Allgemeine SS Headgear

General SS (Allgemeine SS) Headgear

THE EARLIEST official headdress of the Allgemeine SS consisted of a black SA style "coffee can" cap (Tuchmutze). Three versions of this cap exist, the fittings dependent upon the rank of the wearer.

The basic cap, including visor, was covered in black wool and possessed a set of stylized, non-serviceable ear flaps which were cut or scalloped in the front. Insignia consisted of an early pattern M-29 Party eagle in silver metal which closely resembled the early SA style "pointed wing" eagle. The skull was the pattern associated with the 1st and 2nd Leib-Hussar squadrons of the Imperial Army, i.e. a silver metal form with a jawless skull resting on crossed bones. The eagle was affixed to the hat front above the scalloped edge of the side panels; the skull was mounted where buttons would have existed had the side panels been functional.

The enlisted versions of this cap (SS-Mann to Obertruppfuhrer) lacked piping. The chinstrap was of black leather with black painted buckles and fittings, and was secured to the sides of the cap by two black painted plain buttons.

SS ranks from Sturmfiihrer to Obersturmfiuhrer wore the same style cap, though the crown of the hat was piped in interwoven black and white cloth cords.

SS leaders from the rank of Standartenfuhrer to the highest levels wore the same style cap, though the crown was piped in twisted silver cord to indicate rank.

Fittings (i. e. chinstrap, side buttons) on the early "coffee can" cap remained the same for all grades. Officer caps generally were of better quality than those issued to lower ranks.

SS VISOR CAPS

During the period 1933-34, the distinctive SA style cap was phased out of the Allgmeine SS and a general purpose visor cap was introduced. This cap confored style to Army patterns and indicated rank by the use of piping and chincord straps.

The earliest of these visor caps appeared about 1933 and were issued to enlisted personnel from the rank of SS-Mann to Obertruppfuhrer. The crown of this particular cap was of black woolen cloth with black cap band and polished black leather visor. Fittings included a black leather chinstrap (SA style), black enameled or lacquered buckles and plain side bottons.

Insignia consisted of the early pattern SS/SA visor cap eagle which was positioned on the front central seam of the cap below the crown. Mounted to the band was the Hussar-style skull. Insignia was of natural aluminum metal and secured by the use of pins or prongs to the cap.

The leather or fiber visor had a raised convex border along, its leading edge for strength. The cap crown was piped in white as were also the top and bottom edges of the hat band.

In 1936 a "saddle" formed SS visor cap was introduced and was soon worn with the dress and undress uniform by all ranks. This field service hat differed in some particulars from the earlier visor cap, notably in its use of piping, band material, and insignia.

The enlisted style SS service cap, worn from 1936 to 1945, was of black cloth with the crown and leading edges of the cap band piped in white cotton. The cap was issued with a black leather chinstrap secured to the body of the cap by black painted metal side buttons; buckles and fittings were of black painted or enameled metal. The insignia consisted of the M-36 pattern SS eagle which had a full body, wide, outstretched wings, and which stood on a wreath enclosing a swastika. This eagle was mounted below the crown on the central seam of the visor cap by the use of prongs or pins.

The skull was also altered during this period. Instead of the old style Hussar skull, the new emblem consisted of a full-jawed skull resting on crossed bones. The skull displayed a three-quarters view to the right and was secured to the cap's band by prongs.

The visor was of black leather or fiber reinforced by the convex ridge along its leading edge, and finally it became the standard SS visor cap worn by all ranks from SS-Mann to Hauptscharfuhrer.

Officer service caps differed only in those qualities which were reserved to indicate officer rank. Officer cap bands were of black velvet instead of cloth. Allgemeine SS personnel from Untersturmfuhrer to Standartenfuhrer utilized white piping on the cap body. However, in place of the leather chinstrap, one of twisted aluminum braid was worn which was secured to the cap body by the use of pebbled aluminum buttons sewn or affixed on to the cap.

The insignia remained the same as that for lower ranks though finished in matte silver.

Allgemeine SS ranks from Oberfuhrer to Reichsfuhrer wore the same style officer cap but piped in silver wire and with braided aluminum chincord. Buttons were pebbled aluminum and the insignia was matte silver.

During the war all Allgemeine SS personnel wore a visor hat with a field-grey wool top (identical to the Waffen SS model). All other aspects were the same as the regular black topped version.

ALLGEMEINE SS WHITE VISOR CAP

SS personnel with the rank of Untersturmfuhrer and up were permitted to wear a white-topped visor cap with the summer service uniform. The white linen top of the The earliest pattern "fatigue" cap worn by units of the Allgemeine SS consisted an Imperial style Feldmutze patterned after the undress caps of enlisted ranks in Imperial Army.

Made of black woolen cloth, this cap was piped in white along its crown and the edges of the lower band and possessed an early style metal SS-SA "pointed wing, eagle and a Hussar style skull. The cap was cylinderical in form and was worn for fatigue duty.

Initial Allgemeine SS overseas caps were worn by the SS-Verfugungstruppen who would later evolve into the Waffen SS. This cap was brown or earth-grey in appearance and made of wool with a button mounted on the front. The side of the cap bore an embroidered early M-29 "pointed wing" eagle which was sewn to the panel.

A new pattern of the SS overseas cap was introduced about 1934 which consisted black wool on cloth and bore a button of silver-colored metal on the front bearing the traditional SS skull in raised relief; A cloth embroidered eagle mounted on triangular black patch was sewn to the left side of the cap. After 1938 the eagle was altered to the later SS pattern. This hat was worn only by enlisted ranks, and later, in a grey version, served the Waffen SS as one form of an overseas cap.

ALLGEMEINE SS TRADITIONAL CAP

A special SS "coffee can" cap was retained for commemorative and traditional occasions and was patterned after the early 1932 cloth cap. It differed only in its use of M-36 SS insignia.

Tom Shutt: "Dress and Field Service Hats of the Third Reich", H.S.M. Publications, 1981