Original Item: Only One Available. This is an original German WWII Heer Sonderführer officer Schirmmütze visor cap made under the EREL Privat label of Robert Lubstein in Berlin. It is a desirable double marked example, with EREL identification both beneath the intact celluloid crown shield and embossed into the sweatband. The cap has an attractive crushed saddle form created by removal of the crown stiffener, with a field gray doeskin wool body, blue gray center band, dark green piping, silver bullion officer chin cords, aluminum insignia, and a measured size of approximately 58cm.

The Sonderführer ("special leader"), or Sonderführer mit militärischer Kommandobefugnis, ("special leader with military command power"), often abbreviated Sdf or Sf, was a specialist role introduced in the Wehrmacht of Germany in 1937 for the mobilization plan of the German armed forces. This allowed the the competence of civil experts and specialists to be exploited for military purposes. Certain assignments could be filled, from senior officers, company-grade officers, down to non-commissioned officer (NCO) ranks.

A huge variation of service functions, e.g. in foreign languages, propaganda work, medical service, veterinary service and the like, was possible. Typically, the men were not trained as soldiers. They received the pay applicable to the position they were holding, but only by virtue of their temporary appointment. As a rule, Sonderführer were not allowed to execute the command and disciplinary powers vested in the rank. However, this was changed in 1942, during World War II.

The uniforms and caps worn by Sonderführer personnel was based on the Heer Army design, however with differences that made them easily recognizable as not being a member of the regular army. This mainly was accomplished by the style of rank insignia, as well as the Waffenfarbe (Corps Colors) used, which was dunkelgrün (dark green) for Beamte am Kriegsdauer und Sonderführer (Officials during the War and Special leaders). Additionally, the center band of the visor caps they war was altered to be blaugrau (blue gray) instead of the usual flaschengrün (dark bottle green).

This cap is constructed from field gray feldgrau doeskin weave wool with a blue gray blaugrau badge cloth center band. The upper edge and both sides of the center band are piped in dark green dunkelgrün, the branch color associated with certain categories of wartime officials and Sonderführer personnel. The crown stiffening ring has been removed, giving the cap its desirable crushed or saddle form while retaining the traditional high forward crown.

The front is fitted with a detailed stamped aluminum Heer eagle on the crown and an open aluminum wreath surrounding a plated metal national tricolor cockade on the center band. The eagle remains in very good condition with only light wear. The wreath shows age related discoloration and some fraying, while the cockade has lost portions of its silvered finish and shows oxidation together with fading to the red felt center. The silver bullion officer chin cords remain in excellent condition and are attached at the sides in the standard manner. No significant oxidation is visible on the cords.

The pressed vulcanized fiber visor has a smooth black leather-look upper surface with a finely crazed and checked finish developed through age. The outer edge shows light wear, while the underside has a checkered tan finish with staining and wear concentrated near the center. The visor remains firmly attached to the body of the cap.

The interior is lined in light blue / aqua rayon faux silk, a material frequently encountered in higher quality private purchase officer headgear. The lining shows worked-in dirt, oils, and staining from use. The clear celluloid diamond moisture shield remains fully intact with its stitching secure and carries the silver EREL trademark:

EREL
BERLIN
SonderKlasse
PRIVAT

The cap is additionally marked on the sweatband above the wearer’s left ear:

„Erel“ Stirnshutz
D.R.G.M.
D.R.P. angem.

This marking refers to EREL’s patented or registered “forehead protection” sweatband design. The presence of both the interior crown trademark and the original marked sweatband makes this a desirable double marked example.

The sweatband is made from brown finished pressed paper faux leather, a material commonly encountered on wartime production. It shows typical age and service wear, including tears along portions of the upper seam, wrinkling, and finish loss across the perforated forehead section. It does not show obvious evidence of replacement. No additional unit or owner markings were noted. Measurement with a hat sizer indicates an approximate size of 58cm.

Overall condition is very good, with strong exterior color retention and a pleasing service used appearance. There are areas of light moth damage beneath the rear crown, and the doeskin wool and dark green piping show localized moth activity. The interior exhibits expected wear and staining, and the sweatband has several tears and areas of finish loss. These condition issues do not detract significantly from the cap’s overall presentation but should be considered when handling and storing it.

