Original German WWII Italian made NSDAP Ortsgruppe Local Level Political Leader’s White Top Visor Cap – Size 57 Original Items

Original Item: Only One Available. The NSDAP or Nationalsozialistische Deutsche ArbeiterPartei, (National Socialist German Worker’s Party), was originally founded in Munich as the DAP, Deutsche Arbeiterpartei, (German Worker’s Party), on January 5TH 1919. When Adolf AH joined the DAP in the autumn of 1919 he was to reform what was basically a debating society into an active political party. Appointed as the first chairman of the party on July 29TH 1921, AH was to restructure it along para-military lines in a hierarchy.

This new NSDAP structure consisted of four ascending levels of government: the Ortsgruppenleitung (Local group leadership), the Kreisleitung (District leadership), the Gauleitung (Regional District leadership), and the Reichsleitung (National leadership). Each group was distinguished by a specific color of piping on the collar tabs and visor cap. As of 1939 in this scheme, light blue was for the Ortsgruppe level, black for kreis level, burgundy red for Gau level, and gold yellow for the Reich level.

This is nice service worn example of a rare German WWII NSDAP Ortsgruppe (Local Group) Level Political Leader’s Visor Cap in size 57, made in Italy with a white top for summer use. Very similar to the military issue Schirmmütze (Peaked Cap), these were usually referred to as a Dienstmütze (Service Cap) or Tuchmütze (Cloth Cap). The cap shows high quality fabrication, made from white “whipcord woven” fabric, and a traditional high front. The cap has the typical triple piping around the circumference, the light blue for the Ortsgruppe level leader. The cap band is a lovely dark tan velvet material.

It is decorated with a well detailed cast metal gilt spread-wing NSDAP Reichsadler (national eagle) insignia on the front, and an open cast metal gilt oak leaf wreath surrounding a metal tri-color cockade on the velvet band. The cockade has a small swas (hook cross) in the middle, only seen on these party leadership caps. The gilding on the eagle is well retained, however the oak leaf wreath has faded almost completely to a dull gray after the plating flaked or wore away.

It has a wonderful gold bullion cord “chinstrap”, attached to the cap by gold-washed pebbled aluminum buttons, indicating that this cap is for an Officer / Leader. The visor / peak on this cap is brown-finished “vulcanfibre”, the standard material for NCOs and Officers alike, with a brown underside.

The cap is lined with off white rayon fabric, and while the top sweat shield is almost completely missing, the original Italian maker logo is still fully visible, indicating production by PiEDiMONTE in Rome. We have seen many other period examples of both German and Italian hats made by this maker. The lining is in good service worn condition, with tearing on the sides due to wear. There is also some overall staining from use. The leather sweatband is finished in blue, and is in very good condition, with little deterioration. It still retains the original makers 57 size label.

Overall, the cap is in good condition, but does show significant wear from use, particularly on the exterior. The white top is faded and stained in areas, and the insignia have lost a lot of the original finish, particularly the wreath and cockade. There is a stain on the crown next to the eagle, probably from rust, and also much of the blue wool piping has been damaged by moths or other insects.

These caps are very rare, and this is the first Italian-made example that we have been able to locate. In very nice service worn condition, this cap is ready to display!