Original German WWII Army Heer Artillery EM & NCO Schirmmütze Visor Cap – Size 55 1/2 Original Items

Original Item: Only One Available. This cap is a very good example of a German WWII Wehrmacht Heer Army NCO / EM Schirmmütze visor cap, in size 55 1/2 cm. It features the typical green wool gabardine construction with a forest green band and a traditional high forward crown. The also has matching Hochrot (Deep Red) piping along the top edge and flanking either side of the band, the Corps Color (Waffenfarbe) for Artillery, as well as General Level Officers. As this is an EM/NCO cap with a plain chin strap, this is definitely for an Artillery or Heavy Flak soldier.

It is decorated with a well detailed silvered aluminum eagle insignia on the peak and and an open silvered aluminum wreath surrounding a tri-color cockade on the band. The dual-buckled black leather chinstrap, designating the wearer to be an enlisted man, is attached to black lacquered buttons on either side. The vulcanfibre visor has a smooth black leather-look upper, exhibiting wear along the edge and is brown on the underside. The brown leather sweatband is in good supple condition and is unmarked, and has detached from the cap partially along the visor.

The inside of the cap is lined with tan sheer fabric. The top plastic shield is fully present, though it has shrunk a bit, pulling the stitching and rippling a bit. It does not have any maker name listed, just the size 55 1/2 in silver paint.

Condition is very good to excellent, with the main issue being deterioration of the stitching along the sweatband. The rest of the cap is great, with the expected patina of age. The colors are vibrant, there is no major moth we can see, and there is little to no wear.

A great example of a classic hat worn by German Army Artillery 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.