BACKGROUND: Visor caps were a standard item for all Wehrmacht, (Armed Forces), personnel during the Third Reich period, (Circa 1933-1945), and regulations dictated the form of dress they were to be worn with based on the individual’s rank. Originally the insignia worn on the visor caps consisted of the Weimar Reichswehr, (National Defence Force, Circa 1919-1933), era, pattern oak-leaf wreath and cockade and a blackened leather chinstrap for all ranks. In February 1927 new chin cords for Officer’s ranks were introduced with silver cords for the company and field grade officer’s ranks of Leutnant to Oberst and gilt cords for the ranks of Generalmajor to Generalfeldmarschall. On March 14^TH 1933 the Reichswehr’s oval black, red and gold cockade was replaced with a circular cockade in black, white, and red and on February 17^TH 1934 the Third Reich pattern national eagle for the army was officially introduced for wear on the visor cap. In March 1935 a new, more detailed, pattern wreath and cockade and a second, larger pattern national eagle were also introduced for wear and in late 1935 regulations altered the Reichswehr era field-grey colored centerband to a dark blue/green coloration which was utilized until the end of the war. Further regulations of February 26^TH 1936 also permitted senior NCO’s who were Officer Candidates to wear the Officer’s twisted, silver/aluminum chin cord on their visor caps as opposed to the standard EM/NCO’s leather chinstrap. The different branches of service within the army were allocated a specific, identifying, waffenfarbe, (Branch of Service Color), with white being chosen for Infanterie, (Infantry), personnel which was displayed as piping on the visor cap for EM/NCO’s and Company and Field grade officers. Officers and certain senior NCO ranks were responsible for purchasing their own caps and as a result were allotted a clothing allowance through the army’s Kleiderkasse, (Clothing Account), system. The Officers and certain senior NCO’s could choose to purchase their caps from the armed forces clothing depots or to privately purchase visor caps of higher quality. Although enlisted personnel were issued their caps from government supplies they were also permitted to purchase privately tailored caps although the price may have been restrictive.

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: Nice quality, private purchase, visor cap with a field-grey doe skin wool body and crown and a blue/green badge cloth centerband with white wool waffenfarbe piping to the crown edge and both the top and bottom edges of the centerband. The internal crown stiffening wire has been removed but a heavy internal padding and a vertical stiffener to the interior, front, center are still intact and retain the caps relaxed, oval crown, "Sattelform" shape with overlapping side panels and a high, central, forward peak. The front center of the cap has a second pattern, (Circa 1935-1945), silver washed, die stamped, aluminum alloy, national eagle with out-stretched wings, clutching a wreathed, canted, swastika in its talons. The eagle retains about 85% of its silver wash and is nicely convexed to fit the contours of the cap. The eagle is secured to the cap by two, bent over prongs on the reverse. The front center of the centerband has a second pattern, (Circa 1935-1945), silver washed, die stamped, aluminum alloy, oak-leaf wreath encompassing a separate, highly vaunted, three piece, stamped alloy, national tri-color cockade. The national tri-color cockade consists of a black fluted alloy base, a silver washed alloy, roundel and an inserted red wool center dot. Both the wreath and cockade roundel retain over 95% of their silver washes and are still quite clean and bright. Both the wreath and cockade are secured to the cap by bent over prongs on the reverse. The cap has a bright, twisted, silver/aluminum chin cord secured in place by two, small, silver washed, pebbled, magnetic sheet metal buttons. The chin cord has hand stitched repairs to each end. The cap has an extended, forward, black lacquered vulcanfibre visor with a subtly raised lip to the forward edge. The interior of the cap is fully lined in two grades of golden/tan rayon with a smooth body lining and a ribbed crown lining. The interior crown lining has a remnants of clear celluloid sweat rhomboid, taped in place. The sweat rhomboid is well marked with gilt printed script, "Deutsches Wertarbeit", (German Value Craftsmanship), and, "Sonder Klasse", (Special Class). The interior of the cap also has a wide, tan alkor sweatband with ventilation perforations to the front forehead section, and a narrow strip of black velvet to the bottom edge fully intact. As is typical the alkor sweatband has stiffened with age and has a few creases and a few missing stitches. The cap lining beneath the sweatband and the bottom edge of the visor both have the hand penciled, Roman numeral, "VII", presumably indicating size 57. The cap is in overall fairly good condition with light age and usage toning, moderate nap wear to the body and crown and a couple of fair sized moth nips to the centerband.