DRK Cap

[ironratt]

Hey Andreas, Very interesting grouping and great info you have there. Since you are obviously knowledgeable on the German Red Cross items your input of my field cap would be much appreciated. What are the time frames of this branch? I assume they're all post war, no?
Thanks for any information you can supply.

iRon

[HPL2008]

Although I have a few DRK caps, I must admit I am not a headgear collector. Having said that, the cap as such looks post-war to me, and the cap badge is definitely post-war. Caps in this traditional mountain cap-/field cap style were worn by the DRK into the 1990s; aluminum piping identified personnel with Führer [leader] duty positions on unit level, while those on county level or above had gold piping and buttons. Early caps had a functional flap that could be unbuttoned and folded down, while on late ones the flap and buttons were purely decorative.

The color of your cap is a bit of a mystery to me, though. It looks like a sort of reed green on my screen, and I am not aware that the DRK ever used such a uniform color. Early DRK uniforms and caps were of a dark charcoal grey, which was later changed to a sort of blue-grey.

Late caps of the type worn with service dress into the 1990s:



Early and late sidecap for wear with the field-/work uniform:

[HPL2008]

A closer look at a service cap and another type of headgear used by the DRK, a civil defense-type field cap from the 1960s. In terms of construction, yours is halfway between them:

[ironratt]

Thanks for the update Andreas - Very handsome group of caps and uni you've posted. I did figure mine was definitely post war because of the non-functional flaps/buttons but I wasn't aware they continued making them into the 90's. I do like the unique green color of my cap but know checking out your gray ones I may need to get mine a companion, lol.

iRon

[HPL2008]

I did figure mine was definitely post war because of the non-functional flaps/buttons but I wasn't aware they continued making them into the 90's.

They did.

I was with the BRK from 1990 to 2007. When I joined, male service dress [the Dienstanzug] still consisted of the grey service uniform and -cap as seen in post # 3, but around that time, the decision had already been made to replace it with a new model service dress in a distinctly civilian style, with a dark blue single- or double-breasted suitcoat, light grey pants and no headgar. This was gradually phased in over the course of several years.
Around 2014 or so, service dress was changed yet again: The single-breasted jacket was now of a darker shade of blue and in a semi-civilian cut but distinctly more uniform-like than its predecessor (for example, duty position insignia now consist of hard shoulder boards). Also, headgear was reintroduced, now in the form of a dark blue peaked cap.

The sidecaps were worn with the old model work-/field uniform [the Einsatzanzug], which was identical to the Bundeswehr field uniforms of the time in terms of cut and material, but blue-grey rather than olive (and, obviously, with different insignia). During the nineties, a cornflower-blue beret was introduced, which was worn concurrently with the sidecaps.

[HPL2008]

If it is of interest to you, here are the official components of the Dienstanzug and the Einsatzanzug worn in the early to mid-1990s (as listed in uniform regulations and supply lists). All components are in blue-grey unless stated otherwise:


Dienstanzug [service dress]

• Dienstrock [service tunic]*/+
• Diensthose [service pants]*
• Diensthose mit Biesen [piped service pants]*
• Dienstmütze [service cap]*/++
• Selbstbinder [tie]
• Diensthemd 1/1 Arm, hellblau [service shirt, long sleeve, light blue]**
• Diensthemd 1/2 Arm, hellblau [service shirt, short sleeve, light blue]**
• Leibriemen, Leder schwarz, mit Dornschnalle [belt, leather, black, with twin-claw buckle]***

There was also an older model of weather jacket for wear over the uniform in cold or wet conditions that was no longer listed in regulations and supply lists of the time, but still widely worn out. Those who didn't have one usually wore the parka of the Einsatzanzug instead.


Einsatzanzug [work-/field uniform]

• Feldjacke (Parka) [field jacket (parka)]
• Jacke [jacket]
• Gürtelhose [pants]
• Blouson, 1/2 Arm, hellblau [blouson, short sleeve, light blue] x
• Pullover [jumper]
• Feldmütze (Schiffchen) [field cap (sidecap)] +++
• Barett, blau [beret, blue] ++++
• Wintermütze [winter cap]
• Schutzhelm (Feuerwehrhelm) [protectice helmet (fire department helmet)]
• Sturmhaube [balaclava]****
• Diensthemd 1/1 Arm, hellblau [service shirt, long sleeve, light blue]**
• Diensthemd 1/2 Arm, hellblau [service shirt, short sleeve, light blue]**
• Fallschirmspringer-Stiefel [jump boots]
• Sicherheitsstiefel [safety boots]
• Leibriemen, Leder schwarz, mit Dornschnalle [belt, leather, black, with twin-claw buckle]***
• Leibriemen, Textil blaugrau, mit Kastenschloss [belt, webbing, blue-grey, with rectangular buckle]

*) Available in worsted yarn, tricot and diolen-serge.
**) Worn with both types of uniform. Available in 100 % cotton and a 50/50 cotton/polyester blend.
***) Worn with both types of uniform.
****) For wear under the helmet only.
+) With silver or gold buttons (depending on duty position).
++) With silver buttons and no piping, silver buttons and silver piping or gold buttons and gold piping (depending on duty position).
+++) With no piping, silver piping or gold piping (depending on duty position).
++++) With silver or gold badge (depending on duty position).
x) Not for the BRK.


Additional private-purchase items of clothing (socks, shoes, scarves, gloves etc.) were to be of a matching/suitable color.


Insignia were worn as follows:

• Collar patches: Sewn to the collar of the tunic. #
• DRK patch: Sewn to the left upper sleeve of the tunic 14 cm below the shoulder seam. Sewn to both upper sleeves of the shirt, jumper, field/work jacket and parka 14 cm below the shoulder seams.
• Duty position insignia: Sewn to the left upper sleeve of the tunic, 1 cm above the Red Cross insignia. Sewn to both upper sleeves, 1 cm above the DRK insignia on the shirt, field/work jacket and parka; later worn as shoulder board slip-ons on the shirt, jumper, field/work jacket and parka.
• Branch color slip-on loops (introduced mid-1990s): Worn at the base of the shoulder boards on the field/work jacket and parka.
• Trade badge: Sewn to the right lower sleeve of the tunic, field/work jacket and parka, 9 cm above the lower edge of the sleeve. ##
• Cuff title (if appropriate): Sewn to the right lower sleeve of the the tunic and field/work jacket, 4 cm above the lower edge of the sleeve.
• "ARZT" patch for physicians: Sewn to the right lower sleeve of the the tunic and field/work jacket, 4 cm above the lower edge of the sleeve.
• Name tag: Pinned above the right breast pocket of the tunic.
• Name tape: Sewn above the left breast pocket of the field/work jacket, parka and sweater.

# = Grey collar patches with enamelled Red Cross emblem and silver piping or gold piping (depending on duty postion). For physicians, blue collar patches with hand-embroidered Aesculapius Rod and Red Cross emblem; embroidery and piping in silver or gold (depending on duty position).
# = Unpiped, with silver piping or gold piping (depending on duty position).

Cloth insignia were made in different versions for wear with the service tunic or the work/field uniform; the latter were of a washable quality.