Original German WWII 1941 Dated Luftwaffe M43 Einheitsmütze Wool Field Cap by K.H. Flauder – Size 57cm Original Items

Original Item: Only One Available. This is a great lightly used example of a Luftwaffe M43 Einheitsmütze Wool field cap, with a lovely lightly worn look. The cap is constructed of Fliegerblau (Flyer’s Blue) blue/grey Luftwaffe HBT woven wool, and has the correct “fold down” skirt for colder weather. It features two blue-painted pebbled buttons to the front, securing the skirt, and has the correct rayon loops on the underside.

The peak of the cap has a very nice machine embroidered cap eagle, with the correct light silver gray thread on a blue gray backing. Below this is a circular embroidered tri-color cockade with the correct color backing. Both are correctly only sewn to the outer layer of fabric, so they are definitely original to the cap. The interior of cap is lined with a gray HBT rayon material, which is standard for this type of cap. It has light sweat stains around the edge, showing some use, but it still has the original manufacture information stamped on the inside of the crown:

K.H. FLAUDER
MINDEN (WESTF.)
1941

This is stamped inside a rectangle, and above it is another date and a faded RBNr. over size 57. The date looks to read “1941”, but has bled so we cannot be sure. It is a bit interesting that this cap is dated so early, when the pattern for these was not officially introduced by the Luftwaffe until 1943. Definitely some interesting research potential here! The visor is still in very good condition, showing just a bit of rippling to the cardboard stiffener inside, but no cracks or other major damage. Really a fantastic looking cap!

Overall condition is really good, showing light wear and no major damage from mothing or use. There is a bit of fading and staining to the exterior, with the original color well-retained under the side flaps. A great example, ready to display!

The M43 Einheitsmütze (Unit Cap) is a variety of “Ski Cap” and was based on the Bergmütze (Mountain Hat) used by Austrian and German Gebirgsjäger (Mountain Troops) during WWI. Germany had adopted it in 1915, and after the war it spread throughout the military.

The skirt that surrounds the cap is made in the same wool as the cap, and can be folded down over the ears, though this was rarely done outside of the Mountain troops, which had a double-thickness skirt. The skirt has a small dip in the front quarter with a divide secured by one aluminum button which is covered by an embroidered cockade. The small section in the front quarter was built shorter to show the insignia, and cover the wearer’s chin or mouth, without disturbing breathing by covering the nose. There were also later M43 caps, such as those used by the DAK, that omitted the skirt entirely, as it had little use in the desert heat.