SS Visor from SS Wiking Div veteran

[BenVK]

I have to admit that it's been a pretty poor year for finding caps from my perspective.

However, I did manage to acquire this cap recently which is notable not for what it is but who it belonged to. On the surface, it's a typical SS Kleiderkasse cap, not especially that well made which is typical but in really nice condition.

It was auctioned by HH along with other items belonging to the same Wiking veteran, including his tunic which went for quite a lot of money, some insignia, a raincoat and I forget what else.

I'll show you the cap first and then tell you what I know about the veteran. His story makes for interesting reading and deserving of recognition because there is next to nothing about him on this forum up to now.

So, here we go and I wish you all well for the New Year.

[BenVK]

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[BenVK]

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[BenVK]

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[Christian J]

Nice cap. Remember this Renz group.

[BenVK]

5

Worthy of note: The piping is a blend of spiral weave rayon and wool (which has worn away somewhat)

As you can see, it has the name "Renz" written in ink on the size label.

[BenVK]

The name is attributed to one SS-Untersturmführer/Obersturmführer Dr. Manfred Renz.

When I was first offered this cap, I immediately picked up on Doctor title and thought well, he must have been in a non combative role.

Nothing could be further from the truth.

He was actually an SS Panther tank commander and at one point a Zugführer (platoon leader) of a recon platoon directly involved in the battle of Kovel in April 1944.

[BenVK]

Some extracts from published books on the subject.

[BenVK]

Here's Renz (in the centre with leather jacket) sitting on either his Panther or one belonging to his recon platoon.

Second photo shows Renz (far right) Knight Cross award ceremony for the commander of the SS-PzAbt 5 Wiking SS-Stubaf. Johannes-Rudolf Mühlenkamp on 6 September 1942 in Apscheronskaja.

[BenVK]

There are quite a few other accounts of Renz's experiences published in books but it's probably not cool for me to post too many of them due to copyright issues.

So, what makes this Renz's visor? After all, anyone could write his name on a period cap size tag, age the ink and place it in this cap and then add it to the rest of the items attributed to him.

Well, I thought the same but then looked carefully at this period photo of Renz wearing a white piped visor cap.

[BenVK]

When I zoomed in (much higher resolution original scan) I noticed a few things.
In general, the shape of the cap, the width of the piping and placement of the insignia seemed to match but that's no guarantee. I then spotted something curious. In the photo, there are two very small lighter spots on the vulcanfibre peak of the cap.

Spots of dust on the lens or scanner? could be but they just happen to be in the exact same position as the very real spots on the actual peak! Maybe not as good as a fingerprint but pretty close I would suggest.

[phild]

Great cap. Interesting and little seen piping material as well....often associated with some C&W caps. That is a fantastic "crusher" he is wearing in photo group #7 as well.

As for doctors....and i realize in this case it is different......but many even medical doctors found themselves in close combat situations, many killed by direct small arms fire for example......hard to generalize what was what was not a combat role especially on the Eastern Front.

[N.C. Wyeth]

Nice cap, Ben.

Even if they are "run-o-the-mill" and/or "Service-Duty" - I still think the Kleiderkasse visors for SS Officer were some of the best looking caps made.

[BenVK]

If only it were his coloured piped crusher instead!

Yeah, the Doctor title threw me at first but then I realised that Germany was (still are) very big on awarding scientific, technological and engineering Doctorates which I believe, but I'm not sure yet, was one of the fields Renz studied in.

[BenVK]

It's very interesting to note the 5th Pz Div Wiking uniforms. Coloured piped caps were common, as were Luftwaffe style leather jackets.