Kriegsmarine Officer Tunic Breast Eagle – Black Backing

The Kriegsmarine breast eagle, or Brustadler, was the national emblem worn on German Navy uniforms during the Second World War.

It was positioned on the right breast and depicted an eagle with outstretched wings clutching a wreath containing a swastika. Unlike the predominantly silver-coloured officer insignia of the German Army, Kriegsmarine breast eagles were characteristically finished in gold, matching the broader use of gold-coloured insignia and fittings on naval uniforms.

Officer examples were frequently produced in elaborate gold bullion embroidery. Metallic threads were worked in different directions to define the body, wings, claws and wreath, creating a raised, three-dimensional surface with changing reflections across the embroidery.

The dark black or very dark navy-blue backing corresponded with the traditional blue Kriegsmarine uniform. Original examples display numerous variations in the shape of the eagle, density of the embroidery and arrangement of the bullion threads, reflecting differences between manufacturers and individual workmanship.

A lesser-known detail is that the Kriegsmarine did not use the same breast-eagle colour combination on every uniform: the blue uniform used the familiar gold-coloured eagle on a dark backing, while other garments required different combinations. White uniforms, for example, are documented with cornflower-blue embroidered eagles on white backing, as well as removable metal breast eagles.