Original Item: Only One Available. The German WWII Geheime Feldpolizei ('Secret Field Police' or GFP), was the secret military police of the German Wehrmacht until the end of the Second World War (1945). Its units carried out plain-clothed security work in the field - such as counter-espionage, counter-sabotage, detection of treasonable activities, counter-propaganda, protecting military installations and the provision of assistance to the German Army in courts-martial investigations. GFP personnel, who were also classed as Abwehrpolizei (Defense Police), operated as an executive branch of German military intelligence, detecting resistance activity in Germany and in occupied France. They were also known to carry out torture and executions of prisoners.

This is a very nice example of a German WWII Secret Field Police Officer Schirmmütze visor cap, and it really looks the business. It features the typical green wool gabardine construction with a mid-brown badge cloth center band and a traditional high forward crown. The also has matching blue piping along the top edge and flanking either side of the band, the Corps Color (Truppenfarbe) for the Secret Field Police. The regular field police used an orange corps color. It has the correct silver bullion chin strap, indicating that it is for an officer.

It is decorated with a well detailed embroidered silver bullion eagle insignia on the peak and and an open embroidered silver bullion wreath surrounding a metal tri-color cockade on the band. This indicates early issue, as later caps moved to a cast or stamped "Police" insignia instead of the cockade and wreath. The chin strap is attached with the standard pebbled buttons on either side of the cap. The vulcanfibre visor has a smooth black leather-look upper, exhibiting minimal wear along the edge and is beige on the underside.

The brown sweatband is high quality brown faux leather, similar to oilcloth but thicker. The original stitching is solid, and there is a row of white piping around the bottom of the sweatband. The inside of the cap is lined with light gray green sheer fabric, most likely made from rayon. There is some light staining from wear in several areas. The diamond celluloid sweat shield on the top is completely missing, though the stitching is still present. There are some stamped and written markings on the inside of the crown, however we are not able to decipher them. From what we can tell, this cap is about a size 58.

Overall condition is very good, with the colors retained well, and no major damage. There is a bit of mothing in a few areas, but it is confined to the fuzzy "nap" of the fabric. The gloss finish on the visor also has some checking and crazing, with some spots near the edge where it has flaked.

A very nice example of a classic hat worn by German Secret Field Police Officers in WWII. Very impressive and ready to display!

More on the German Secret Field Police:

The need for a secret military police developed after the German annexation of the Sudetenland in 1938 and the occupation of Bohemia in 1939. Although SS Einsatzgruppen units originally under the command of the Sicherheitspolizei (Security Police; SiPo) had been used during these operations, the German High Command felt that it needed a specialist intelligence agency with police functions - one that could operate with the military, but act like a security service to arrest potential opponents and eliminate any resistance. After studying data collected in Spain, Austria and Czechoslovakia, Generaloberst Wilhelm Keitel, commander in chief of the OKW, issued the "Dienstvorschrift für die Geheime Feldpolizei" (Regulations for the secret field police), and the GFP formed on 21 July 1939.

Although officially part of the Wehrmacht, the GFP mainly recruited its personnel from the criminal branch of police officers who had been assigned to the armed forces. They were assigned the legal status of Wehrmachtsbeamte auf Kriegsdauer (military officials for the duration of the war) and retained the authority of other police agencies as well as of the Sicherheitsdienst (SD). Initially the Geheime Feldpolizei were exclusively Wehrmacht security units, but in 1942 the Reich Security Main Office (RSHA) absorbed them.

GFP agents could wear either civilian clothes or uniforms in the course of their duties. GFP officials had the right to pass through any military roadblocks and to enter military buildings. They could use military signals and communications equipment, commandeer military vehicles, and procure military supplies and accommodation wherever necessary in execution of their duty. In occupied areas the GFP provided personal escort to military VIPs, assistance to state-security agencies in counter-espionage, interrogation of suspects, prevention of sabotage and the detection of enemy agents.

In practice, GFP activity depended on the region in which it operated. Work in occupied northern and western Europe differed markedly from operations conducted on the Eastern Front. In the Netherlands, Denmark and Norway, GFP actions mainly concentrated on the secret-police protection of senior Wehrmacht officers. In Belgium and France the GFP became an executive part of the civilian police services, working alongside the military authorities to combat acts of resistance, the British Special Operations Executive, and sabotage. It used terror tactics such as detentions, deportations and the execution of hostages.

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.