Original Item: Only One Available. AH believed German youth to be the future of his 3rd Reich. The HJ (AH Jugend or HJ) National Youth Organization was formed officially in 1935, and with the exception of NSDAP ideology indoctrination was very similar to the Boy Scouts. Beginning at about the age of ten years, both boys aged 14-18 (AH Jugend) and girls aged 14-18 (Bund Deutscher Mädel) were enlisted in the Party-run organization. Within the organization, a degree of military style ranks were maintained, as well as the various “corps” or branches that existed in the Wehrmacht.
This was known as a HJ youth overseas cap or Allgemeine jugend Sommer-Mütze (General HJ summer cap). It is a cotton “whipcord weave” twill tan colored cap with red rayon piping, which we believe indicates the branch within the HJ National Youth Organization. We have unfortunately not been able to find any information on HJ corps colors however. The front features the correct BeVO HJ red and white diamond insignia, hand stitched to the outer fabric, though it definitely does show wear.
The interior of the cap is lined with gold / tan rayon, and does not show any markings that we can see. It also looks like it did originally have a pressed paper faux leather sweatband around the entire circumference, however there are now only remnants around the lower inner edge of the cap. There is also fraying along the edge of the interior.
Overall condition is good, and definitely shows that it saw long service during the Third Reich period. The exterior really looks great, with the original color well retained, and the piping is really in great shape. The BeVo insignia shows some fraying and deterioration.
This cap would make a wonderful piece for any German WW2 collection. Ready to research and display!