Original Item: Only One Available. During the Pre-WWII years in Germany, virtually all aspects of the government fell under control of the NSDAP, and the Forestry service was no exception. Germany has a long tradition of hunting, and has many famous forest areas throughout the country. The government set up an office of forestry to help manage the natural resources. Upon the arrival of the Third Reich, forestry uniforms were outfitted with swas symbols, resulting in items like this Forestry Official Schirmmütze (Peaked Cap).

The design of the caps were not nearly as standardized as the Army or Airforce, so the colors used could vary from gray, to green, to black for the band, and other parts of the cap. They also had configurations used with specific sub-organizations, and these also changed thoughout the 1930s. What remained the same for all however was the dark "forest green" piping used around the top of the crown and around the central band, if it wasn't already a matching color.

This example is a very early version, which looks to be a 1934 regulation dress visor, and roughly matches examples seen on this web page describing the headgear of the third reich forestry association: FORESTRY HEADGEAR. It has a lovely "whipcord weave" steingrau (stone gray) body, which is in excellent condition. The band is a lovely forest green color matching the piping, which is a bit darker than the flaschengrün (dark bottle-green) used by the Heer. The cap still has the original crown support stiffener present, so the sides have not sunken down over time, giving it a great "relaxed" look.

It is decorated with an early NSDAP / SA type well detailed nickel eagle insignia on the front crown, which faces to the right, correct for this early period. Later examples would have the head point to the left. Below this is a non-magnetic plated metal tri-color cockade, as this cap was made before the association adopted the distinctive large oak leaf wreath. The insignia overall look great, and the red felt insert is still present, though a bit faded. The cap features a very good condition braided green chinstrap with silver bullion accents, attached by pebbled silver buttons, indicating an official in the Forestry Service. The particular style of the chinstrap at this point would indicate the rank of the wearer, and we do not know what rank this example represents.

The vulcanfibre visor has a smooth black leather-look upper, exhibiting just a bit of wear along the edge and is checkered brown on the underside. The top shows a lovely pattern of fine crazing and checking, which gives it a great aged look, as these cracks take years to form. It is still firmly attached to the cap body. The cap is lined with lovely golden colored ribbed rayon, which shows very little staining or wear. The celluloid sweat shield diamond on the top is fully intact, with complete stitching. It is marked with Höchstleistung 
Deutscher ARBEIT, indicating it was made with the "highest quality German work" The sweatband is brown finished leather, and is still in excellent condition, showing little to no wear. It is still supple, and we checked underneath for markings, but were not able to find any. Size seems to be about a 57-58cm.

Overall condition is really excellent, and would be nearly impossible to find a better example. There are just a few moth nips on the crown keeping it from being "MINT". A fantastic early example of a classic hat worn by German Forestry Service Officers during WWII.

The Forstverein (Forestry Association) was a civil union, founded in 1899, whose members were either Foresters or Forest owners and was founded to give more "power" to their interests when dealing with the Governments of the states or the Reich. Their "targets" were mainly economical with some "spreads" of caring for nature and forests. The aim of the association was: to take care of the German forest, the promotion of forest economy and science and the exchange of personal ideas. After the NSDAP took over Germany, the various Forestry Groups were folded under the NSDAP umbrella.

The Forstschutzkommando (FSK), or simply Forstschutz was a uniformed and armed para-military security formation raised in late 1939. Composed of some 10,000 volunteers, it was recruited from forestry officials and forest workers and headed by Landesforstmeister Ernst Boden. Hermann Göring, as the Reichsforstmeister, was its "supreme commander".

After having received brief training, the first 2,000 so-called Forstschützen were put into action in wooded areas in occupied Poland. Here, they provided security for lumber transports and -storage places and sawmills, as well as being employed to combat wood-thieves and poachers and to arrest "unauthorized" persons in the forests. They were authorized to use firearms in the case of resistance or attempted escapes.

In July 1941, the Forstschutz took charge of the Bialowies forest, a former hunting ground of the Czar and important area for the lumber industry. The civilian population was evacuated from Göring's new Reichsforst, with their villages and farms being burnt to the ground and two small Jewish communities being liquidated as well.

In the summer of 1942, Forstschutz units were dispatched to the Reichs Commissariats of "Ostland" and the Ukraine. Here, they were used in anti-partisan operations, suffering significant casualties in the process themselves.

Apart from their original security tasks and anti-partisan operations, Forstschutz personnel were involved in the capture and liquidation of Jews, who had managed to keep from being arrested or who had escaped from Ghettoes and were hiding in the forests. Apparently, Forstschutz men were also actively involved in the liquidation of Jewish Ghettoes if regular SS- and Police forces were not available.

Later, during the large-scale German fighting retreat, Forstschutz units even participated in military combat engagements in an infantry role.