Early SA kepi for identifycation

[RBailey]

Hey Erich and the gang. Is it possible to identify the owner of this very salty kepi?
In the inside roof of the cap, it says: "Strauss" and then under "Köln".
In the head band it is "Strauss - R 11/16"

Thanks,

Robert

[RBailey]

2

[Erich B.]

Nice original! It looks like the color band is made of twill rather than wool--almost looks like it was a 1 color kepi that had the sides dyed, but I don't think that's possible without bleeding into the horsehair stiffener.
To id this guy might be possible but it would take a lot of work and luck--he was in a Reserve Sturm of Standarte 16. If I was trying to research him, I'd see what sort of archive of period newspapers or telephone books you might find in Köln and go through them to see if you happen across an older Strauss. Since he wasn't a leader, it'll be less likely that you'll find anything helpful but you never know. Every so often I find something for which I've been searching for years.
Erich

[ivbaust]

Nice kepi!

To find the owner is like the famous search for the needle in the haystack. Not impossible, but very tough. Good luck!

[Erich B.]

I agree, but you never know!
Erich

[RBailey]

Thanks for the reply Erich and ivbaust.

Robert

[wilhelm Saris]

There was a Reserve 16 at Niederrhein at Köln (brigade 71), but the name Strauss is not mentioned in lists of promotion
(SA-Führerbefehle). He will not have had an important promotion or had not a function for which he was mentioned.
The chance to find out will be only when one has the registers for brigade 71.

[RBailey]

Thanks Mr Saris. That is very interesting. I figured the Germans kept good records and that is why I asked. It is nice to know there was a Reserve 16 at Niederrhein at Köln. There something else after the word "Köln" in the cap, but I can't tell what it says. Looks like "De......"

Thanks,
Robert

[ivbaust]

Maybe „Köln Deutz“ (which is a district of Cologne)

[ivbaust]

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deutz,_Cologne

[wilhelm Saris]

The reserve-unit was located at Köln-Lindenthal (in the Pfarriusstrasse, the west-part of Köln), near Köln-Sülz.
In 1936 it was located in Köln at the Kleingedankstrasse, which is about Altstadt-Süd.

Deutz is on the other side of the Rhine. But it is possible Strauss actually came from there.

[Erich B.]

If it's the Reserve Standarte, it should read "11/R16". I'm thinking it might have been a Sturm at prior to having enough reserve SA men to form a Standarte, and prior it might have been "R11/16" for that reason.
Erich

[wilhelm Saris]

If it's the Reserve Standarte, it should read "11/R16". I'm thinking it might have been a Sturm at prior to having enough reserve SA men to form a Standarte, and prior it might have been "R11/16" for that reason.
Erich

How to wear the "R" was described with order I Nr. 2522/32, published in the Verordnungsblatt der OSAF from September 23, 1932.
Reserve-Sturm is as R 1/16 (Reservesturm 1 der Standarte 16) or Sturmbann is as R I/16 (Reservesturmbann I der Standarte 16).

Sturmbann and Stürme from a Reservestandarte: if there did exist for example the active Standarte 16 from three active Sturm sizes units and
one Reservesturmbann, so they were numbered:
I/16 (Sturmbann I der Standarte 16), II/16, III/16 and R I/16 (Resevesturmbann I der Standarte 16).

It is quite intricate in my opinion. I cannot show images, other wise I would include the order. Standarte 16 may have had two Reservesturmbann
sized units.

Simple as:
when tha Latin "R" is positioned in front of the number of the formation (Sturm) then it is phrased as Reservesturm (R2/16); when the "R" is positioned
in front of the number for the Standarte (beneath the slash) then one can speak of a Reservestandarte (2/R16). And so it goes for the Roman
numbers for Sturmbann (RI/16 or I/R16)

[wilhelm Saris]

How intricate the system is, is the fact of the different forms for the letter "R", the one for Reservesturm and/or the form for Reserveschar or Reservetrupp.
Either being Schreibschrift or Druckschrift!

[Erich B.]

Wim,
I looked up the relevant section in the SAVB--this section doesn't mention the 2 different 'R's or later changes, but based on the way it's written inside the cap, with the 'Punkte' above the '1's, would you not think it indicated a Reserve Sturm vs. Standarte?
Erich