C000196 NORWEGIAN NS RIKSHIRD EM/NCO'S SKI CAP.

BACKGROUND: Founded in May 1933 by Vidkun Quisling, the Norwegian "Nasjonal Samling" (National Unity) party was designed and structured on the NSDAP, and held most of the same ideological beliefs. Although the NS party never enjoyed any electoral success prior to the invasion of Norway, Quisling proclaimed himself Prime Minister after the German occupation. This was originally rejected by the Germans, but in September of 1940 Quisling’s NS party was declared the only legal political party in Norway, and in February of 1942 Hitler finally appointed him as Minister President. As the nominal head of state Quisling was, in reality, just a puppet collaborator, with the real power in Norway secured by the German Reichskommissar Josef Terboven. The NS was divided into numerous sub sections, designated "Hirds," which is an ancient Norwegian word translating roughly as "the King’s followers." The "Rikshird" (National followers) was founded in 1933 for all active party members between 18 and 45 years of age, and would have been roughly equivalent to the German "Sturmabteilung," or SA. In March of 1941 the Rikshird was allocated policing powers, and in March of 1942 the first armed unit was established. On August 14TH, 1943 a new law was enacted that officially incorporated all of the Rikshird personnel into the Norwegian armed forces. The standard service uniform of the Rikshird consisted of a dark blue tunic and pants, a brown shirt with a black tie, and a dark blue ski cap.

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: Dark navy blue wool construction ski cap with sewn, decorative piping running beneath its crown which tapers downwards to either side of the front center. Pinned to the front center of the cap is a fire gilt, alloy Norwegian NS cap badge. The badge is in the form of a stylized eagle with outstretched wings clutching a sun cross in its talons, whose ribbed background is painted red. The sun cross was the symbol of Saint Olaf, the patron saint of Norway. The cap has a blackened ersatz oilcloth chin strap, with two adjustment sliders in the same material, secured at either end by small, blackened buttons. Each of the buttons feature an embossed fouled anchor against a horizontally ribbed background, encircled by a rope like border. Beneath the chinstrap extends a stiffened visor. The interior of the cap is fully lined in pale grey rayon, and is size marked "56". A tan pressed paper sweatband, which has stiffened and cracked with age, is sewn along its interior base.

GRADE ****                             PRICE $

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