SA Kepi

[Friedrich-Berthold]

" I may give up looking for a kepi if this one is fake but it does look proper to me. "

You have the voices of two real authorities here, with Wim and Bob, and further proof that the tendency of some to make themselves nuts
with random images should surrender to sound analysis by people in the know. That is what you get on this site.

[Friedrich-Berthold]

I think the cap might be okay. It is the same kepi, as is credited to John Coy in volume 3 for
"Headgear of Hitler's Germany" on page 560 (middle photo).

It is a cap for the "Kurpfalz"-district with silver button, according the SA color from about
March 1934. In the book was said "Ostmark", but then it should have been a golden colored
button. The SA-group "Ostmark" in the caption for page 560 is a mistake and must have been
overseen by me! I am getting confused myself.

Do let me say that no one venturing into this endeavor should be without Wim's fine book. It is a gold mine.

[maximus71]

Thank you all, the seller states the grommets are under the pink fabric and one is poking through, as far as the larger eagle on a early kepi maybe it was upgraded to the later form eagle when the fabric was changed to pink? I'm going to pick this one up if it's good enough for Wilhelms book then it's good enough for my display case, I will add better photos when it's aquired.

[Friedrich-Berthold]

Good for you. This thread proves how well all of this can work in the right hands.

We thank Wim and Bob for all their fine work to the benefit of so many.

[BOB COLEMAN]

I think the cap might be okay. It is the same kepi, as is credited to John Coy in volume 3 for
"Headgear of Hitler's Germany" on page 560 (middle photo).

It is a cap for the "Kurpfalz"-district with silver button, according the SA color from about
March 1934. In the book was said "Ostmark", but then it should have been a golden colored
button. The SA-group "Ostmark" in the caption for page 560 is a mistake and must have been
overseen by me! I am getting confused myself.

I knew John Coy for many years. He passed away around 10 years ago and his collection was scattered to the four winds. He was another of the early collector individuals who helped build the hobby.

[Friedrich-Berthold]

I knew John Coy for many years. He passed away around 10 years ago and his collection was scattered to the four winds. He was another of the early collector individuals who helped build the hobby.

Thank you, Bob, for a perspective that is otherwise impossible to secure.

[Wilhelm Saris]

Thank you all, the seller states the grommets are under the pink fabric and one is poking through, as far as the larger eagle on a early kepi maybe it was upgraded to the later form eagle when the fabric was changed to pink?

Maybe the kepi earlier had another SA-group color. This is difficult to say, maybe dark-brown
(the early Westmark-area) or just was without any color, as like that the kepi was worn until
July 7, 1933 when the SA group-colors for all were introduced.

The color pink (rosarot) was in use by "Ostmark". The SA-group "Kurpfalz" did not exist at that moment.
It came into being possibly in early 1934, or anyway about March 1934 and existed from the areas
Rheinpfalz, Saar and Rhein-Hessen. Pink was chosen for that group and while "Ostmark" had a
golden button, it would be silver for the new SA-group.



Already with orders from May 28, 1934 the top color was changed into steel-green and so
the pinkish color was only worn for a short period of time, possiby only for about
four months or so. In fact the larger eagle cannot be used as this is the 1937 pattern,
introduced by orders from June 28. I guess earlier the smaller NSDAP version was installed
and changed by the one or other dealer or collector out-of ignorance. Maybe the small
holes for the prongs from the early pattern eagle are to be found behind the larger eagle!



The first image is from the "Anzugsordnung für die SA", the second from the "Verordnungsblatt
der Obersten SA-Führung".

In 1935 the Kurpfalz -headquarters were at Mannheim, assigned were brigade 50
(Starkenburg), located at Darmstadt with the SA-Standarte-numbers 115, 168, 186,
221, reserve-units 115 and 168 and mounted (Reiter) 50.
Further brigade 51 (Ostpfalz), located at Neustadt with the numbers 5, 12, 18, 22,
reserves 22 and 80 and mounted 51;
brigade 150 (Rheinhessen), located at Mainz with the numbers 4, 80, 117, 118 and 224,
reserves 117 and 224 and mounted 150;
brigade 151 (Westpfalz), located at Saarbrücken with the numbers 23, 30, 70 and reserve 70;
brigade 153 (Unterbaden), located at Heidelberg with the numbers 17, 110, 171, 250 and
the reserves 110 and 250.
This is just for your convenience!

[Friedrich-Berthold]

Bravo! May I also note that these locales were then part of the US zone, and hence items there are very likely to have fallen into the hands of US
souvenir hunters and then US collectors.

[maximus71]

I will check the grommet color when I get the cap for clues, so if the pink color was used for only about four months how does it exist today? And should I try to replace the eagle with an early version if possible?

[Wilhelm Saris]

I will check the grommet color when I get the cap for clues, so if the pink color was used for only about four months how does it exist today? And should I try to replace the eagle with an early version if possible?

I guess the kepi-owner will have bought himself a new cap with the steel-green top
and kept the old kepi for unknown reasons.

I think you will see the holes from the prongs when the bigger eagle is removed,
to replace it by a smaller eagle version. Maybe not? You should first take sizes
between the prongs, as it is ugly when one sees the holes. Another possibility:
you could get you a smooth (not pebbled) golden button and replace it. Then you
have a cap from the other SA-district. I think many caps are not in the original
condition as eagles were changed or buttons replaced!