BACKGROUND: German Naval uniforms and headgear were based on traditional designs that date back to the creation of the Prussian Navy in 1848, and although uniforms and headgear did evolve during the interim years, many items used during the Third Reich era, (1933-1945), would still have been quite recognizable to the Imperial sailor. The Kriegsmarine, ({War} Navy), clothing regulations differed from the Heer, (Army), and Luftwaffe, (Air-{Weapon}, Force), in that enlisted personnel did not wear visor caps although all ranks from senior NCO’s upward did and regulations dictated the form of dress they were to be worn with based on the individual’s rank. The shape of the Kriegsmarine visor caps also differed from the Heer and Luftwaffe visor caps, by having slightly larger, overlapping, relaxed styled crowns. Officers and certain senior NCO ranks were responsible for purchasing their own caps and as a result were allotted a clothing allowance through the OKK, Offizier Kleiderkasse der Kriegsmarine, (Officer’s Clothing Account of the Navy), system. The Officers and senior NCO’s could choose to purchase their caps directly from the armed forces clothing depots or to privately purchase visor caps of higher quality. Originally the Weimar Reichsmarine era, (National Navy, Circa 1919-1933), visor caps were worn until a new slightly modified version was introduced in 1933. Originally Kriegsmarine personnel wore the Weimar Reichsmarine era oval, black, Weimar eagle "cockade" on a gold background encompassed by a gold oak-leaf wreath on their visor caps until March 14TH 1933 when the Weimar era cockade was replaced with a circular black, white, and red cockade, followed by the new, NSDAP, Nationalsozialistische Deutsche Arbeiterpartei, (National Socialist German Worker’s Party), style, national eagle on March 24TH 1934 and a new, more detailed, pattern wreath on April 2ND 1935. Kriegsmarine Officer’s visor cap also differed from their counterparts in the Heer and Luftwaffe in that they did not utilize the twisted chincords to denote rank as they proved impractical for actual usage and the leather chinstraps were worn instead. As a result of the use of the leather chinstraps there was no way to determine Officers from NCO’s until regulations of May 13TH 1936 introduced new, identifying, visor trim for officers ranks to distinguish them from the NCO’s. The new visor trim came in three different patterns with one pattern for Company Grade Officers, one for Field Grade Officers and the third for Flag Officers. Of Note: In an exception to the rule Kriegsmarine Administrative Officials visor caps were distinguished from other Kriegsmarine personnel’s visor caps by the use of silver insignia, instead of the standard golden insignia, that also included twisted silver chincords. Originally the insignia on most Officer’s visor caps, excluding Administrative Officials, was most commonly produced in gilt wire threads, generally stamped, gilted metal for NCO’s, but due to the tarnish potential, insignia produced in golden yellow celleon threads was permitted for wear, (Circa 1938), although the stamped metal and gilt wire versions also continued to be utilized through-out the war.

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: Nice quality, dark navy blue, doeskin wool construction cap with a black, horizontally ribbed, mohair centerband and a non-removable top. The top crown edge and both the top and bottom edges of the centerband are piped in the same, dark, navy blue doeskin wool as the balance of the cap. The front center of the cap has a hand embroidered national eagle with out-stretched wings, clutching a wreathed, canted swastika in it’s talons, in gilt wire threads with gilt bullion and golden yellow accent threads, mounted on a cut-out, navy blue wool base. The eagle is neatly handstitched to the cap. The front center of the centerband has a hand embroidered oak-leaf wreath in gilt wire threads with gilt bullion accent threads encompassing a national tri-color cockade in black and silver wire threads with an inserted red felt centerpiece. The wreath and cockade are mounted on a padded, cut-out, navy blue wool base which is also neatly handstitched to the cap. The cap has a black, patent leather chinstrap is complete. The chinstrap is secured to the cap by two, small, fire gilted, magnetic sheet metal buttons. The chinstrap retaining buttons have a horizontally ribbed, background fields with an embossed, fouled, anchor and a simulated, twisted, rope outer edge. The cap has an extended, forward, black vulcanfibre visor with a navy blue wool top covering to the top edge with a single row of scalloped edged, hand embroidery in gilt wire threads and simulated, black leather trim both positioned near the forward edge. The embroidery on the visor signifies that the owner was a Company Grade Officer holding a rank of Leutnant zur See, Oberleutnant zur See or Kapitänleutnant. The interior of the cap is fully lined in ribbed, mid-blue rayon. The interior of the cap also has a intact leather sweatband. Original owners name tag is present. Roughly a size 58. Nice worn example that saw use.