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

Original Item: Only One Available. This 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) “whipcord” wool 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 metal 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 leather sweatband shows moderate staining from wear, with some small tears around the edge near the forehead perforated vending. Some of the stitching has also come undone. There is no size marked, but we estimate the size to be about a 58cm / 7 1/4.

The cap is lined with lovely tan rayon faux silk, however there looks to never have been a celluloid diamond sweat shield or maker markings. This cap was most likely custom made by a small hatter during the war.

The condition of the cap is good, with the main issue being moth damage and tearing to the wool crown, which has some separation from the rest of the cap on the sides, where the darkness allowed more damage to happen. There are multiple holes straight through the crown, and also damage to the cap band and even the bottom edge of the cap.

A very nice service worn 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.