Original Item: Only One Available. This is a maroon fez that was part of the dress uniform of a Waffen-SS military detachment composed of Muslims from Bosnia, Croatia, and Herzegovina in occupied Yugoslavia. The creation of this unit was authorized by AH in 1943. The original purpose was to combat Tito's partisans. Through recruitment and conscription, the unit had 26,000 soldiers within a few months. The group was commanded by German or ethnic German officers, and the uniforms were designed to reflect the religion and ethnicity of the recruits. Later, the Fez was also issued to local volunteers from other areas in the Balkans.

There were two versions of the fez: a field gray model to be worn in combat and while on duty and a maroon model for parades, marching exercises and while off duty.

This example is offered in overall very good condition, however both the skull and eagle insignia have been removed from the front. We can however still see clear shadows where the insignia were, and they were originally installed using black thread from the front and red from the reverse. Otherwise the fez shows only minor age toning and moth on red/maroon wool felt exterior. The top tassel has just a bit of fraying at the ends, and the center "stalk" is still firmly attached. The tack stitches that normally are on the back to hold it in place are present, however the the tassel strands have pulled out of them.

The inside has a fully intact excellent condition grained maroon leather sweatband around the entire circumference, with the stitching completely intact. Considering that almost all of these have damaged or missing sweatbands, this is definitely a top tier example! This would be a perfect candidate to re-attach some original insignia to.

This example is 100% authentic: there are and have been numerous fakes on the market, this is not one of those. Ready to display!