Feuerwehr Officer Schirmmutze

[SARGE]

Gents,

 

This is a peaked cap for Officers of the German Volunteer Fire Department (FFW). This dark blue wool cap is made in the saddle form top style called a Schirmmutze. The alternate round top shape looks like a plate so it is called a Tellermutze. German Fire Department piping is bright carmine so this cap is piped in that color. This bright carmine color will react to a black light and will show florescence by glowing and this is correct with WWII period Feuerwehr (FW) piping. The band is black velvet on this example and the cap cords are aluminum. Some FFW Officer cap cords will be found that have black or red flecks in them as well.

 

This cap has the orange color oilcloth lining normally seen on NCO caps and the celluloid sweat shield has no maker but is instead marked "Wasserdicht" indicating it is water proof. A perfectly practical marking for a Feuerwehr cap that is guaranteed to get wet. There is no maker indicated. The insignia consist of a proud Officer style Nationale cockade and a three dimensional one-piece Officer style proud police eagle. This leads me to believe this was either a low cost Officer cap or one worn by a Portepeeunteroffizier with the rank of Meister. Meisters were senior NCOs who were authorized to wear an Officer Portepee on their swords and Officer cap cords on their peaked caps.

 

Notice the attached Knotel uniform plate showing the blue uniforms of the NS Zeit Volunteer Fire Department (FFW) as opposed to the Professional Fire Departments which operated as full time Civil Service organizations. These police uniform plates were issued as a book or as postcards which could be collected by the public from the German Post Office.

 

 

[jmd62]

What a great looking example!

[RRA227]

Nice visor. Rich A. in Pa.

[Wake1941]

Fantastic condition, I've always admired the police hats. They have a great look to them

[Old Marine]

Even the firemen looked imposing. Nice cap in great condition.

[mgalat]

Fantastic FFW visor cap....It is not easy to find top-end FFW/FW visor caps

[SARGE]

Thanks for the kudos mgalat. I like your white top visor as well. I would like to see a post on your Polizei cap.

[mgalat]

Here is my FW Officers Erel Privat visor cap.... I have aways thought that FW visors were under appreciated.

 

[mgalat]

My FFW Officers visor cap

[mgalat]

Very rare FW .. true Crusher cap......very salty

 

[SARGE]

Three very nice Feuerwehr caps. I see that your Erel Privat has the same one-piece Officer style proud eagle as is on my cap.

 

I have never seen a FW crusher before. I presume it is a fatigue cap worn like the soft Polizei Hausemutze peaked cap? Very neat and a very rare piece of headgear as you state. Congratulations!

[mgalat]

Thanks Sarge

[mgalat]

My latest a Double Erel Officers visor with vented cockade

[SARGE]

A very nice cap with the vented cockade and the two piece eagle. A textbook example with the thumb-wear that I like to see on the underside of the visor.

[mgalat]

Thanks Sarge...The cap is unissued...the mark you see is from a sticker that was placed there at one time.

[RRA227]

Nice caps. Rich A. in Pa.

[pvon]

Very minty!

 

Thanks for showing!

 

PVON