Original German WWII Heer Army Medical Officer Schirmmütze Visor Crush Cap with Embroidered Insignia Original Items

Original Item: Only One Available. This cap is a very nice service used example of a German WWII Wehrmacht Heer Medical Officer Schirmmütze visor cap. It features the characteristic feldgrau (field gray) “whipcord” weave wool construction with a forest green “badge cloth” band and traditional high forward crown. The crown stiffener has been removed, giving it the lovely rumpled “saddle form” crushed shape that we all love. It also has matching medizinblau (medical blue) piping along the top edge and flanking either side of the band. This is the Waffenfarbe (Corps Color) for the Sanitätstruppe (Military medical service).

The insignia on this cap are both the very early fully hand embroidered aluminum bullion type, and show a lovely lightly oxidized patina. The peak eagle is woven onto a forest green background, and shows some light fraying and oxidation of the aluminum bullion. The green threads that hold the bullion tight are still present, and there are no loose strands we can see. The oak leaf wreath is also very well executed, woven onto the same green background, and surrounds an embroidered tri-color cockade, which has a red felt insert in the center. There are just a few loose strands and a bit of oxidation. Really a great set of early pattern insignia.

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 wear and some chipping near the edge, and the underside is brown. It is still quite shiny, not showing much of the usual deterioration such as checking and crazing to the black finish. It has however had the stitching that holds it into the cap body on the right side totally rot out, so it is only partly attached and should be handled with care. The light brown leather sweatband is in very good condition, still supple with wear around the edge, and some small tears. It is loose from the body of the cap around the visor area, as the same stitching that holds the visor in also holds the sweatband, and the thread has rotted out. Size is approximately US 7 (56cm).

The cap is lined with olive brown fabric that looks to be a cotton / rayon blend, which does show some staining, indicating long service. The lining has torn away from the sweatband seam near the rear and in other areas. The crown still has a fully intact celluloid diamond sweat shield, with intact stitching, and there are no markings we can see anywhere on the interior, except for a very faded HB37 on the underside of the sweatband, which could be a maker mark and date.

The cap is in overall very good service used condition, with a lovely shape and still retaining much of the original color. The main condition issue is the previously mentioned stitching issues with the visor, which could be repaired possibly, however we have left the damage intact as it is part of the history of the cap.

A very good service used example of the classic hat worn by German Medical 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.