Original Item: Only One Available. This is a fantastic, well preserved example of a German WWII Kriegsmarine Naval Junior Officer’s Zweispitz (Bicorne), also known as a Vorden-und-Achtern Hut (Fore-and-Aft Hat). Earlier in history Bicornes had been worn side-to-side, but by WWI, they were typically worn with the protrusions front-to-back, or in Naval Terms, "Fore-and-aft".

This example is in lovely condition, and seems to be about a size 58cm. The Bicorne is a black mohair felt formed hat trimmed in black silk band that has wire bullion ornamentation on the top of each end. A Tri-color pleated silk or rayon cockade is attached to the side under a large twisted bullion wire ornament, which is fastened on the other end with a large gilt Kriegsmarine navy button. The inside is silk-lined with a leather sweatband, and still has a clear maker mark on the top, which reads:

L. H. Berger Collani & Co.
HOFLIEFERANTEN

Research shows that this maker was located in Berlin, and definitely supplied uniforms, hats, and other items during the WWII Period. The cap measures approximately 16" x 6 3/4" x 4 1/4", and is in very good condition. There is some wear to the mohair, including minor moth damage, and the bullion portions have oxidized, particularly on the ends.

A lovely example, ready to display!

German Naval uniforms and headgear were based on traditional designs that date back to the creation of the Prussian Navy in 1848, and although uniforms and headgear did evolve during the interim years, many items used during the Third Reich would still have been quite recognizable to the Imperial sailor. Officers and certain senior NCO ranks were responsible for purchasing their own uniforms and headgear and as a result were allotted a clothing allowance through the Offizier Kleiderkasse der Kriegsmarine (Officer's Clothing Account of the Navy or OKK).

Generally speaking officers bought nice quality, private purchase, uniform items but they could also choose to buy their uniforms directly from the military clothing depots. The Fore-and-Aft hat was carried over from the Imperial navy to the Weimar era Reichsmarine and on into the Third Reich. Of all the assorted headgear utilized by the German armed forces by far the most unique was the Fore-and-Aft hat which was to be worn by all Kriegsmarine Officers with the formal dress uniform and also with the Frock coat as the service dress uniform as required. Fore-and-Aft hats for officer's holding the ranks of Leutnant zur See up to and including Kapitän zur See were trimmed with black moire material, while officers holding the ranks of Kommodore up to and including Großadmiral hats were trimmed with gilt tress. There was also silver tresse for Administrative officers.

The Kriegsmarine was the navy of NSDAP Germany from 1935 to 1945. It superseded the Imperial German Navy of the German Empire (1871–1918) and the inter-war Reichsmarine (1919–1935) of the Weimar Republic. The Kriegsmarine was one of three official branches, along with the Heer and the Luftwaffe, of the Wehrmacht, the German armed forces from 1935 to 1945.

In violation of the Treaty of Versailles, the Kriegsmarine grew rapidly during German naval rearmament in the 1930s. The 1919 treaty had limited the size of the German navy and prohibited the building of submarines.

Kriegsmarine ships were deployed to the waters around Spain during the Spanish Civil War (1936–1939) under the guise of enforcing non-intervention, but in reality supported the Nationalists against the Spanish Republicans.

In January 1939, Plan Z, a massive shipbuilding program, was ordered, calling for surface naval parity with the British Royal Navy by 1944. When World War II broke out in September 1939, Plan Z was shelved in favor of a crash building program for submarines (U-boats) instead of capital surface warships, and land and air forces were given priority of strategic resources.

The Commander-in-Chief of the Kriegsmarine (as for all branches of armed forces during the period of absolute NSDAP power) was Adolf H, who exercised his authority through the Oberkommando der Marine ("High Command of the Navy").

The Kriegsmarine's most significant ships were the U-boats, most of which were constructed after Plan Z was abandoned at the beginning of World War II. Wolfpacks were rapidly assembled groups of submarines which attacked British convoys during the first half of the Battle of the Atlantic but this tactic was largely abandoned by May 1943 when U-boat losses mounted. Along with the U-boats, surface commerce raiders (including auxiliary cruisers) were used to disrupt Allied shipping in the early years of the war, the most famous of these being the heavy cruisers Admiral Graf Spee and Admiral Scheer and the battleship Bismarck. However, the adoption of convoy escorts, especially in the Atlantic, greatly reduced the effectiveness of surface commerce raiders against convoys.

Following the end of World War II in 1945, the Kriegsmarine's remaining ships were divided up among the Allied powers and were used for various purposes including minesweeping. Some were loaded with superfluous chemical weapons and scuttled.