Germany has been more or less unified for 28 years. The Wall fell in ’89. The Curtain in ’91. Politically, however, things have moved a lot slower. Inside Berlin one of the last battles of the Cold War has only just ended.

This is the story of the German Police “Sommerblouson,” a 70s-era olive green bomber jacket that has become one of the most sought after vintage items in Europe.



The Sommerblouson checks all the boxes for a cult hit. Iconic design, limited supply, and one hell of an origin story. It is simultaneously woven into the fabric of German culture and banned from civilian ownership in Germany—an enduring remnant of the Cold War and victim to the monolithic power of the European Union.

These days, the Sommerblouson is characterized by its scarcity. Fans search online and off, finding one takes dedication and a whole lot of luck. However, the story of the jacket begins over a half century ago, with searches of a much simpler kind: “Excuse me, zer – are you the police?”

Long Range Reconnaissance Patrols were small, silent, and heavily armed teams which ventured deep in VC-held territory. More often than not, 4-5 men were tasked with shadowing large formations of VC regulars.



To do this effectively, they had to be light, fast, and well fed. Bulky canned MCI rations (formerly known as C rations) proved too heavy for extended missions on foot. In fact they were worse than heavy.