Item:
ONSV22GPD19

Original German WWII Schutzpolizei to Heer Army Conversion EM/NCO Schirmmütze Visor Crush Cap

Item Description

Original Item: Only One Available. This is a great condition German WWII Heer Army EM/NCO Schirmmütze Visor Cap, with a lovely "Crushed" shape, and a very interesting history! During WWII, caps and other uniform components were often "converted" to be used for another branch, if the color was suitable. This was especially true for the Schutzpolizei, as the blue/green wool they used was very similar in color to the Heer Army field gray, and converted examples of Visor caps and M43 field caps have been seen. The police insignia would be removed, and the Heer / Wehrmacht insignia installed in its place. At this time damaged or worn out components of the caps might also be replaced.

The "saddle-form" shape of this visor cap is highly desirable, and later in the war caps were made without stiffeners, so they would have this shape from the start. The cap shows high quality fabrication, made with police blue green wool gabardine, with a forest green "badge cloth" band and a traditional high front. The visor cap has matching Hellgrün (Light Green) piping along the top edge and flanking either side of the band, which originally was the Truppenfarbe (troop colors) for the Schutzpolizei (Protection Police). However as a heer cap, this is the Corps Color (Waffenfarbe) for Gebirgsjäger (mountain troops ), Skijäger (ski troops), and Jäger (light infantry troops). We assume this is the function it served after conversion.

It is decorated with a well detailed silvered aluminum eagle insignia on the peak and and an open silvered aluminum oak leaf and acorn wreath surrounding a tri-color cockade on the band. The cap has the correct black patent leather EM/NCO chin strap with two buckles, attached with black buttons to the band. The vulcanfibre visor has a smooth black leather-look upper, exhibiting minimal wear along the edge and is light brown on the underside.

The inside of the cap is lined with lightweight light brown oil cloth, and the top has the maker logo of Kurt Triebel of Kassel. The top sweat shield diamond is completely missing, but the stitching remains. and there are very interesting markings stamped as well, including 1934 and L.P.A. / Kassel. This would seem to indicate that it is a very early cap, however that would also make it predate the official Schutzpolizei uniform standards, so we believe that it is a unit marking for the "Land Police" in Kassel. The underside of the sweatband however is marked Clemens Wagner / Braunschweig / 1938, suggesting it had the sweatband replaced and possibly converted to a Heer Visor cap at that location in 1938. Definitely some great research potential!

Condition is very good to excellent, with the main issue being the missing sweat shield. The rest of the cap is great, with the expected patina of age. The colors are vibrant, there is no major moth we can see, and there is little to no wear on the exterior. Size is approximately 55-56cm.

This is a very nice, high quality German Heer EM/NCO peak visor cap, converted from a Police visor cap. Offered for sale in very good condition with a beautiful saddle-form shape, and ready to display!

The visor cap (Schirmmütze) was an important part of the headgear worn by German uniformed military, civil, paramilitary and political organizations during the Third Reich. This was the standard cloth headgear worn as a part of the service uniform. Visor caps were worn outdoors as well as indoors, and were often required to be worn by all personnel on duty. Visor caps were made in versions specific to each organization and were often further differentiated through the use of insignia, colored piping, or style of chin cord, to indicate rank, role or branch. The insignia used on these caps ranged from simple stamped metal emblems, to elaborate hand embroidery. Visor caps were issued to enlisted soldiers and NCOs in the military and in some other organizations. Officers had to purchase their own hats, and lower ranks could choose to purchase caps that were of a higher quality than the rather basic, issue examples. The private purchase caps were generally made in very high quality, with fine materials. A wide variety of fabrics were used, from Trikot and doeskin, to heavy wool, or even lightweight white fabric for summer wear. In the military, issue of these caps was generally suspended shortly after the outbreak of the war, but they continued to be worn by some troops until the end of the war.

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