Original German WWII Heer Gebirgsjäger M43 Bergmütze Mountain Trooper Field Cap by Emil Budach – size 57 Original Items

Original Item: Only One Available. The German Feldmütze (Field Cap) was originally used in late WWI, and was a variety of unpeaked garrison cap. After the war, it was replaced by a variety of “Ski Cap” that was based on the Bergmütze (Mountain Hat) used by Austrian and German Gebirgsjäger (Mountain Troops) during WWI. Germany had adopted it for Mountain Troops 1915, and after the war it spread throughout the military.

This is an excellent lightly used example of a German Army Gebirgsjäger Bergmütze (Mountain Cap), which has the correct short brim and higher crown seen on Mountain Trooper caps. The cap is constructed of Heer Feldgrau (Field Gray) wool, and has the correct “fold down” skirt for colder weather, with two loops on the underside. It features a two painted pebbled magnetic buttons button to the front. The peak of the cap has a very nice combined Eagle and cockade BEVO insignia on the front.

The interior of cap is lighted with olive colored light canvas, and it still has a complete ink stamp maker mark on the top, which reads:

Emil Budach
Hutwerke Guben
Dresden – Reick

Above this is a sweat stained size marking of 57. The visor is in very good condition, with no tears in the cover or cracks in the cardboard stiffener, though it definitely does have some deformation.

Overall condition is very good, with just a bit of light mothing on the crown. There are a few small holes, as well as a repair to the front right seam. There is also a bit of staining and some tearing on the liner.

A great well-marked example of the classic hat worn by German Army Gebirgsjäger mountain troopers in WWII. Very impressive and ready to display!

Gebirgsjäger material is among the most popular of all German WWII items. They were the light infantry part of the alpine or mountain troops (Gebirgstruppe) of Germany and Austria. The word Jäger (meaning “hunter” or “huntsman”) is a characteristic term used for light-infantry or light-infantryman in German-speaking military context.

The mountain infantry of Austria have their roots in the three Landesschützen regiments of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. The mountain infantry of Germany carry on certain traditions of the Alpenkorps (Alpine corps) of World War I. Both countries’ mountain infantry share the Edelweiß insignia. It was established in 1907 as a symbol of the Austro-Hungarian Landesschützen regiments by Emperor Franz Joseph I. These troops wore their edelweiss on the collar of their uniforms. When the Alpenkorps came to aid the Landesschützen in defending Austria-Hungary’s southern frontier against the Italian attack in May 1915, the grateful Landesschützen honored the men of the Alpenkorps by awarding them their own insignia: the edelweiss. Together with the Fallschirmjäger (Paratroopers) they are perceived as the elite infantry units of the German Army.