The German army had many men in support roles such as tailors (Schneider), Cobblers (Schuster), Leatherworkers (Sattler), Blacksmiths (Feldschmied), armorers (Waffenmeister), and other types of repairmen to fix the things that broke as a result of hard use or battle damage. One of the most important was the role of the schneider. Every company had at least a Schnider and a Schuster and they were typically working together not far from the troops.  They even shared a common toolbox. Not all companies had other repairmen available and repair work may have had to be sent back to the company trains or repair depots.

 

 Schneiders are easy to spot in photographs based on three things; the presence of a sewing machine, proximity to a Schuster, or their distinctive cross-legged sitting position for hand sewing. These men repaired and altered uniforms for soldiers on a routine basis. They frequently sewed up rips, made adjusted the sizing of uniforms, added or changed insignia and even created new cloth items for daily use. 

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These photographs were taken from a number of online sources and auction sites.  They are presented here for educational purposes.