WWII German Luftschuts Gas Mask -
The Luftschutz was the German civil defense. Their job was to take civilians to safety when allied aircraft conducted bombing raids on the cities. Help clean the streets from debri after bombing raids. Help fight fires. etc. This force was one of the last lines of defense as the Third Reich collapsed udner the weight of the allied invasion.

The item featured here is a Luftschutz gas mask. A gas mask is a mask put on over the face to protect the wearer from inhaling "airborne pollutants" and toxic gases. The mask forms a sealed cover over the nose and mouth, but may also cover the eyes and other vulnerable soft tissues of the face. Some gas masks are also respirators, though the word gas mask is often used to refer to military equipment (The user of the gas mask is not protected from gas that the skin can absorb).

The gas mask metal carrier is the same type as used by the military forces. it has a round metal lid hinges to one end. A clamp with a pull-tab englage the clamp to a stud on the side of the body, securing the lid shut. Brackets placed alongside serve as anchors for teh shoulder strap used by the person to carry the gas mask.

Lense cleaning cloths are housed in a square metal container that is secured to the inside of the lid. The cleaning pads are individually wrapped in a clear bag.

The filter for this mask was screwed to the lower section of the mask. It was painted green and was marked with a series of stamps done in black paint. The lower section of the filter has a paper strip glued to it. This contains a series of instructions and identifying markings. Part of it reads "S-Filtereinsatz fur den zivilien Luftschutz".