M36 Bergmutze,beautiful,named,and full of history!
Article about: Ben,Dave,Rube and Panzer.....thanks a lot for your kind words guys! This cap is a real beauty and I'm very proud of it! Panzer...collectors are just too much in love with their little "
M36 Bergmutze,beautiful,named,and full of history!
Hi everybody,
I’d love to share with you this beautiful M36 Bergmutze which has been found a few years ago in Germany by a friend of mine.It belonged to a Jager of I/GR 136 and when my friend found this cap along with it he found the former owner’s boots,unit-stamped 11/GJR 137 (!!!) and his gaiters,privately made of nearly the same cloth this Bergmutze is made of.I/136 was stationed in Innsbruk where the Stab was stationed as well,
A Google search will reveal many details about the birth and the combat history of GJR136 ,from Poland in 1939 to Norway in 1940,then in Lappland from 1941 to 1944 to the end of its career fighting in the Saarpfalz.,and it would be interesting to know where our friend Herbert fought.
As a side note here you go a short resume of GJR 137 combat History to compare notes:
“2. Gebirgs-Divison was formed on 1 April 1938 from the 6. Division and 8. Brigade of the Austrian Bundesheer.
It fought in Poland as a part of Heeresgruppe Süd. On 23 September the division attacked the Polish 24. Infantry Division (Colonel Boleslaw Schwarzenberg-Czerny) in the forest near Boratycze. III/Gebirgsjäger-Regiment 137 was cut-off from the rest of the division and suffered heavy losses until other elements of the division managed to break through to them and the Polish forces withdrew in the evening.
In 1940 it took part in the invasion of Norway, during the invasion it fought in central Norway and later travelled through the wilderness from Trondheim to Narvik in an attempt to rescue the besieged 3. Gebirgs-Divison.
When Norway surrendered the division was used as an occupation force until the invasion of the Soviet Union. The division fought in Lapland as part of Gebirgskorps Norwegen (later XIX. Gebirgs-Armeekorps) on the northern sector of the Eastern Front until 1944 when it was sent to Denmark. It later fought on the western front and ended the war near Würtemberg (in southern Germany
This stunning bergmutze is nearly as fresh as it was back in 1939,when it was issued to our friend and it’s chockfull of very interesting features.For starters the front strengthening strip is found outside of the lining,rather than being under the latter like in later models,and the soft leather sweatband is as supple a s they come…this cap sure hasn’t seen too much combat and IMHO it was used as an “Ausgeh” Bergmutze.
The T-shaped front insigna is neatly hand-sewn to the cap,whereas the edelweiss is secured to the side of the crown with a nice vivid green thread,which looks brighter in my pictures courtesy of my photographic skills……or lack thereof!
The short bill is a distinctive feature of Bergmutzen until when they started being but M43 Einheitsfeldmutzen with an edelweiss sewn on their side.Ditto for the wide front part of the folding earcover,secured by two hazelnut buttons; the buttonholes are to be seen to be believed!The lining is made of blue-gray linen fabric and has a maker’s mark which is covered by our Gebirgsjaeger's name/unit tag and a size (58).
all in all a stunning piece which I hope you’ll enjoy!
Cheers
Manny
Re: M36 Bergmutze,beautiful,named,and full of history!
Thanks for watching everybody!Steve...it only has a minumim of nap wear and a small spot that looks like a very superficial cigarette burn...but you can't have everything...can you ?
Cheers
Manny
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