1957 NVA Officer Field Cap

[Thälmannpionier]

Hello everybody

Got this nice Hat today.
All I can tell is, it is a early NVA Officers Field Cap in superb Condition.
The Cokade still had the Metal Staatswappen on it when I got it.
I removed it rightaway, but you can still see the tiny holes in the cokade

I would very much like to know more about this type of Headgear,as it is a very nice looking and quite heavy Hat.

I still don't know if it is from 1957 or 58 Because the Stamp is as follow:
DDR / I 58
1802 I/57

Is it 1st Quarter 1957 and Size 58 or the other way round?

BTW, I still have no References about Uniforms or Headgear.
Is there any Book outthere,that covers all the DDR Hats including the very early ones?

Regards
Andreas

Here is the Hat...

[Thälmannpionier]

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4

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some closeups and details

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sweatband
also note: the stitiching of the white piping goes right through the Inside of the Cap.

[Thälmannpionier]

Stamp

[Thälmannpionier]

what kind of Tunic was worn with this Cap?

[Thälmannpionier]

the funny Thing I have just noted is, all my early hats came in a folded shape like the TR Hats and Visors. I thought this was not very liked to see,if somone was walking around with a Hat-Shape folded like the Nazi Hats..just a few years after the War.

[Garulfo]

IMHO a size 58 made in 1957. Another great find, I'm jealous !!!!!!!!! This is the winter cap worn with the greatcoat and sometimes in the fiels before the introduction of the Pelmütze in 1963.

There is a book about the DDR hats : Kopfbedeckungen der DDR by Wilhelm Zoller ISBN 3931533514. Certainly not the definitive one, the pictures are sometimes blurry. Some collectors said that some caps are fakes but still a very usefull book.

[David H]

Nice find Andreas,
But your hat looks like it should have the stattswappen put back! I know this is hard to believe but it appears to be a factory updated hat. The piping and emblem have been deliberately added before issuing to bring it upto post 61 regs, if you look closely behind the piping you will probably traces of coloured piping that has been shaved away, so although the bullseye is great it was never intended to be seen Still a fantastic hat though

[Thälmannpionier]

IMHO a size 58 made in 1957. Another great find, I'm jealous !!!!!!!!! This is the winter cap worn with the greatcoat and sometimes in the fiels before the introduction of the Pelmütze in 1963.

There is a book about the DDR hats : Kopfbedeckungen der DDR by Wilhelm Zoller ISBN 3931533514. Certainly not the definitive one, the pictures are sometimes blurry. Some collectors said that some caps are fakes but still a very usefull book.

Hi Garulfo

Thanks alot for the Info and the ISBN No.
Do you know,if the Book shows also the early Hats?
I will have a look out for this Book.

Regards
Andreas

[Thälmannpionier]

Nice find Andreas,
But your hat looks like it should have the stattswappen put back! I know this is hard to believe but it appears to be a factory updated hat. The piping and emblem have been deliberately added before issuing to bring it upto post 61 regs, if you look closely behind the piping you will probably traces of coloured piping that has been shaved away, so although the bullseye is great it was never intended to be seen Still a fantastic hat though

Hello David
Thanks alot for this helpful Info
I just had a Look behind the white piping and you are correct, there is still the shaved down red piping visible.
I just like the Hat much more with the Bullseye exposed and do not like the Tought to put back on the Metal Cokade.
But nevertheless,Great to know that it should have the Staatswappen back on,to get the Hat legit for the 61Regs.
Thanks again!
I know you all will have a go at me but somehow my fingers are itching when seeing the red piping still exist under the white piping
But I won't touch it..good to know it is still there.

Regards
Andreas

P.S. Actually,wouldn't the white Piping still be 80% legit with the Bullseye,when it is from a Infantry Unit? Didn't they use white piping?
I know,it can be very clearly seen that this white piping is not the original piping to the Hat and applied later to suit the 61Regs. But beside the slightly different style of piping compared to the old style piping,it would still go with the Bullseye when displaying it as a Infantry Field Cap.
Or am I totaly wrong?
Only