Original German WWII Early NSDAP Ortsgruppe Local Group Level Political Leader’s Visor Cap with Faded RZM Tag – Repaired Sweatband Original Items

Original Item: Only One Available. The NSDAP or Nationalsozialistische Deutsche ArbeiterPartei, (National Socialist German Worker’s Party), was originally founded in Munich as the DAP, Deutsche Arbeiterpartei, (German Worker’s Party), on January 5TH 1919. When Adolf AH joined the DAP in the autumn of 1919 he was to reform what was basically a debating society into an active political party. Appointed as the first chairman of the party on July 29TH 1921, AH was to restructure it along para-military lines in a hierarchy.

This new NSDAP structure consisted of four ascending levels of government: the Ortsgruppenleitung (Local group leadership), the Kreisleitung (District leadership), the Gauleitung (Regional District leadership), and the Reichsleitung (National leadership). Each group was distinguished by a specific color of piping on the collar tabs and visor cap. From 1936 to 1939 in this scheme, light blue was for the Ortsgruppe level, black for Kreis level, burgundy red for Gau level, and gold yellow for the Reich level. After that the Kreis level changed to white piping.

This is very nice early pattern example of a rare German WWII NSDAP Ortsgruppe (Local Group) Level Political Leader’s Visor Cap in an approximate size of 56. Very similar to the military issue Schirmmütze (Peaked Cap), these were usually referred to as a Dienstmütze (Service Cap) or Tuchmütze (Cloth Cap). The cap shows high quality fabrication, made from khaki tan fabric, and it has a traditional high front. The cap has the typical triple piping around the circumference, the light blue for the Ortsgruppe level leader.

As this is the early version of the cap, it does not have the brown-gold velvet cap band seen on later versions, and it is decorated with an early pattern spread-wing NSDAP Reichsadler (national eagle) insignia on the front top, over a metal tri-color cockade on the band. The early examples did not have the oak leaf wreath around the cockade like later examples. The cockade has a small swas (hook cross) in the middle, only seen on these party leadership caps, and has a translucent red enamel surround. The eagle and the cockade are in good condition, showing some minor plating loss and oxidation.

It has a wonderful gold bullion cord “chinstrap”, attached to the cap by gold-washed pebbled aluminum buttons, indicating that this cap is for an Officer / Leader. The visor / peak on this cap is dark brown finished “vulcanfibre”, the standard material for NCOs and Officers alike, with a brown underside.

The cap is lined with striped golden rayon fabric, though the diamond celluloid sweat shield is cracked, with part missing as well as deteriorated stitching. There is no size marking but there is an intact ((RZM)) label under the sweatband, though it definitely is worn, so all of the details cannot be read. The sweatband is made from lovely supple natural leather, though it has definitely been re-stitched to the visor cap, and may possibly be a replacement.

The cap is in very good exterior condition overall, with some light scattered staining on the top of the crown. There are also some holes on the top, some of which were repaired long ago. The piping has also suffered some mothing damage in areas. The insignia are both in great shape wit a lovely color. These caps are very rare, and this is the first example that we have been able to locate in some time. In fine condition, this cap is ready to display!