Original Item: Only One Available. This is an original German WWII Luftwaffe Signals EM/NCO Schirmmütze visor cap manufactured by Clemens Wagner and unit marked to I. / Ln. Rgt. 2, the I. Battalion of Luftnachrichten-Regiment 2. It is constructed from Luftwaffe blue gray Fliegerblau, or Flyer’s Blue, doeskin wool with a wide black ribbed band and three rows of saddle brown Waffenfarbe piping associated with the Luftwaffe communications branch. The cap retains its original crown stiffener, aluminum insignia, leather chinstrap, and interior size marking 57.

The cap has a traditional high forward crown and retains the internal support stiffener, preserving a gently swept back profile rather than the more collapsed saddle form seen on caps with the stiffener removed. The body is made from fine Flyer’s Blue doeskin wool, while the center band is black ribbed wool.

Three rows of saddle brown Braun piping run around the cap, one at the crown and one along each edge of the black band. This was the branch color associated with the Luftwaffe Luftnachrichtentruppe, or air signals and communications service.

The front carries the correct metal insignia, including a finely detailed aluminum Luftwaffe eagle above an aluminum oak leaf wreath with stylized wings and a central painted tricolor cockade. The insignia remain well preserved with light age and service wear.

A dual buckle black leather chinstrap, appropriate for EM/NCO wear, is attached to black lacquered side buttons. The leather remains complete but shows extensive age related checking and cracking to the black patent finish.

The pressed Vulkanfiber visor has a glossy black upper surface with stitched faux leather edge trim and a green underside. The upper surface shows fine checking and crazing from age. The visor remains firmly attached to the cap body, and the edge trim and its stitching are complete.

The interior is lined in light brown service cloth and shows overall staining and wear from use. The original celluloid crown sweatshield is completely missing, together with the stitching that once held it in place, though its outline remains visible.

The faded interior maker marking remains legible and includes the CW monogram with:

CLEMENS
WAGNER
FABRIK FEINER UNIFORMMÜTZEN
BRAUNSCHWEIG ZWEIGFABRIK
HAMBURG 6

The interior is also marked:

57

indicating the cap size.

The brown finished leather sweatband remains supple and in very good service used condition, showing moderate staining and wear but no visible tears. The foam rubber beneath the perforated forehead section has become brittle with age.

On the underside of the sweatband is a boxed unit marking:

I. / Ln. Rgt 2

This identifies I. Battalion of Luftnachrichten-Regiment 2, rather than a specific company. Period organizational records show I./Luftnachrichten-Regiment 2 as a battalion level formation containing several subordinate companies during the war.

Overall condition is very good. The cap shows light age toning and fading to the more exposed surfaces, together with a few small moth nips, particularly in the piping. There is no major structural damage, and the crown retains its strong original shape.

With its Clemens Wagner manufacture, saddle brown Signals piping, original crown stiffener, aluminum insignia, I./Ln.Rgt. 2 unit marking, and size 57 interior stamp, this is a strong example of a German WWII Luftwaffe Signals EM/NCO visor cap. The missing celluloid sweatshield, stained lining, deteriorated chinstrap finish, brittle forehead padding, light fading, and minor moth nips are all fully disclosed. It would fit especially well in a Luftwaffe Signals, Luftnachrichten-Regiment 2, Clemens Wagner headgear, EM/NCO visor cap, or advanced German WWII uniform collection.

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.