Original German WWII Gebirgsjäger Mountain Troop M43 Bergmütze Field Cap with Metal Edelweiss Badge & Theater Made Eagle 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 a very nice service used example of a German Gebirgsjäger Bergmütze (Mountain Trooper Cap), which shows quite a bit of wear and fading from use in service. It looks to be constructed of Heer Feldgrau (Field Gray) light canvas, and while it does have the “fold down” skirt for cold weather, it is sewn to the top of the cap all the way around. This looks to be how it was originally constructed, possibly as a “summer weight” variety. It features a two magnetic pebbled buttons button to the front, securing the skirt, though there are no loops on the underside, as the skirt cannot fold down.

The peak of the cap has a very nice “theater made” combined Eagle and cockade embroidered insignia on the front, which conforms very well to other known period examples. There is a metal Edelweiß badge stitched in place on the left flap, which is made from zinc and brass. This flower, found in the mountains of Southern Germany and Austria, is the symbol used by Gebirgsjäger mountain troops.

The interior of cap is lined with soft brown rayon fabric, with a well-worn faux leather oil cloth sweatband, which has lost a lot of the coating. We estimate the size to be about 57-58. The visor is in great shape, with the original internal stiffener having just a bit of a wave to it, with no cracks or bends. The cap overall shows much sun exposure, but the original color is still retained under the flaps.

A great service worn example of a classic hat worn by German Army Mountain Troopers in WWII, with a lovely theater made insignia. 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.