M43 Cap with Edelweiss for review

[Stephen Stout]

Here is a private purchase M43 cap with Edelweiss for review. It belonged to a Heer Obergefreiter in Gebirgsjäger Nachrichten Abteilung 54. What I find interesting is how the Edelweiss is forward facing with a green backing. In addition, it looks like the the woven trapazoidal insignia is hand applied . What are your thoughts? Also what is the "value" of this cap generally? Thank you for your feedback.

[Stephen Stout]

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[Stephen Stout]

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[Stephen Stout]

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[Stephen Stout]

And thanks again!

[ferdinandmax]

regards sergio

[NickG]

It came with that neat document group. It's not a true bergmutze of course, (based on the visor length, but does have the
mountain cap buttons applied...a hybrid...simulating a bergmutze...Based on the lining and inside cap band a private purchase piece...
The trap is indeed carefully handstitched on to simulate machine (factory) application...

Possibly denazified (as dictated by law in Germany post war btw) and remained with the group and post war restored
(by the original owner? but he would not have restitched it that neatly if it was fixed up....professionally done!)
So otherwise made just like that war time by a cap maker. Hard to prove! Again its not a government issue cap,
based on the interior, so anything is possible! Definately not text book ...but neat and it came with the GJ-signals shoulderstrap
unit slide + documents/photos of the vet, who kept it as a souvenir of his war time service. All good signs that it was GJ used!

There is another story that the edelweiss pointing forward and up is a sign of proficiency in High Altitude mountaineering training...
"Hoch gebirge-unterricht" ....
Who knows?

[Gebirgsjgr]

Edelweiss – the standard direction for wearing the Edelweiss in the German Army is with the stem forward, but in the Austrian Army it is with the stem to the rear – which is still the case today. Even though the Germany Army had many Austrians, you only encounter this rarely though there is photographic evidence that it was done. The green backing was also an Austrian thing, though many in the 1st Mountain Division (not particularly Austrian) also adopted this practice.

Buttons – these look to be Steinnuss, which is one of the standard features of a Mountain cap (Bergmuetze). It is interesting that the creator of the cap decided to add this feature, since most M43’s with mountain troop insignia do not. Either the owner or the maker were very knowledgeable on the mountain troop distinctions, which again points to be Austrian.

Cap – I cannot help you on the originality or value of the cap.

-Matt

[Stephen Stout]

It came with that neat document group. It's not a true bergmutze of course, (based on the visor length, but does have the
mountain cap buttons applied...a hybrid...simulating a bergmutze...Based on the lining and inside cap band a private purchase piece...
The trap is indeed carefully handstitched on to simulate machine (factory) application...

Possibly denazified (as dictated by law in Germany post war btw) and remained with the group and post war restored
(by the original owner? but he would not have restitched it that neatly if it was fixed up....professionally done!)
So otherwise made just like that war time by a cap maker. Hard to prove! Again its not a government issue cap,
based on the interior, so anything is possible! Definately not text book ...but neat and it came with the GJ-signals shoulderstrap
unit slide + documents/photos of the vet, who kept it as a souvenir of his war time service. All good signs that it was GJ used!

There is another story that the edelweiss pointing forward and up is a sign of proficiency in High Altitude mountaineering training...
"Hoch gebirge-unterricht" ....
Who knows?

Edelweiss – the standard direction for wearing the Edelweiss in the German Army is with the stem forward, but in the Austrian Army it is with the stem to the rear – which is still the case today. Even though the Germany Army had many Austrians, you only encounter this rarely though there is photographic evidence that it was done. The green backing was also an Austrian thing, though many in the 1st Mountain Division (not particularly Austrian) also adopted this practice.

Buttons – these look to be Steinnuss, which is one of the standard features of a Mountain cap (Bergmuetze). It is interesting that the creator of the cap decided to add this feature, since most M43’s with mountain troop insignia do not. Either the owner or the maker were very knowledgeable on the mountain troop distinctions, which again points to be Austrian.

Cap – I cannot help you on the originality or value of the cap.

-Matt

I appreciate the in-depth replies. So it is basically a nicely made private cap from a soldier who served his country.

[ferdinandmax]

the edelweiss turned upside down, is the mountain guides, the cap is original, doubt for the triangle, I think it sewed up