Original German WWII Gebirgsjäger Mountain Trooper Officer M43 Bergmütze Field Cap with Edelweiß Badge 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 an excellent lightly used example of a German Army Gebirgsjäger Mountain Trooper Officer Bergmütze (Mountain Cap), which has an excellent stitch attached Edelweiß badge on the left side.

The Leontopodium nivale plant, known in German as the Alpen-Edelweiß (Mountain Noble White), is the symbol of Alpine Purity for much of Central Europe. It is a scarce, short-lived flower found in remote mountain areas and has been used as a symbol for alpinism, for rugged beauty and purity associated with the Alps and Carpathians, and as a national symbol, especially of Romania, Austria, Bulgaria, Slovenia, and Switzerland. It has been the symbol of Austrian and German Gebirgsjäger Mountain Troopers since their formation.

The cap is constructed of Heer Feldgrau (Field Gray) wool, and has the correct “fold down” skirt for colder weather. The crown of the cap has silver bullion piping, indicating issue to an officer. It features a two pebbled aluminum buttons button to the front, securing the skirt, and has the correct securing loops on the underside of the fold down flaps. The peak of the cap has a very nice combined Eagle and cockade BEVO insignia on the front.

The interior of cap is a blue gray rayon faux silk fabric, with little in the way of staining, so it does not look to have seen much use in the field. There are no markings we can see, except there is what looks to be “8X200F” stamped under the leather front forehead pad. The visor is still in great shape, with no cracks to the cardboard stiffener, though it does have some bends.

Overall condition is excellent, with only minor wear to the fabric, and no mothing that we can see. Size is around a 56cm.

A great example of a classic hat worn by a German Army Gebirgsjäger Officer in WWII, with a fantastic original badge. 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.