BACKGROUND: Visor caps were a standard item for all personnel during the Third Reich period and regulations dictated the form of dress they were to be worn with based on the individuals rank. 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. Originally the visor caps were outfitted with a blackened leather chinstrap for all ranks until regulations in February 1927 introduced new chin cords for Officer ranks with silver cords for the ranks of Leutnant to Oberst and gilt cords for the ranks of Generalmajor to Generalfeldmarschall while EM/NCO’s continued to utilize the blackened leather chinstrap for the duration of the war. Of Note: Further regulations of February 26TH 1936 also permitted senior NCO’s who were Officer Candidates to wear the Officers twisted silver/aluminum chin cord on their visor caps.

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: Roughly, 31cm long, 1.5cm tall, shiny, blackened patent leather construction chinstrap with two black painted sliding length adjustment buckles and two circular buttons. The reverse of the chinstrap is in the natural tan of the leather.