German Uniforms and Equipment

Gas Mask Filters and Accesories

Filters

Basically , there were 4 type of filters also called Filter Einsatz (FE)

Above, from left to right we have FE37(R),  FE37R(Tp),  FE41 and  FE42

Left and Below: The FE37 Filter

Clearly visible, The WaA stamp

On the filter the letters "Üb" are painted.
This probably stands for Übung, which is Training

Furthermore, it is dated 1939

 

Left and Below: The FE37R (Tropen) Filter

Clearly visible, The WaA stamp

The makers mark is bwz which stands for:
Auer-Gesellschaft AG, Werk Oranienburg

The Fe (next to the bwz) stands for Ferro (Iron)

This example still has its protective cover.

 

Left and Below: The FE41 Filter

The makers mark is gnh which stands for:
Auer Gesellschaft AG, Danzig

Also the Fe stamp can be seen

This example also has its protective cover.

On the underside there is a protective cover. The lowest picture shows the underside with the cover removed.

Left and Below: The FE42 Filter which is considerably higher.

This example is painted tan. 

The FE marking as well as the WaA stamp is clearly visible.

The underside of the FE42 filter is indentical to the FE41 filter.

On all the filters above, the FE number has been stamped into the filters, but this is not allways the case.
A lot of filters are encountered with stamped FE numbers, like on the filters below.

From left to right FE37R, FE41 (hardly readable) and a FE 42 filter

Other Accesories

Gas Mask face piece (Maskenspanner)

When the soldier was back in garisson, the mask was not kept in the canister, because otherwise the mask would become deformed.
In stead it was stretched over a face piece made of aluminium and wire which acted as a sort of spring, 
and kept the correct form of the gas mask.

Front View

Back View

 

Markings on the Maskenspanner.

The encircled H probably stands for Heer (Army)

38 is the year this item is produced.

Left:
The face piece in a Gas mask M38

Below:
Top view M38 mask

Losantin Tablets

New contents have been moved to the skin and weapon decontamination section

Also the Maskenbrille was a piece of equipment in relation to the Gas mask, but this will be delt with in another section.