbridled mercenaries which the land for food plundering roamed, now replaced an ever more developed stage system , the soldiers in the camp should provide and to march with food, clothing and ammunition professional. Nevertheless, the units should also be able to operate independently of the foraging . For this purpose, completely new concepts were developed, including for equipment that is becoming more functional. Up until the Second World War, the often leather, non-standardized knapsack or pouch of the Landsknecht turned into elaborate carrying systems that form a flexible unit with the soldier's weapons equipment. Typical for the appearance of the knapsack is the horseshoe-shaped blanket with coat rolled along the sides.
Germany
As in all countries, the knapsack was subject to constant change and also to the founding of the German Empire dominated in each territory by other norms. In the course of the 19th century, however, one can see that all of the military equipment was geared towards Prussian developments.
Prussia
At the end of 1810, the chest strap on the knapsack was introduced in Prussia , an innovation that made it easier to carry the heavy, rearward-pulling transport container. Since the 1890s, backpacks have been increasingly equipped with it. After introduction of modern knapsack in the second half of the 19th century, which coupling and ammunition bags brought into a holistic system, chest belt accounted for again.
German Empire and Weimar Republic
The knapsack of the German army, manufactured by the millions from 1895, with the fabric-clad wooden or fabric frame, which was made entirely of gray ("reed green") cotton fabric with a linen-white inner cover during the First World War due to a lack of leather, only disappeared with the restructuring of the Reichswehr and Wehrmacht in the early 1930s. The M1895 knapsack was covered with cowhide, the leather parts were natural brown. The knapsack contained laundry, spare boots and food. In the lid there are also small storage compartments inside, each of which housed a cartridge pack. The gray military coat (model 1887) and the beige tent sheet M1892, which was used until 1914, were attached to the outside of the backpack . From 1914, the tent sheet was only made in the more muted colors of reed and gray. The black painted kidney-shaped cookware M1910 could be attached to the knapsack lid with two natural-colored leather straps. The metal parts were made of brass with nickel-plated iron rivets and were only made from galvanized or painted iron during the First World War . Since the coupling gear was worn at waist height at that time, the straps were quite short. The buckle straps for attaching coats and cookware were also natural-colored with aluminum fittings until 1914. During the war, the valuable aluminum was quickly replaced by cheaper painted iron and the leather parts had to be blackened from 1915. Until the 1980s, these belts - painted black with aluminum fittings - were in use by the West German police and the Federal Border Police .
1934 to 1945
Visually, the M34 knapsack, which was introduced in November 1934, changed little in appearance, although the bulky wooden frame was now omitted, the side panels were made of fabric and the kidney-shaped cookware, which was painted gray-olive from April 1941, could no longer be attached to the hinged calfskin back.
For the fur cap which had Pelzzurichter change their work processes that modern tanning methods were not necessarily waterproof. An alum finish (with aluminum salts) was stipulated, which ensured a certain water resistance. At the beginning of the war, it was further developed in such a way that the damage that could initially be caused by acids free in the leather was largely prevented. The calfskins were protected against insect damage by the so-called eulanization .
The cookware now has its place next to the canteen and tarpaulin on the bread bag . Some reinforcements on the leather loops of the knapsack were made with natural casing. As with earlier German models, rivets were struck at the front of the leather shoulder straps at chest height, to which two additional leather straps with adjustable coupling hooks were attached. These hooks, one of which was on the lower frame in the back of the wearer, were connected at the front with the ammunition packs or slip-on loops, which were pushed onto the belt and hooked directly to the belt in the back. This system ensured that the belt, to which the side rifle , haversack, feldspade, ammunition pouch and much more was attached during the First and Second World War , did not slip. In addition, it also served to stabilize the knapsack. From April 1939 a new backpack model (M39) was issued to the troops again, but it is almost identical to the model 34. The cookware could now be stowed in a cloth bag that was attached to the interior of the backpack, and in the middle of the lower half A leather flap had been attached to the back of the knapsack. Another addition was on top of the back of the knapsack on both sides. There were now two D-shaped metal rings.
In 1939 the first combinable belt support frames appeared. These were usually still made of leather, but were supplied to the African theater of war and towards the end of the war also in woven belt design. From this point on, many knapsacks were no longer made with their own carrying straps, but only had gray-painted metal hooks, which were hooked into the carrying frame, which could now also be used for special storm luggage (A-frame) or for special ammunition. From the beginning of the war, the leather parts, which had previously been left in a natural brown color, were painted black. Older models were also partially repainted, but the application of paint did not always last. The quality of German knapsacks changed as the Second World War progressed and the shortage of supplies. While at the end of the 1930s most of the metal parts used were still made of aluminum, this valuable metal soon gave way to painted iron versions. In addition, partially riveted instead of sewn knapsacks appeared in the second half of the war, and the skin parts were partially pieced together from older stocks or women's coats. Even with the fabric used inside, everything that the respective manufacturer had available was often used. It can be stated that the knapsack lost its role as a constantly present piece of equipment for the German soldier by the Second World War at the latest. The modern supply apparatus had made it largely superfluous. Since the Wehrmacht never had a central manufacture, you can see differences in production and design on all knapsacks.
Federal Republic of Germany
The knapsack was found in the Bundeswehr in the post-war period shortly after it was founded, as a "large combat bag" , as a cloth knapsack on the soldiers' belt carrier (belt carrier, heavy). Its size and its conceptual design can be traced back directly to the Wehrmacht model M34 / 39. Instead of the fur back, the knapsack now had a fabric flap that, like the entire model, had a monochrome olive tone (so-called "NATO olive"). With the "Soldier 95" system and the associated conversion to a new belt system (M95), the "Large Combat Bag" disappeared from the Bundeswehr's inventory.
