Specimen Sommermütze/summer cap

[Jack]

Maybe someone needs this for detailed comparisons. Here is a specimen summer cap (Muster) from April 1940, after the introduction of the cloth badge.... Unfortunately the stamp is not legible, but Garry had the idea that it could be from the RZM's Materialprüfungsamt.
You can see that special attention was paid to workmanship, stitching, etc.

The variant without the sweatband is likely to be from later war days when all leather and value material was used exclusively for the Wehrmacht. The sweatband was originally made of sheepskin.

You don't have permission to view attachments.

You don't have permission to view attachments.

You don't have permission to view attachments.

You don't have permission to view attachments.

You don't have permission to view attachments.

You don't have permission to view attachments.

You don't have permission to view attachments.

You don't have permission to view attachments.

You don't have permission to view attachments.

You don't have permission to view attachments.

 

[zacker]

thanks for pics, is the piping on these only to made of felt or silk? think I seen that here, was looking @ one but passed since missing RZM tag, then another showed up but with metal badge, but you would never know if its original to cap, pass, I would like to find one that shows honest wear, so many look too new to me. Best Regards

 

[Jack]

Hi Zacker,
Neither felt nor silk. It's a synthetic fibre, I think. It's called "Spiegeltuch", but to understand all the intricacies you'd probably have to be a textile engineer. I haven't found an explanation anywhere.
The texture is very similar to the shoulderstraps (pic 1)

You don't have permission to view attachments.

.
In pic 2, however, it is clearly natural fibre, namely wool.

You don't have permission to view attachments.

In wartime, there was an increasing switch to synthetic fibres, so the 1940 date is consistent for me.
All 10 (or 11?) measurements given in the regulations fit to the point.

A helpful and often underestimated indication if you can hold a piece in your hands is the smell. Fortunately, the age of decades, even in an unworn item, cannot be imitated by smell.

I also find that worn or used pieces are often more interesting.
But this cap here, I think, also tells an intriguing story. It's really too bad that the stamp isn't easier to read.

 

[zacker]

Hello Jack, this what I meant POST2
Dimensions of the HJ Dienstmütze " or what year? Dimensions did change so now and then.
Demensions are described in some of the regulations as well
as Mitteilungsblatt der RZM
.

From Wilhelm Saris:

This is from 1936 for enlisted ranks:
The HJ visored cap was described as an oval shaped Tellermütze (saucer-style), being 23.0 x 25.0 cm.
The cap was being fabriced from light-brown waterproof and unshrinkable trill.
The top in the front (with a size 54) is 5.0 cm high.
The size for the side panels is 4.5 cm. The crown had to be piped according the new system,
as authorized in late 1935, either in bright red felt (or silk) material, light-blue and pink. The
size for the pipings was officially 2.5 mm. The felt pipings are most often found to be thicker. -*-

-*-
"Herstellungsvorschriften der Reichszeugmeisterei" (further referred as "HV.d.RZM
") 1936, p.119; "Dimensions of the HJ Dienstmütze

 

[Jack]

Odd, in my version the HJ-Dienstmütze says "2.5 mm thick coloured piping made of stamped, regulation Spiegeltuch" (there it is again, the ominous Spiegeltuch).
But then, that is the Dienstmütze.
As you know, the Sommermütze/summer cap has its predecessor in the HJ-Lagermütze/camp cap. And in my version from 1936, there is only "Spiegeltuch".
Apart from the enamelled badge and the omission of the eagle, the cap did not changed until 1940; all the dimensions are exactly the same.
And one should keep in mind that a deviation of 5% in the measurements was within the permitted tolerance.

 

[WIDUKIND]

Hello Jack,

yes, you are absolutely right.
Before 1939, the cloth label with the RZM Tag was always red in color and measured approximately 10 cm. Then the label turned brown and was shorter.
Here is an example of a " HJ Lagermütze" sold a few years ago on the web.
Best Regards
Eric

You don't have permission to view attachments.

You don't have permission to view attachments.

You don't have permission to view attachments.

You don't have permission to view attachments.

 

[Jack]

That's interesting, Eric.
The Lagermütze/camp cap still ran under the general label "Jugendmütze HJ.DJ.BDM" like the DJ-Schiffchen/side cap, the BDM-Mütze and the BDM-Skimütze in 1936.

You don't have permission to view attachments.

 

[Strumble69]

Is this the wrong tag for a sommermutze?

You don't have permission to view attachments.

 

[ewan0939]

Hello Strumble69,

That is not a correct RZM label for a HJ sommermütze, that sommermütze also has a incorrect adler.
Early mütze before 1939 had the long red RZM see photo.
1940 onwards sommermütze had a Brown coloured RZM label. see photo.

Best regards...Ewan

You don't have permission to view attachments.

You don't have permission to view attachments.

 

[Strumble69]

But Jack said above that this type of tag was still used?

 

[Jack]

I can only quote that this tag is so depicted in the 1936 RZM regulations, among others for an HJ Lagermütze. I have never seen it on a cap. For that, for example, Eric (Widukind) is a decidedly more competent contact for you than I am.