Original German WWII Army Heer Infantry Officer Schirmmütze Visor Cap Original Items

Original Item: Only One Available. This cap is a very nice service worn example of a German WWII Wehrmacht Heer Army Officer Schirmmütze visor cap. It features the typical felgrau (field gray) wool gabardine construction with a forest green band and a traditional high forward crown. The also has matching Weiß (white) piping along the top edge and flanking either side of the band. This is the Waffenfarbe (Corps Color) for the Infanterie (Infantry) and Motorisiert Infanterie (Motorized Infantry). It has the correct bullion chin strap, indicating that it is for an officer. The crown stiffener has been removed, giving it a lovely crushed “saddle form” shape.

It is decorated with a well detailed aluminum eagle insignia on the peak and an open silvered aluminum wreath surrounding a tri-color cockade on the band. The cockade still retains the bright red felt center inlay. The chin strap is attached with the standard silvered buttons on either side of the cap. The vulcanfibre visor has a smooth black leather-look upper, exhibiting light wear and some checking, and is tan on the underside. The tan faux leather sweatband has however deteriorated quite a bit, with many tears, and is in overall delicate condition. There is no size marked, but we estimate the size to be about a 58cm / 7 1/4.

The cap is lined with lovely cream rayon and still retains the full celluloid diamond sweat shield in the crown. It is marked with Stirndruckfrei / Deutsches Reichspatent, basically meaning it is a “forehead pressure free” design covered under a German Patent. There is no maker marked under the shield, as it most likely wore off long ago.

Condition of the cap is very good, with a lovely service worn patina that shows it was “really there”. It is slightly discolored from age and use, and there are some small moth nips on the piping and insignia, as well as some wear to the “nap” of the exterior shell fabric. There is some light staining around the circumference of the crown as well.

A great “salty” example of the classic hat worn by German Wehrmacht Infantry Officers in WWII. Very impressive and ready to display!

The German Schirmmütze Visor Cap:
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.