I acquired this splinter pattern M41 hat from Latvia. I have read that around 45,000 Latvians probably served in the German armed forces: volunteered or conscripted into the Latvian Legion, or as Hilfswilliger (armed uniformed auxilaries) or into SS units. I also read that initially units were uniformed in the old Latvian military uniforms, but that the Russians didn't take kindly to any prisoners they took in that uniform, so that all Latvian troops were issued with German pattern uniforms. I would have thought that a hat of ultra simplified flimsy construction like this issued to "allied nation" conscripts would have been locally made. Any thoughts? This hat is really filthy to the touch, faded, smells unpleasant, has no markings, never had an insignia, has long time rusty grommets. So is is real and WWII (Latvian), or German WWII, or something else post war, or a deliberate fake ?
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