M43 Cap

[RedBaran11]

Genossen,
It is my understanding that early on in the NVA the m43 was issued for wear during the winter. Well, I just won one an ebay for $15. Is this a good deal? It is marked NVa abnd dated 1961. However, I am unsure if it is enlisted or officer (if there is even a difference).
Danke!

[iannima]

One has to be careful with these hats because from an Ebay photograph it is difficult to tell what the cloth is...
I strongly suspect yours to be a Kampfgruppen hat. Basically there are two NVA versions of this hat:
The Manschaften version, here in a mint example:

in Filz rough cloth.
An officer one I have never seen in person. Perhaps someone can publish a photograph of what they have in their collection. Aside from the obvious difference in cloth (Kammgarn) I believe officer Skimütze were also piped at the crown (as indeed were old officer side cap, reproductions of which I noticed being sold by Siegmund Stephan).
Now a Kampfgruppen is similar in construction but the cloth is different, being Dederon/cotton but not wool and the colour is greener
In all these cases the Kokarde is normally the metal one ( or the intricately embroidered early one). So I am not too sure about the one you are showing. If it turns out to be a Kampfgruppen one, at least it was not expensive and they are useful hats to have

[RedBaran11]

Genosse,
I don't think it is a KG hat. It is stamped NVA inside.

[Garulfo]

If stamped NVA, it could be a Zivilverteididung (Civil defense) cap but I'm not sure the ZV already exist in 1961. A strange cap, doesn't look military to me.

[Garulfo]

A NVA officer one (the piping was withdrawn around 1961):

[Garulfo]

A black one for mechanic :

[Daniel Hockey]

The KG hats are marked MdI inside instead of NVA. Thats the surest way to tell them apart in photos, if the seller takes a pic of the inside.

[Knuckles930]

I think I have a Kampfgruppen one, since its stamped MdI inside. Dated A, 1977.
The material seems to be the same as the tunics from the Kampfgruppen.
I'll post some pictures later on.

[Klaus1989]

The cap resembles early (1958-dated) version of Kampfgruppen Skimütze that was posted in "Show your DDR Collection" thread (post #590). It should have early metal KG badge on it if it is actually KG (stephan.de has them). Fabric and insignia is wrong for NVA, especially in 1961. Why it is marked NVA and MdI, I have not idea.

regards
Klaus

[Knuckles930]

Not as fancy as the ones above, but here is mine.




Marked MdI
Dated A, 1977

[U873]

Genossen,
It is my understanding that early on in the NVA the m43 was issued for wear during the winter. Well, I just won one an ebay for $15. Is this a good deal? It is marked NVa abnd dated 1961. However, I am unsure if it is enlisted or officer (if there is even a difference).
Danke!

Never seen one with the enlisted cloth insgnia? The ones I have seen always hve the metal insignia.

[Garulfo]

NVA caps were made in wool with metallic insignia. This kind of cap was used by the Kampfgruppen (stamped MdI) and Zivilverteidigung (stamped NVA).

[olivyaya]

Another one, just the same, for sale on ebay.com again... have just come across it...
looked strange to me too... what I do not really like is the colour of the stamp ink...
Besides, the inside lining looks like to be made of synthetic fabric like in late type uniforms...