[alanint]

I can tell you from speaking to a number of German WW2 vets that it was considered prestigeous to retain as much of the old equipment as possible. The saltier the better, as this showed the mark of a longtime combat vet. An example are the jackboots. Many vets had theirs resoled privately rather than move to the low boot and gemashen, (gaiters), which singled you out as a nube. Another example are the bright, rather than the subdued rank tresses and tunic buttons. Only new guys got the subdued stuff, while true veterans still had the bright breast eagles, rank tress and pips, etc. The same is true of wearing an M1936 versus an M1940 tunic and I know this extended to carrying a Luger versus a P38.