Bundeswehr M59 Canteen
The Bundeswehr M59 canteen (or Feldflasche) is an three-piece aluminum canteen and mess kit system used by the West German military from 1959 into the 1990s. It is renowned for its compact, nesting design and rock-solid German build quality.
Key Features
- Three-Piece System: Consists of an aluminum canteen, a larger drinking/cooking cup at the bottom, and a smaller top cup with a fold-out handle that serves as a small pot.
- Smart Nesting Design: Everything slides compactly together into a single package. The fold-out handle of the top cup locks the entire set at the back.
- Flat Bottom: Unlike the egg-shaped canteens of World War II, the M59 features a flatter cylindrical construction, allowing it to stand upright on its own.
- Carrying Strap & Clip: The set is held together by a leather or canvas strap with a metal hook. This allowed the canteen to be attached directly to the load-bearing belt, backpack, or the Brotbeutel(breadbag).
Evolution and Patterns
While the basic design remained the same throughout the Cold War, several "patterns" were produced that are highly recognizable to collectors:
- Early models (c. 1959–1965): Often featured a ribbed outer texture (similar to metal gas mask canisters) for extra rigidity. The strap had to be threaded through fixed metal loops.
- Later models (from c. 1965 onwards): Received a smooth aluminum finish and a simplified clip system with a spring mechanism, allowing the strap to be detached more quickly in cold weather or combat situations.
Pros and Cons in the Field
- Pros: Extremely robust and rattle-free when securely fastened. Because it is made entirely of aluminum, the cups can be placed directly onto a camp stove or campfire to boil water or heat up rations.
- Cons: To quickly take a sip of water, you have to unfasten the strap and completely disassemble the cups. This impractical aspect led the Bundeswehr to switch to US-style plastic canteens in the 1990s.
