BACKGROUND: Visor caps were a standard item for all personnel during the Third Reich period and regulations dictated the form of dress they were to be worn with based on the individuals rank. Officers and certain senior NCO ranks were responsible for purchasing their own uniforms and headgear 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 uniforms and headgear from the armed forces clothing depots or to privately purchase garments of higher quality. Originally the insignia worn on the visor cap consisted of the Weimar Reichsheer pattern oak-leaf wreath and cockade until March 14TH 1933 when the Reichswehr’s oval black, red and gold cockade was replaced with a circular cockade in black, white, and red. 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 were utilized until the end of the war. The new insignia came in a variety of manufacturing styles to include stamped alloy, hand embroidered and even machine woven in some instances. Originally personnel holding Generals ranks of Generalmajor to Generalfeldmarschall utilized the silver visor cap insignia until regulations in 1943 introduced gilt visor cap insignia for all Generals ranks. Interestingly Generals ranks had utilized a gilt chincord on their visor caps since 1927.

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: Nice quality, second pattern, (circa 1935-1945), Generals ranks, fire gilted, stamped, high relief, alloy construction, opened top, oak-leaf wreath with six small acorns and a central, vertical, beaded band to the bottom center encompassing an opened center intended for a national tri-color cockade. The wreath is nicely convexed to fit the contours of a cap. All attachment prongs are intact.