Some very difficult lessons were learned by the Wehrmacht during the harsh winter of 1941-42 on the Eastern Front.  The tragic failings of their cold weather preparedness became evident with the considerable losses suffered due to exposure to the elements that year.  Developed in response to the German Army’s urgent need for a more effective cold weather combat uniform, the Winteranzug was a “Kriegskind” (child of war) ultimately intended to replace the iconic Mantel (overcoat) in front-line combat units from mid-November through mid-April. Evolution of an idea... The initial design is credited to a military clothing contractor named Josef Neckermann of Textil-Versandhaus Neckermann in early 1942.  Testing began immediately and by the Autumn of that year the initial version, the Winteranzug 42 saw limited issuance to frontline troops fighting in the East. It consisted of a Winterjacke (parka) and Winterhose (trousers) made of a plain colored wool exterior shell and white cotton canvas interior, with the intention that it could be reversed for snow camouflage.  The set also included a Kopfhaube (balaclava) and Fäustlinge (mittens) of similar construction.  Both interior and exterior was treated with a chemical called Opanol to increase water resistance.

Shortly into its production run the Winteranzug 42 was modified to include a cotton canvas exterior and interior with a wool blanket lining.  These were still being produced with a white interior and a monotone exterior ranging from a “mouse gray” to various shades of green similar to the earlier wool production model.  This was the most common version of the Winteranzug seen during the Winter of 1942-43 among both Heer and SS combat units.

Further adaptations were featured with the introduction of the Winteranzug 43. The exterior shell of this incarnation was constructed using various camouflage patterns including versions of Splittertarnmuster (splinter) and Sumpftarnmuster (tan/water). With material shortages and acquisition difficulties the fabric itself varied in quality from cotton canvas to rayon to cotton poplin, and many later war examples were constructed from imperfectly matched scraps and remnants.  The padding also varied from blanket wool to a batting-type stuffing to no padding at all.  Some versions were also made with a colored rayon lining that could not be reversed, an increasingly common variant late-war.  The following are some images of original garments to give you an idea of their overall construction:

Further generalizations (not hard and fast rules, exceptions can always be found and specific patterns are often difficult to positively identify) can be made from photos and documentary evidence to suggest that a matching, cotton-shelled, solid color, reversible Winteranzug 42 was the predominant style issued to all soldiers on the Eastern Front in 1942/43, a matching, reversible Winteranzug 43 in Splittertarnmuster was the predominant style issued to Heer soldiers in 1943/44, and a matching, Winteranzug 43 in Sumpftarnmuster was the predominant style issued to Heer soldiers on both fronts in the winter of 44/45, with sets in Splittertarnmuster still being seen particularly in the East.  Instances of the Winteranzug 42 in solid colors appear to be extremely rare on the Western front.