Officer's M43 cap

**all1knew** · 09-23-2015, 09:06 PM

Hello all,

I picked this one up recently and it came without the insignia on the front of the cap (originally had a trapezoid on it)

I would like to know if this cap is authentic and would appreciate any opinions on it. To me, it is very green like Polizei. As you can see in the photos, it is very worn and soiled in certain spots. I would also like to ensure this is not artificial aging if at all possible.

Thanks in advance.

William Kramer

**Espenlaub Militaria** · 09-23-2015 09:06 PM

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**Adrian Stevenson** · 09-24-2015, 07:33 AM

Hi William, it is original.

I can see what you mean by the soiling. Some of it does look a bit contrived.

The cap would have been for a Heer Officer, as the Police did not wear the trapezoid shaped insignia.

Cheers, Ade.

**harryamb2** · 09-24-2015, 07:19 PM

it looks ok.

**all1knew** · 09-28-2015, 03:50 PM

by Adrian Stevenson

The cap would have been for a Heer Officer, as the Police did not wear the trapezoid shaped insignia.

Cheers, Ade.

OK, so now this is really going to get interesting. This is the second cap I have found like this. If you visit this thread:

highest quality Heer Officer M43 cap - size 60 - Wehrmacht-Awards.com Militaria Forums

you'll see the first cap I found had a hand-stitched Heer enlisted rank trapezoid to the front of it. Those guys over there tell me to take it off as it is a Polizei cap.

THEN I find this cap years later and totally separate and it has a SS enlisted trapezoid sewn to the front of it. To me, the SS trap looks to be a reproduction (though it nor anything else about this cap glows under a black-light)

So what is going on with these things? The only real difference with the cap I recently found is that it has the Officer's leather sweatband installed. If these were fakes, why sew enlisted rank insignia to the front of an Officer's cap (as I don't think people that make fake caps of this caliber are that stupid, but also I don't think either is a reproduction)

How should I restore this one then, put an original green SS trap on it?

Any period photos showing a similar cap to this one being worn?

William Kramer