{"product_id":"original-german-wwii-early-nsdap-kreisleitung-district-political-leaders-visor-cap-with-black-piping-and-rzm-tag","title":"Original German WWII Early NSDAP Kreisleitung District Political Leader's Visor Cap with Black Piping and RZM Tag","description":"\u003cp\u003eOriginal Item: Only One Available. The NSDAP or \u003cem\u003eNationalsozialistische Deutsche ArbeiterPartei\u003c\/em\u003e, (National Socialist German Worker’s Party), was originally founded in Munich as the DAP, \u003cem\u003eDeutsche Arbeiterpartei\u003c\/em\u003e, (German Worker’s Party), on January 5TH 1919. When Adolf AH joined the DAP in the autumn of 1919 he was to reform what was basically a debating society into an active political party. Appointed as the first chairman of the party on July 29TH 1921, AH was to restructure it along para-military lines in a hierarchy.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis new NSDAP structure consisted of four ascending levels of government: the \u003cem\u003eOrtsgruppenleitung\u003c\/em\u003e (Local group leadership), the \u003cem\u003eKreisleitung\u003c\/em\u003e (District leadership), the \u003cem\u003eGauleitung\u003c\/em\u003e (Regional District leadership), and the \u003cem\u003eReichsleitung\u003c\/em\u003e (National leadership). Each group was distinguished by a specific color of piping on the collar tabs and visor cap. From 1936 to 1939 in this scheme, light blue was for the \u003cem\u003eOrtsgruppe\u003c\/em\u003e level, black for \u003cem\u003eKreis\u003c\/em\u003e level, burgundy red for \u003cem\u003eGau\u003c\/em\u003e level, and gold yellow for the \u003cem\u003eReich\u003c\/em\u003e level. After that the Kreis level changed to white piping after a period of only 13 months.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis is nice example of a rare early pattern German WWII NSDAP \u003cem\u003eKreisleitung\u003c\/em\u003e (District leadership) Level Political Leader's Visor Cap. Very similar to the military issue \u003cem\u003eSchirmmütze\u003c\/em\u003e (Peaked Cap), these were usually referred to as a \u003cem\u003eDienstmütze\u003c\/em\u003e (Service Cap) or \u003cem\u003eTuchmütze\u003c\/em\u003e (Cloth Cap). The cap shows high quality fabrication, made from tan \"whipcord woven\" wool fabric, and a traditional high front. The cap has the typical triple piping around the circumference, black for the district level leader until 1939. The cap band is a lovely dark tan velvet plush material.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt is decorated with a well detailed aluminum spread-wing NSDAP \u003cem\u003eReichsadler \u003c\/em\u003e(national eagle) insignia on the front, with a metal tri-color cockade on the velvet band with a red enamel background. Surrounding this is a large aluminum oak leaf wreath. The cockade has a small swas (hook cross) in the middle, only seen on these party leadership caps. All are in very good condition, and they interestingly look to possibly have always been a silver color, as we cannot see any signs of the gold wash we usually see on these.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt has a wonderful gold bullion cord \"chinstrap\", attached to the cap by gold-washed pebbled aluminum buttons, indicating that this cap is for an Officer \/ Leader.The visor \/ peak on this cap is dark brown finished \"vulcanfibre\", the standard material for NCOs and Officers alike, with a checkered light brown underside. The top has a lovely pattern of fine checking and crazing, only possible due to the great age of this cap.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe cap is lined with cream colored rayon fabric, which shows light staining, and the diamond shaped celluloid sweat shield at the top is mostly intact. There looks to have been a maker mark underneath, which is now illegible. The sweatband is real leather with a brown finish, and it is still quite supple, with only a bit of staining from use.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eUnder the sweat shield there is an intact \u003cstrong\u003e((RZM))\u003c\/strong\u003e label, which identifies this as a \u003cstrong\u003eTUCHMÜTZE\u003c\/strong\u003e, and gives the \u003cstrong\u003eHersteller\u003c\/strong\u003e (Supplier) number \u003cstrong\u003e20\u003c\/strong\u003e with issue number \u003cstrong\u003e486989\u003c\/strong\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe cap is in very good condition overall, with just a few moth nips to the exterior piping, with a lovely condition velvet band and wool body. There is some light staining and wear on the outside, as expected for a cap that saw use in service over 80 years ago.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThese caps are very rare, and this is the first example that we have been able to locate in a while. In fine condition, this cap is ready to display!\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Original Items","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":42011392999493,"sku":"ONJR24MG055","price":1395.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1524\/1342\/files\/ONJR24MG055__08.jpg?v=1726284694","url":"https:\/\/www.ima-usa.com\/products\/original-german-wwii-early-nsdap-kreisleitung-district-political-leaders-visor-cap-with-black-piping-and-rzm-tag","provider":"International Military Antiques","version":"1.0","type":"link"}