Original German WWII Army Heer Cavalry EM & NCO Schirmmütze Visor Cap Original Items

Original Item: Only One Available. This cap is a very good example of a German WWII Wehrmacht Heer Army Cavalry NCO / EM Schirmmütze visor cap. It features the typical green wool gabardine construction with a forest green band and a traditional high forward crown. The also has matching Goldgelb (Golden Yellow) piping along the top edge and flanking either side of the band, the Corps Color (Waffenfarbe) for Cavalry, as well as reconnaissance and armored reconnaissance units with cavalry traditions.

It is decorated with a well detailed silvered aluminum eagle insignia on the peak and and an open silvered aluminum wreath surrounding a metal tri-color cockade on the band. The cap does not have a chinstrap, as they were rarely used, and later in the war simply left off the EM / NCO visor caps by some makers. The vulcanfibre visor has a smooth black leather-look upper, exhibiting minimal wear, and is beige on the underside. The brown leather sweatband is in good supple condition and is unmarked, showing little sign of use. It is still soft and the original finish is almost fully intact.

The inside of the cap is lined with blue gray fabric, and the top plastic sweat shield is completely missing, with even the stitching gone. Unfortunately all the markings would have been on this, so we cannot be sure about the size. However it seems to be about a U.S. 7 1/4  or 58cm.

Condition of the cap is very good, with vibrant colors, and much of the silvering still present on the insignia. The red felt insert in the cockade shows no damage. The only issue with the condition is what looks to be a moth hole in the green band on the left front, which measures about 5mm x 9mm.

A great example of a classic hat worn by German Army Cavalry NCOs in WWII.

The visor cap (Schirmmütze) was an important part of the headgear worn by German uniformed military, civil, paramilitary and political organizations during the Third Reich. This was the standard cloth headgear worn as a part of the service uniform. Visor caps were worn outdoors as well as indoors, and were often required to be worn by all personnel on duty. Visor caps were made in versions specific to each organization and were often further differentiated through the use of insignia, colored piping, or style of chin cord, to indicate rank, role or branch. The insignia used on these caps ranged from simple stamped metal emblems, to elaborate hand embroidery.

Visor caps were issued to enlisted soldiers and NCOs in the military and in some other organizations. Officers had to purchase their own hats, and lower ranks could choose to purchase caps that were of a higher quality than the rather basic, issue examples. The private purchase caps were generally made in very high quality, with fine materials. A wide variety of fabrics were used, from Trikot and doeskin, to heavy wool, or even lightweight white fabric for summer wear. In the military, issue of these caps was generally suspended shortly after the outbreak of the war, but they continued to be worn by some troops until the end of the war.