Original Item: Only One Available. The German Feldmütze (Field Cap) was originally used in late WWI, and was a variety of unpeaked garrison cap. After the war, it was replaced by a variety of "Ski Cap" that was based on the Bergmütze (Mountain Hat) used by Austrian and German Gebirgsjäger (Mountain Troops) during WWI. Germany had adopted it for Mountain Troops 1915, and after the war it spread throughout the military.

This is a lovely service used example of a German Army Jäger Officer Bergmütze (Mountain Cap), which has a very nice Oak Leaves & Acorn metal Jäger badge on the left side. As this is a Heer (army) cap, this could potentially be for a Gebirgsjäger officer, but is more likely for a Jäger Infantry officer. Both were specialized units for rougher terrain, however the Gebirgsjäger were specifically mountain based units.

The cap is constructed of Heer Feldgrau (Field Gray) wool, and has the correct "fold down" skirt for colder weather. The crown of the cap has silver bullion piping, indicating issue to an officer. It features a two pebbled zinc buttons button to the front, securing the skirt, and has the correct securing loops on the underside of the fold down flaps. The peak of the cap has a very nice combined Eagle and cockade BEVO insignia on the front, which is the wartime pattern with gray threading embroidered onto a green background.

The interior of cap lined with a service cloth type material, which shows staining and wear consistent with long service. There is some staining around the edges, and the forehead area is torn with some missing material. There is no size marked, but it seems to be about a 57cm. The front visor is in very good condition, showing some minor bends and ripples, but no cracks or tears to the cardboard stiffener. Interestingly, the underside is not wool, but olive colored canvas.

Overall condition is very good, especially considering the amount of service it saw, which has worn off a lot of the fuzzy "nap" of the wool fabric on the exterior. It is now well-retained only under the flaps, which protected the exterior from wear. We also checked under the Jäger badge, and it shows less wear, indicating that the badge was definitely period applied, and has been on the cap since WWII.

A great example of a classic hat worn by German Army Jäger Infantry in WWII, with a fantastic original badge. Very impressive and ready to display!

German Jäger Units -
Jäger (hunter) is a German military term referring to specific light infantry units. In German-speaking states during the early modern era, the term Jäger came to denote light infantrymen whose civilian occupations (mostly hunters and foresters) made them well-suited to patrolling and skirmishing, on an individual and independent basis, rather than as part of a large-scale military unit or traditional line infantry. As a consequence, Jäger was used to describe skirmishers, scouts, sharpshooters and runners.

The German Empire had various different Jäger units, which were disbanded at the conclusion of WWI. The Reichswehr of Weimar Germany did keep their traditions somewhat intact, and during the NSDAP led rearmament preceding WWII, various different Jäger units were reformed, the most famous of which were the Heer Gebirgsjäger Mountain Troopers and Luftwaffe Fallschirmjäger paratroopers. Later in the war, Skijäger Ski Troopers and Jäger Infantry units were raised, as well as some smaller units with more specific purposes, such as "Tank Hunters".