Splinter

Splinter Camouflage

The term "splinter pattern" refers to the original German Wehrmacht camouflage designs incorporating geometric shapes with an overprint of rain straits, and to the patterns' descendants. Although the "rain" overprint was a feature of the original German designs, the term "splinter" encompasses all designs that have geometric shapes which resemble splintered shards of glass or other brittle matter. The original German term for this pattern was Buntfarbendruck 31 but it has been referred to as Splittertarn (splinter camouflage) or Splittermuster (splinter pattern) in numerous German sources since the war.

• The original WW2 German splinter camouflage patterns are seen here.

• A French pattern, reputedly dating to 1935, also incorporated "splintered" elements, but lacking the rain strait theme.

• During the 1950s and 1960s primarily, Germany produced several variations of the WW2 era Splittermuster designs. These patterns were issued both to the Bundesgrenzschutz (Federal Border Guards) and the Bundeswehr (German Army), although the Army versions were produced in greater numbers.

• Bulgaria has produced several patterns based on the WW2 German Splittermuster

• Swedish M90 camouflage pattern

• WW2 German zeltbahn sewn into a M44 style uniform