With its EREL Privat manufacture, desirable double markings, crushed saddle form, blue gray Sonderführer center band, dark green piping, silver bullion officer cords, intact celluloid shield, and measured size 58, this is a particularly appealing example of Heer Sonderführer officer headgear. The minor exterior mothing, piping damage, worn wreath and cockade, stained lining, visor wear, and age related sweatband tears are fully disclosed. It would display especially well in a Heer Sonderführer, Wehrmacht official, EREL maker, officer visor cap, or advanced German WWII headgear collection.

More on the Sonderführer "Special Leaders":
Draftees were called up for Sonderführer to almost all branches of service (Heer, Luftwaffe and Kriegsmarine) or special forces, equivalent to assignments or appointment of military personnel in the hierarchy of the Wehrmacht.

Officer function assignments in the hierarchy of the Heer (Army)
- Sonderführer (B), equivalent to Major / Oberstleutnant (OF-3/-4),
- Sonderführer (K), equivalent to Captain / Hauptmann or Rittmeister (OF-2),
- Sonderführer (Z), equivalent to Leutnant / Oberleutnant (OF-1) or platoon leader.

NCO function assignments in the hierarchy of the Heer (Army)
- Sonderführer (O), also Dolmetscher O (en: Interpreter O), equivalent to an Oberfeldwebel (OR-7),
- Sonderführer (G), equivalent to an Unteroffizier (OR-4).

Sonderführer were mainly deployed:
- As interpreter
- In construction engineering
- In the field of public finance, and administration tasks
- To handle scientific tasks, e.g. as archaeology or curator
- In the field of agriculture science
- Railway transport, in particular field railways
- In case of professional expertise as photographer or draughtsman, the corresponding draftee could be called up as a Sonderführer to a so-called Propaganda unit of the Wehrmacht.

An example of individual influence in the occupied territories is the case of Sonderführer Leo Weisgerber. His campaign to unify the Breton language has had a lasting influence in the French region of Brittany

Position and status
Sonderführer were called up to military service to use the skills and expertise of specialists on defined function positions. This status was limited as to time, and became revocable if a military trained soldier could fill this position. In this case, the Sonderführer was fit into the "regular" military training procedure etc. The former function position as Sonderführer – which contained a service "assignment" not including a service "grade" – remained without consideration.

By order in 1942 – Sonderführer on officer assignments received regular military training, in order to join the reserve officer corps. Therefore, the limitations to execute military command – and disciplinary powers were lifted.

The legal state of the Sonderführer was equivalent to those of a soldier in the meaning of the Service Act Legislation. Therefore, they held combatant status even prior to their appointment as commissioned officers in 1942. In the pension legislation of the Federal Republic of Germany Sonderführers are explicit equivalent to regular soldiers.

Russian emigrants who served as interpreters in the Wehrmacht, often were adjudged to Sonderführer status.

Rank insignia
Sonderführer of the Wehrmacht wore the standard military uniform but their collars and cap bands were blue-grey rather than army green, with unique shoulder and collar insignia. The collar patch was blue-grey with a gable-end device like that of Beamter a. K. in matte aluminium, with aluminium braid down the center. Epaulette patterns changed twice during the war. The original patterns, worn until March 1940 and again after December 1942, were narrow versions of army shoulder boards: a single doubled strip of aluminium braid for company-grade officer equivalents, and a single braided strip for field-officer equivalents; NCO equivalents were similar to junior officers' but green. Instead of rank pips, Sonderführer wore braided gold rings encircling the shoulder straps. From 1940 to 1942 an entirely different type of shoulder board was worn: this was like the army equivalent but the braid used incorporated repeating black-white-red chevrons, giving the whole a checkered look. Ordinary rank pips and specialization pins were worn with these "Second Regulation" epaulets. At the end of 1942 the narrow first-pattern epaulettes were brought back again.

In soldier's slang Sonderführers, as well as Wehrmacht officials and military chaplains, were called "narrow-gauge officers" (German: Schmalspuroffiziere), in a witty reference both to the form of their rank insignia and the limited width of their military knowledge.

The German Schirmmütze Visor Cap:
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.