German Snow Goggles
In the cold, high-altitude theaters of World War II, German Gebirgsjäger units faced extreme glare from snow and wind that could induce painful snow blindness. To combat this, specialized snow goggles were developed, drawing on ancient designs used by Arctic peoples such as the Inuit. These goggles featured narrow slits to reduce light while preserving vision, offering essential protection in snowy conditions.
The goggles typically consisted of stamped and tooled natural aluminum shaped into horizontally oval eye pieces. Some variants were made with metal bodies that had slit patterns carefully designed to balance eye protection with visibility. Others featured leather or cloth frames with stitched slit openings, offering a lighter and more flexible option. Both styles were functionally effective in preventing snow blindness by limiting the amount of direct light entering the eye while still allowing for reasonable situational awareness.
Rather than glass lenses, the slit-style goggles relied on reduced openings to control light exposure. However, there were also versions with actual lenses—usually made from green-tinted glass—mounted in metal frames. These may have been developed later as an evolution of the slit design, providing additional protection against UV rays and glare.
The exact individual or department responsible for designing these goggles remains unknown. They were most likely developed within the Wehrmacht’s or Waffen-SS’s equipment design branches, drawing inspiration from indigenous solutions and adapted for military production. They were not commercially branded items and lacked clear manufacturer markings, as was common with many utilitarian military items of the period.
Production numbers are difficult to establish. However, considering the number of mountain units Germany fielded—such as the nine Wehrmacht Gebirgsjäger divisions and six Waffen-SS mountain divisions—it is likely that thousands were produced, especially for units operating in arctic or alpine theaters. Despite this, they are rare today, in part due to the harsh conditions in which they were used and the disposable nature of field gear.
These goggles were standard issue for the Gebirgsjäger units, Germany’s elite mountain troops, trained for high-altitude warfare and skilled in skiing and cold-weather combat. They operated extensively in the Alps, the Balkans, and on the Eastern Front, including Arctic regions such as Finland and Northern Russia. Some goggles have been found marked with specific unit symbols, including engraved Waffen-SS insignia, indicating they were issued at the divisional level and sometimes personalized or inventoried.
Period photographs showing these goggles in actual use are rare, though a few exist in wartime albums. The scarcity of visual documentation likely stems from the relatively limited time troops spent in extreme glare conditions compared to the broader operational calendar. However, surviving examples in collections, especially those with leather carrying cases marked “Schnee-Schutzbrille” (snow protection glasses), confirm their widespread use and official issue status.
