Heer M43 vs. SS M43 ?

[mmiller]

I am a Combat Badge guy. But I have been searching for a nice Heer Officers M43 for a while now, to match a tunic I have. What I can't understand is this.... why do I see every version of SS Officers' M43 variation for sale, on most every site, but a plain old Heer Officer is few and far between, and then generally with reapplied insignia, or missing the sweatband, or size 54?

Is it the obvious answer, or am I missing something here.

Regards,
Mark

[Glenn McInnes]

It's the obvious answer... Or in some cases stripped Heer M43's with SS insignia post war applied.



I ask myself the same question with W-SS jackets,why so many supposedly untouched,and so few Heer examples untouched.




Glenn

[Daniele C]

magic.....

[mmiller]

And what a friggin shame. The Heer Officer M43 was in itself authentic, and a piece of history. To a collector, it had value. Now, all junked up, pretending to be WSS, it is worth nothing. Maybe that is why no one buys them, and they just continue to pop up, week after week, on the sites?



Mark

[Colorado]

An untouched Heer officer M43 cap is a rare bird. I contend most Heer M43 caps (and SS) were stripped after the war. Yet, most one encounters today have insignia applied.

One should always assume every cap one encounters was stripped and then convince oneself, it was not. Original & textbook Heer M43 insignia applications are far more rare than most people realize.

Then again, I am less open to acceptable variations than others.

[Adrian Stevenson]

Hi Mark, I think you have got it

Here is my Heer Officers Einheitsfeldmutze. I knew the Vet who brought it home and it came direct from his estate after he sadly died. No messing with the insignia.

Cheers, Ade.

[mmiller]

Gentlemen,

Appreciate the feedback. It sounds like I came to the right place, here, so let me ask, what type/s of 'national' insignia is accepted. And if anyone could post an image or two (such as did Ade), I can see exactly what I need to look for and what to avoid.

Thanks Much,
Mark

ADE- very 'solid' looking cap!

[Glenn McInnes]

Here is one in flatwire.





Glenn

[Glenn McInnes]

another in silver thread

[mmiller]

Glenn,

Thanks for the images. Great caps, all. Between yours and Ades, are there more standard or rarer types? Can the different styles of insignia be found on all M43s, or more specifically, is one insignia generally associated with a particular style (material, cut, etc.) of M43?

What about insignia shaped in a 'T'? What is that all about? Panzer?

Thanks for your Help!
Mark

[Colorado]

Mark - The first two caps put up by Ade and Glenn are the typical style. I am not familiar with Glenn's second cap. One will see both subdued and silver flatwire trapezoids applied.

Not sure if there is one considered more rare than another. "T" insignia I have not come across in an Heer M43 officer. In a Bergmuetze that is the norm.

[KC1]

Mark,

Here is an original T-insignia M43.

[KC1]

side view

[KC1]

interior shot

[mmiller]

Jeff,

Appreciate the clarification. Glenn's second 'lightweight' cap is very unique, to be sure.

Dan,

Yes, the 'T' insignia. I am guessing that is a bit scarcer to find, at least I don't see it anywhere near as often as the trapezoid style. Super cap. Now, following Jeff's explanation, I was thinking your '43 should be a Bergmuetze. I'm not sure. The bill of the cap looks shorter than the normal M43, but you didn't show a left side shot so I couldn't check for the edelweisse.


All these very sexy caps are making me VERY envious! Thanks for taking the effort and time to post.

Regards,
Mark