Zeltbahn ponchos and capes
Unmounted troops
The Zeltbahn could be worn by pulling the central opening over the head and arranged with the wide bottom edge at the rear and the tip at the front. The lower ends of the wide edge could be gathered at the front and buttoned together at the bottom below the tip. In this way, the Zeltbahn formed a cape that still provided the wearer with the necessary freedom of movement.
This rain cape could also be worn over the personal equipment or, as many pictures show, worn under the belt.
Mounted troops
To protect riders legs against the rain, the Zeltbahn was to be worn as described above, but buttoned in such a way that the two lowest buttons and button holes of the long sides and the buttons at the tip remained undone.
Mountain troops and cyclists
The Zeltbahn was to be buttoned as for mounted troops, but the corners hanging at the rear were to be wrapped around the inside of the wearer's legs. The button on the narrow straight edge was to be buttoned to the second button hole of the double bottom edge, thus forming a trouser leg.
Copyright © 2003 David Gregory