History

Marching boots, or ‘dice shakers’, date back to Bismarck's Germany and were a popular style worn by the soldiers of the Third Reich.

Early armed SS formations were issued two pairs of high marching boots, also known as jackboots, one for daily wear and one for parade use.

The boots are composed of blackened cow leather and have a doubled sole reinforced with metal hobnails. The half sole is fixed with hidden wooden spigots and the heel of each boot is reinforced with an indented steel plate.

The tops of the boots have cloth pulling tabs that may feature a size and maker’s mark.

The size and width may be marked on the bottom of the boot. The interior of the boot may be stamped with the size of the boots in centimetres, the width, year of production, and maker's serial code. The stamping in Waffen SS marching boots differs from Army-issue stamping.

Early versions of the boot also feature metal toe plates.

In November of 1939, the first wartime economic measure was introduced and the height of the boot was reduced from 35 to 29 centimetres.

The shorter boots were manufactured out of rough, natural leather and troops were required to dye them themselves. In addition, a leather reinforcement strip that ran vertically down the calf was added to the inside of the boot.

The number of hobnails affixed to the bottom of the sole varies from pair to pair.

In July of 1942, Waffen-SS troops were issued lace-up ankle boots instead of marching boots. These shorter boots, which were worn with gaiters, proved unpopular and many soldiers retained their marching boots for as long as possible.