Switzerland
The infantry fur satchel used until 1898 was very similar to the square model of the 20th century, but smaller. From 1898 the rectangular infantry rucksack was introduced into the Swiss Army and used unchanged until the end. This knapsack is bigger than the German model. There was also a radio and medical kit with a square shape. All Swiss knapsacks have a cowhide covering and a relatively heavy wooden frame. The inside of the knapsack is lined with a natural white fabric, all leather parts are left natural brown. The infantry rucksack has a removable lid pocket which can be used as storm luggage. Usually only the coat and the kidney-shaped cookware painted black were strapped on. Feldspades and other material could be added. A cloth model of the infantry knapsack was also introduced during World War I, and was again in use during World War II.
There was a separate model for officers, which was made somewhat smaller than the normal infantry backpack. In addition, the interior of this model was covered with silk.
France
A new knapsack was issued from 1893 onwards. As was common at the time, it had an integrated wooden frame. The straps were made of black leather and had carrying or fastening straps that were hooked onto the belt cartridge pouches. During the First World War, the weight load was reduced as blankets and tarpaulins were no longer part of the combat equipment. At that time, a cloth bag to store spare shoes and the cookware introduced in 1852 were carried on the knapsack.
Non-military use
A furrier specialist book from 1914 describes the origin of the term monkey for the knapsack, in connection with the production of "school and soldier satchels , formerly the " fur "irons , now the automobile suitcases ..." etc. as follows:
“… Not to forget the real monkey. This fur lent its name to a whole category of attachable knapsacks because its owner, that inevitable companion of the bear leaders of yore, left his lord and lord with his lord and lord after the conclusion of his career as an artist for a necessary new covering of the travel bag ”.
School satchel
From the end of the 19th century, the name knapsack was also adopted for the school satchel carried on the back and made of fabric and leather ; it is still used with this meaning today, especially in north and north-west Germany. The school satchels, which were typical until the 1960s, are similar to the military satchels of the 19th century.
Boy Scout and Youth Movement
After the founding of the Wandervogels and his romantic search for the blue flower , the knapsack became a coveted piece of luggage. With the German scouts, however, the backpack was usually in use at the same time. It was not until the return of World War I that the knapsack became the most popular transport container in the boy scouts and youth movement until the middle of the 20th century. When the private demands of the boy scouts and youth movement grew in terms of travel and camp, the much more spacious backpack was preferred. However, since the knapsack is still in demand with some boy scouts, they are still offered today. In addition to used models, new knapsacks with a lightweight plastic frame instead of the earlier wooden frame were sold for the boy scout and youth movement in the 1980s and 1990s.
GDR
In the 1970s and 1980s, a historical knapsack was a rare and therefore trendy accessory within the non-conformist, oppositional youth culture in the GDR , the blueser or customer scene . The fur-covered monkey was worn in public in everyday life or when hitchhiking to concerts and encounters.
See also
Web links
literature
- Christoph Heise, Wilhelm von Heugel: Remarks on knapsacks for the infantry. Graß, Barth & Com., Breslau 1829
Individual evidence
- ^ Wilhelm Pape , Max Sengebusch (arrangement): Concise dictionary of the Greek language. 3rd edition, 6th impression, Vieweg & Sohn, Braunschweig 1914. 1914, accessed on October 22, 2017 .
- ^ Meyer's Large Conversational Lexicon. 6th edition, Bibliographisches Institut, Leipzig / Vienna 1905-1909. 1909, Retrieved October 22, 2017 .
- ↑ Laurent Mirouze: Infantrymen of the First World War. Verlag Karl-Heinz Dissberger, Düsseldorf 1990, ISBN 3-924753-28-8 .
- ^ A b Gordon L. Rottman , Ron Volstad: German Combat Equipments 1939-45. Osprey Publishing Ltd, London 1991, ISBN 0-850459524 , p. 17.
- ^ Gordon L. Rottman, Ron Volstad: German Combat Equipments 1939-45. Osprey Publishing Ltd, London 1991, ISBN 0-850459524 , panel A.
- ↑ Hans Herfeld: About problems of fur finishing in the light of technical-scientific investigations by the German Research Institute and Technical School for the Leather Industry, Freiburg in Saxony . In: Der Rauchwarenmarkt No. 43/44 u. 45/46, Leipzig, November 12, 1943, p. 2.
- ^ Gordon L. Rottman, Ron Volstad: German Combat Equipments 1939-45. Osprey Publishing Ltd, London 1991, ISBN 0-850459524 , panel H.
- ^ Gordon L. Rottman, Ron Volstad: German Combat Equipments 1939-45. Osprey Publishing Ltd, London 1991, ISBN 0-850459524 , panels B and D.
- ^ Gordon L. Rottman, Ron Volstad: German Combat Equipments 1939-45. Osprey Publishing Ltd, London 1991, ISBN 0-850459524 , panel B.
- ↑ Jürgen Brandt, Eduard Brücker: Der Reibert 1 - The service instruction in the army. 12th edition. ES Mittler & Sohn, Frankfurt am Main, p. 301.
- ↑ Hans Werner, Gera: The art of furrier. Bernh. Friedr. Voigt, Leipzig 1914, p. 203.
- ↑ See Jürgen Eichhoff: Dictionary of German colloquial language . 2nd volume. Francke, Bern / Munich 1978, map 88.
