Germans in short boots?

[Red Sveta]

I have some of the lovely Blitz minis figures for a Stalingrad project that I am doing. Blitz dont make support units in the early war uniform so I was looking at AB minis or Warmodelling  for HMG flame throwers ect but they all have the short gaiters  on rather than the high boots. I am finding it impossible to find any photos of German troops in Stalingrad with short gaiters. When did they start using them? And were there any in Stalingrad? Its a minor thing to worry about on my figures I know, but I always want to get period uniforms right.

[NTM]

I have read that the ankle boots started to be issued in 1941 but I've do not recall seeing any real photographic evidence until about mid 1943.

[dice shaker]

Good evening,

 yes, there had been german troops with short boots even before the outbrake of the war in 1939. The mountain troops (Gebiergsjäger / Gebiergsjaeger) wear them, I found a picture of General Eduard Dietl wearing putties and a fieldcap in Norway 1940.
If your soldiers wear fielcaps (Afrikamütze / Afrikamuetze) and short boots you can declare them as Gebiergsjaeger at Stalingrad.
A second point: From the middle of 1941 the army (Heer) give lace up shoes to their soldiers to save leather, even to front troops.

Yours, Sebastian