Original Item: Only One Available. The severe cold encountered on the Russian front in the winter of 1941-42 found the Germans completely unprepared not only in heat retaining cold weather garments but also snow camouflage garments. This resulted in numerous, hastily improvised and makeshift heat retaining and snow camouflage items being utilized including everything from civilian winter clothing to white bed sheets. After the winter of 1941/42 the Oberkommando des Wehrmacht (High Command of the Armed Forces) recognized the need for heavier winter clothing and testing began in the spring of 1942 to develop suitable garments.
In April 1942 AH approved the chosen design, and the first models were issued in the autumn of that year, included assorted winter Pelzmützen (fur caps). The caps were a standard issue item and were distributed to all EM/NCO’s for the winter season, (September 15TH to April 15TH), with other winter garments and were to be returned to the units storage depot at the end of the season for storage, repair and cleaning to be reissued the following September.
Originally Officers and senior NCO’s responsible for purchasing their own uniforms and headgear were required to purchase the new winter garments until regulations of December 1942 extended the issue winter clothing to all ranks in the colder theaters of operation. Although there was no official standard model of the fur cap the most commonly encountered type followed the basic pattern of the Mountain and M43 caps with fold down back and side panels designed to protect the wearer's ears and neck.
This example is an excellent quality, multi-panel, patch work, whitened sheepskin construction winter cap with the natural hide to the exterior and course unshorn sheep’s wool to the interior. The front center of the cap has a second pattern, machine embroidered, Luftwaffe eagle in light grey threads on a cut-out Luftwaffe blue/grey wool base with a separate machine embroidered, padded national tri-color cockade situated just below eagle.
The cap features fold down side and back panels with the panels, normally held in position at the top of the cap by a sewn buttonhole and a corresponding button, which is unfortunately missing on this example, as with most that we see. Some of the stitching from the button does remain however. When the side and back panels are in the upright position the sheep’s wool is visible to the exterior. The back and side panels were designed to be folded down to protect the wearer’s ears and neck and the panels could be secured with a fabric / string loop and button closed under the wearer’s chin as required.
The fold down side panels each have a small circular cut-out with a corresponding, overlapping, horizontal, "U" shaped closure panel with a single, brown painted, sheet metal PRYM / 6H closure snap to each. The side panels also have an additional male snap enabling the horizontal, "U" shaped closure panels to be secured in the open position as required. There are the remnants of a white factory label inside the cap, but it is unfortunately quite worn, so no markings can be seen. The size seems to be about a 58 or 59cm.
Overall condition is very nice, but it definitely does show some damage from use and age. The front cardboard brim stiffener is definitely warped from water exposure, though we do not feel any breaks in the material. There is tearing of the white canvas webbing border around the edge of the cap in places, and the leather is torn in some areas as well, especially on the ear flaps.
A very nice service used example of a German WWII Eastern Front winter cap, ready to display!
