The formation of German society during the reign of Adolf Hitler made it an elite part of the military. Senior officials, officers, soldiers had special privileges. But in order for ordinary people to be able to distinguish between military units of different units, it was decided to develop a military uniform worthy of Wehrmacht soldiers.
First steps
Different types of troops could be recognized by the color of the uniform:
- black - tankers;
- green - infantry;
- light green - mountain arrows.
Not the last role was played by headdresses, which differed both in form and in distinctive stripes. The first prototype of the uniform was created during the November Revolution. Then the rebel detachments were equipped with what was left in the "bins" from the First World War. In standardizing uniforms, the government provided servicemen with headgear based on caps used in the army of the Austrian Empire.
The first updated prototype was released in 1925. After that, with a difference of 3-4 years, the developers released newsamples of both uniforms and headwear.
In total, the High Command endorsed five types of caps until the end of 1943. The caps of SS officers were practically no different from the hats of lower-ranking soldiers. Only an experienced person could tell at a glance which soldier of which troops and in what rank is in front of him.
Mountain Arrows
The mountain kepi, which came into use by the SS troops, was the beginning of the evolution of the Fuhrer's army headgear. Initially, it had a green color, and in front of it there were signs distinguishing the German army (a skull, an eagle and, a little later, a swastika).
In the future, for a clearer distinction in different types of troops, stripes of different patterns began to be introduced. The first to receive such an honor were mountain shooters from the Prince Eugene and Edelweiss regiments. These SS caps were made black, and along with the eagle and skull, they had an edelweiss image on the left side.
Each branch of the military had a different form of headgear. They could be round, cone-shaped with crowns of different heights. Initially, the kepi had a band secured with buttons or buttons, which could be turned off in inclement weather. With the advent of new species, this part of the SS cap became purely symbolic.
When the size of the crown did not allow placing all the insignia in its front part, soldiers were allowed to sew patches in the form of an eagle, edelweiss or swastika on the left side of the cap. But in front there was always an eagle and the sign of a skull. They were fastenedsilver thread on a triangular patch.
SS officers caps
A special insignia was headgear for officers. The kepi used by soldiers was used by officers for field trips. Since 1929, the black kepi has become the standard in soldier's uniform, adjusted for rank. The band was hemmed with white or silver piping, depending on the rank of the officer. White was used by the junior staff, and silver was used by the higher ranks.
The SS officer's cap known today was born in 1936. It had a high crown, a solid band, a visor and a welt (leather strap or filigree cord). This piece of clothing was part of the officer's dress uniform.
For convenience in daily use, the filigree cord was replaced with a leather strap. It not only served for beauty, but was also used to secure the cap under the chin. To distinguish the officers on the crown and above the band, a piping of the desired color was sewn in.
Pilka cap
Interesting is the appearance of caps as part of the everyday costume of German soldiers. It was designed for Luftwaffe pilots who were not able to carry caps or caps with them all the time.
The small triangular-shaped headgear folded comfortably and could be kept in the breast pocket during the flight. The cockade of the pilots depicted a skull with a swastika and an eagle, and wings on the left side.
Comfortable and stylish headgear has become a good replacement for the SS cap. He easilytook root in the wardrobe of non-commissioned officers and the high command.
Insignia
With the advent of caps, the issue of insignia that was applied to caps and caps arose: a skull, an eagle, a swastika, a colored piping. All of them helped determine belonging to infantry, tank, assault or special squads.
A skull emblem was present on any headdress: somewhere in the form of a stripe, somewhere in the form of metal buttons. If other signs could be transferred to the left side of the headdress, then the skull was always on the cockade.
So why did the SS caps have skulls on them?
Skull, or "Adam's head", has been used in army insignia since the Middle Ages. Thus, the military designated special units that had a high value for command as combat units.
Skull appeared in the German army since the days of volunteer corps, formed to fight the German communists. A little later, already during the spread of the doctrine of fascism throughout Europe, the skull became the hallmark of the SS troops subordinate to Hitler. The sign itself symbolized victory over death.
The German SS cap became the standard for many uniforms thereafter. The headdresses of the police officers of France, Italy, as well as various military units are sewn on the basis of German-style caps from the Second World War.
