M40 Tropical 'DAK' cap for review - F. Weissbach, Glauchau

[PaulW]

Hi, grateful for thoughts on this F. Weissbach (Glauchau) E41 (Erfurt Depot) tropical 'DAK' cap with July 1942 removed (Artillery) soutache.

It seems to conform to the various criteria typical for this particular maker (I think), including the garish zig-zag eagle application (and eagle type), with straight machine stitched cockade, stitch lines (type) under the peak, long stitches used in the cap's construction, light coloured thread, low profile, rivets and rivet colour etc

Here are two other examples of this maker type for comparison:-

https://virtualgrenadier.com/sale_item.php?iid=3778

https://virtualgrenadier.com/sale_item.php?iid=3815

although somewhat more desireable with intact soutaches!

Regards, Paul

[PaulW]

A remaining red thread from the soutache - highlighted.

[B. N. Singer]

Hi, grateful for thoughts on this F. Weissbach (Glauchau) E41 (Erfurt Depot) tropical 'DAK' cap...

Regards, Paul

From those pictures, I like it.

B. N. singer

[dakcollector]

No doubt 100% original... very nice tropical cap!

[PaulW]

Thank-you very much for the quick feedback!

I have just found another example of a tropical cap by this maker, although this time an 'Overseas' cap. It does however show a number of similar manufacturing traits:-

https://virtualgrenadier.com/sale_item.php?iid=4035

[PaulW]

And at the risk of boring everyone....

Some factory related pictures and a little history from this German website:-

https://artefakte.perladesa.de/artefakte_glauchau.htm

Rough English translation:-

"Founded in 1923 as the Felix Weissbach weaving mill, the company was known as Weissbach & Co. Seidenweberei Glauchau since the summer of 1936 and was a subsidiary of Max Funke GmbH in Meerane. After decommissioning the textile production in 1942, armament production began for the Sachsenwerk AG Radeberg and Voigt & Haeffner AG Frankfurt / Main. In February 1946, the private property was confiscated and nationalized. In the summer of 1950 the company was called VEB Silka silk weaving Glauchau and then belongs to the decommissioning at the turn of the year 1954/55 to the VEB textile works unit Glauchau. On April 1, 1970, the formation of the VEB textile works Palla Glauchau by merger of the national companies VEB textile works unit Glauchau, VEB Textilveredlungswerke Glauchau and VEB Palla woolen and silk weaving Meerane."

It's interesting that it is stated here that the Weissbach factory 'decommissioned textile production' in 1942, and that I think that Weissbach tropical caps are mainly seen with 1941 (and 1940?) dates, but not 1942?

[PaulW]

Finally some contemporary printed materials relating to this manufacturer. Some from WW1 period diaries, some Rechnungs (one from 1933 showing that they made caps for the SA), and one from 1941.

Also a magazine for hat manufacturers dating from 1925 with an advert for Felix Weissbach, and also another well known tropical cap manufacturer (to be!), Alfred Valet !

Regards, Paul

[Tim O'Keefe]

Hi Paul

Your Weissbach is a one-looker even without the soutache. Many caps by this maker were found in the beehive cache's including M40's. Some war time used Weissbach's exist in collections also. Not aware of any 1940 made Weissbach's ? There are more E41 caps than E42's. But the E42's are around in numbers. Know some claim the beehive cache's contained only 1942 made caps but this is incorrect as these E41 Weisbach's prove.

Nice expose' on the Weissbach factory also

cheers

Tim

[enorepap]

Hallo Paul

Not in relation to the fieldcap (it's not an area of my experience), but rather to the images of the buildings you've discovered and that are really interesting. I see that even in Germany, as in the rest of the old continent, everything is going into a state of neglect and decay. A truly comforting prospect for the future ...

Best regards

[anmarlodz]

A very nice cpa in decent size. Wish to have one like that. would be perfect for my italian front display.

[PaulW]

Hi Paul

Your Weissbach is a one-looker even without the soutache. Many caps by this maker were found in the beehive cache's including M40's. Some war time used Weissbach's exist in collections also. Not aware of any 1940 made Weissbach's ? There are more E41 caps than E42's. But the E42's are around in numbers. Know some claim the beehive cache's contained only 1942 made caps but this is incorrect as these E41 Weisbach's prove.

