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Summer 2022 Militaria Auction
Lot 372:
Visor caps were a standard item for all Wehrmacht, (Armed Forces), personnel during the Third Reich period, (Circa 1933-1945), and regulations dictated the form of dress they were to be worn with based on the individual’s rank.
Originally the insignia worn on the visor caps consisted of the Weimar Reichswehr, (National Defence Force, Circa 1919-1933), era, pattern oak-leaf wreath and cockade and a blackened leather chinstrap for all ranks.
In February 1927 new chin cords for Officer’s ranks were introduced with silver cords for the company and field grade officer’s ranks of Leutnant to Oberst and gilt cords for the ranks of Generalmajor to Generalfeldmarschall.On March 14th 1933 the Reichswehr’s oval black, red and gold cockade was replaced with a circular cockade in black, white, and red and on February 17th 1934 the Third Reich pattern national eagle for the army was officially introduced for wear on the visor cap.
In March 1935 a new, more detailed, pattern wreath and cockade and a second, larger pattern national eagle were also introduced for wear and in late 1935 regulations altered the Reichswehr era field-grey colored centerband to a dark blue/green coloration which was utilized until the end of the war.
Further regulations of February 26th 1936 also permitted senior NCO’s who were Officer Candidates to wear the Officer’s twisted, silver/aluminum chin cord on their visor caps as opposed to the standard EM/NCO’s leather chinstrap.The different branches of service within the army were allocated a specific, identifying, waffenfarbe, (Branch of Service Color), with white being chosen for Infanterie, (Infantry), personnel which was displayed as piping on the visor cap for EM/NCO’s and Company and Field grade officers.Officers and certain senior NCO ranks were responsible for purchasing their own caps and as a result were allotted a clothing allowance through the army’s Kleiderkasse, (Clothing Account), system.
The Officers and certain senior NCO’s could choose to purchase their caps from the armed forces clothing depots or to privately purchase visor caps of higher quality. Although enlisted personnel were issued their caps from government supplies they were also permitted to purchase privately tailored caps although the price may have been restrictive. In order to retain conformity, caps privately purchased by EM and junior NCO’s had to be inspected and approved by the individual’s unit prior to being worn.
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