Langemark

Hello AlecH, No, my officer's example is not unit-marked, as it has been privately purchased by an officer. It is made of high quality 'Doeskin'. Only dotation caps for enlisted and NCO's were unit-stamped. However it is still possible to find an unit-stamped officer's cap if an NCO has been promoted to officer and chose to keep his Schirmmütze with just exchanging the NCO leather chin strap for an officer's silver cord one. Talking now about prices : I'm not ashamed to say that I exactly paid 1.000 Euro for my Schirmmütze ... but that I had several much higher offers for it since (even before I posted it on the GMIC). Anyway, my friends know and even reproach me (!) that "I'm almost never selling pieces of my collection" (except when I have two same items, and this is not the case here). Sorry and all the Best, Marc

Hello AlecH, No, my officer's example is not unit-marked, as it has been privately purchased by an officer. It is made of high quality 'Doeskin'. Only dotation caps for enlisted and NCO's were unit-stamped. However it is still possible to find an unit-stamped officer's cap if an NCO has been promoted to officer and chose to keep his Schirmmütze with just exchanging the NCO leather chin strap for an officer's silver cord one. Talking now about prices : I'm not ashamed to say that I exactly paid 1.000 Euro for my Schirmmütze ... but that I had several much higher offers for it since (even before I posted it on the GMIC). Anyway, my friends know and even reproach me (!) that "I'm almost never selling pieces of my collection" (except when I have two same items, and this is not the case here). Sorry and all the Best, Marc

<p> Yes, look at the 'wrong' silver Tresse around the collar of the upper soldier.

No sweatshield but only a faint size marking '59' (what I prefer to see on SS-Schirmmützen).

No, the brim of the sweatband is not 'plastic'! This is only a flash-effect on the reed core being now exposed due to wear.

Inside showing some regular wear.

Yes, real WWII white topped Polizei caps are not often seen ... but 'nazified' Bundes-Polizei are ! Best, Marc

Absolutely Paul, it was also my first impression that a vet or collector neglected to replace a correct SS-eagle on the cap. However, during my collecting years I learned to make a difference between shadow caused by original wear and shadow caused by static storage in collections : - a worn cap or uniform gets an overall discoloration all around. - on the contrary, the display in a collection is completely static and thus, the possible shadow caused by (sun)light will generally only affect one main side of the object. In the case of this SS Schirmmütze, the wear and discoloration is perfectly consistent all around the cap and beneath the LW-eagle. Furthermore, no other shadow of any "originally applied" SS-eagle is discernable. Furthermore, supposing this cap remained exposed in a collection or attic for more than 6 decades, it is hardly believable that no-one would have done the elementary effort to put at least a more realistic eagle on it (like a very easily found Heer, political eagle or even a fake) ? Even a newbie is aware that such an odd SS/LW configuration is utmost ridiculous. But as you rightly stated, there's no similar SS/LW cap insignia configuration known (yet ?). I am only aware of SS personnel being assigned to air reconnaissance and wearing a mixture of SS and LW insignia, uniforms and/or displaying LW-awards. But I have never seen, nor heard of mixed SS/LW insignia on headgear. This is why I posted the cap for discussion on the Forum, hoping that more knowledgeable researchers and collectors than me could help me solving this enigma. So, I keep an open mind and any suggestions, remarks and even critics are utmost welcome, Marc

Clemens Wagner

Front with high placed eagle allowing space for the Edelweiss.

Hello to All, Still playing with my camera ... and hope I'm not boring ! Textbook visor cap for Gebirgsjäger officer. Marc

Inside vieuw showing the simple construction and lack of lining.

Insignia with eagle in the classic position.

Hello to All, Just wanted to share pictures of a white topped visor cap for an administration Polizei officer. The cap is rather simple in construction and probably late war but still displays well. The piping is light grey, the capband is in fine brown badge cloth and the bottom edge is in Polizei green cloth. The white top is in 'waffle' cotton cloth. The visor is made of cardboard and with a fairly nice 'leather' appearance. Marc

The Tresse is LW-type in subdued artificial thread but the flashlight gives a brighter shade to it. Marc

Underside

Hello to All, Would Modell 44 Schulterklappen be so rare that nobody else posted a pair ? Here's one (of a pair) found attached to a LW-Felddivision smock. Of course can't say if period done or not. Marc

On the other hand, textbook is the 'Sattelform'.

Front vue

But today I had the idea of playing with my camera and the images … and this is what my computer gave me to discover :

Hello to All, Despite the eye-aggressive mismatching insignia I nevertheless acquired this good-looking and original officer's Schirmmütze some years ago. Since then I have constantly been tempted to replace a 'correct' SS eagle on the cap, but at the same time I was intrigued by its oddity. Someday I decided to commit a sacrilege by removing the LW-eagle in order to proceed to some investigation. However I only could notice some blurry shadow giving no real clue as what precise type of eagle had been originally placed on the cap. To be continued, Marc

La qualité de tes mannequins n'atteindra jamais la médiocrité des miens. Bisous à tous ! Marc

Hello to All I have these pair of Generalleutnant shoulder boards for years … but I have never been able to determine what branch these where for. The boards are on dark green velvet underground/piping similar to Forestry piping. Could be indeed Landforstmeister but I'm still unsure as this grade shouldn't exist as it stops at the grade of Generalmajor/Oberlandforstmeister without any pips. The pips look originally applied. I also posted this topic in two other titles but as the Forstverwaltung depended from the Luftwaffe I might be more lucky to obtain some information here ? Sorry for the multiple posts. Your help would be much appreciated. Marc

Hello to All, I first posted this topic under "Political and Civil organisations" but it is possibly more judicious to post it here ? I have these pair of Generalleutnant shoulder boards for years … but I have never been able to determine what branch these where for. The boards are on dark green velvet underground/piping similar to Forestry piping. Could be indeed Landforstmeister but I'm still unsure as this grade shouldn't exist as it stops at the grade of Generalmajor/Oberlandforstmeister without any pips. The pips look originally applied. Your help would be much appreciated. Marc

Dear Gordon, Did you manage to decipher the round stamp on your armband ? On mine, the stamping is barely readable. The only characters I can read is "Wehrm***". The question is to know why the word "Wehrmacht" is still printed on this post-war armband like on many wartime German armbands showing various stamps ? Thank you for giving me your thoughts, Marc