Nice expose' on the Weissbach factory also

cheers

Tim

Hi Tim, appreciate you taking a look, I know this is 'your area' !

Interesting ref the beehive cache and probability of no 1940 caps being made but some dated 1942. I suppose if the factory shut it's textile operation down in 1942 (if the article above is correct) then you would expect some caps to be arriving at Depots in 1942.

Ref condition the seller described it as showing "evidence of minor wear use". The cap won't be shipped until the seller returns to the UK from the Max Show so I will have to wait before getting a chance to examine it in hand. I'll post more pictures when I get it. If worn it wasn't for long! The soutache removal (July 1942 orders) could of course have been done whilst in the supply chain before or after the Depot.

enorepap - Agree, sad to see ref the buildings. However Weissbach was in the old communist DDR and perhaps that may have saved the buildings a little longer (lack of money perhaps to 'redevelop' it into a glass and concrete monstrosity had it been in West Germany?). It would be good to see them redeveloped into apartments etc and more recent news (2015) is that the local town does want to preserve the buildings, so let's hope so.

anmarlodz - I must admit it was reading a book on the Italian front recently:-

Panzer-Abteilung 208 / I / Pz Regt Feldherrnhalle - (Stefano Di Giusto, 2010)

https://www.tankograd.com/cms/websit...Kompanien.htm#

that 'triggered' my interest in these caps (again! - had a soutache removed Alfred Valet many years ago), having been more interested in the feldgrau and Luftwaffe blau in recent times. A fantastic book btw, extremely detailed and well written unit history, numerous high-quality pictures, and 'dripping' in tropical uniforms worn in Italy!

Best regards, Paul

[John Hodgin]

Great addition Paul, very desirable maker and date! Congrats.

[PaulW]

Great addition Paul, very desirable maker and date! Congrats.

Thank-you John!

It's become something of an overnight favourite in the collection.

[PaulW]

The cap was delivered the other day so have taken my own pictures. Looking at it in hand I would say that despite the obvious good condition I tend to agree with the seller regarding his description of "evidence of minor wear/ use", i.e I think it was issued and worn, albeit briefly.

The soutache has been removed as per the July 1942 regulations and small nicks in the cap can be seen where this was done (primarily above the bill), and there is a trace of red soutache thread under the bill. All things are possible of course, but I think on the balance of probabilities it is quite likely that it was 'in service' around the time of the removal order of July 1942, either 'lingering' at the Erfurt Depot or in the supply chain, perhaps at the destination unit, or after having been issued to the soldier, when this was done. IMHO !

According to research done by WAF member Lodsworth these caps were made with the relatively wide ribbed material, as seen on this example. His research also indicates 2 types of roundel found on the 6 examples that he studied, actually 3 of each. I think this roundel is the earlier of the two types, (designated "CB1" in his study), but most obviously lighter in colour when looking at the two types side by side. He says that these lighter coloured roundels were seen in 1940 in very small numbers but are mainly associated with 1941 dated caps.

Tim (see above) mentions that he is unaware of any 1940 (Depot date) examples, and all the caps in Lodsworth's study are 1941 Depot dated. It would seem likely that production started in 1941 (or at least no caps reached the Erfurt Depot until 1941).

According to this German archive / local history site for the Saxony region:-

https://www.archiv.sachsen.de/archiv...=31219&syg_id=

the Felix Weissbach factory 'wound down' textile production between June and November 1942 (so more precise than "1942"), transitioning to "armament production".

https://www.archiv.sachsen.de/archiv...e-46fd1760e550 - See this link

which states:- "Abteilung Metall, Umstellung des Betriebes von der Weberei zur Rüstungsproduktion" which Google Translate gives as "Department of Metal, change of operation from weaving mill to armament production"

Looking at this information, they may have stopped making caps as early as June 1942 as the factory was refitted? As Tim states above there are 1942 Depot dated caps out there so this would make sense. Is it possible that F. Weissbach made tropical caps for only a year to 18 months? They could still have made a lot in that time, it looks like a large factory!

((It seems I still can't post pictures, will try again later! Correction, didn't like 10, so have reverted to 4 per post for now.))

[PaulW]

Will try 6 more pics!

A couple without a flash.