I think this is an interesting photo for the collector of older DDR uniforms and insignia. One soldier with metal cap insignia and I think the other one has an embroidered officer oak leave on his cap.
I noticed this photo on Ebay. Senior NCO's were allowed to wear officers' wreaths. I have a 1964 dated Army visor with offcier wreath & EM chinstrap that came with a double-breasted tunic for an Oberfeldwebel.
I don't know, however, if this rule goes back to the 50's or not. Nor would I expect that the most junior NCO rank would be permitted to wear an officer wreath. If anything, the guy on the right would have the officer wreath. Maybe my understanding of this rule is incomplete.
It makes me wonder if perhaps he borrowed the cap (or maybe these two guys swapped caps for the photo), or maybe these photo studios had "props" on hand to top off a uniform.
It also looks like the guy on the right is wearing a wooly visor. (Hard to tell for sure, but the texture of the cap looks like it could be wooly.) I've wondered about this before. Typically, an EM could buy an officer quality (i.e., gabardine) visor hat with EM insignia to wear with the double breasted tunic. But I've wondered if woolys could also be worn. I'm unaware of any official prohibition of wearing a wooly cap with the walking out uniform..... does anyone have any more information on this matter?
Comment