This is a post-1943 Heer General’s cap. Its features general's regulation bullion (hand-embroidered bullion had to meet certain conditions, like that the insignia had to be all gold bullion if it was going to be worn). The cap is in a Teller (“plate”) shape, and has hand-embroidered bullion insignia and bullion chinstraps.

Historical Context

The Visor in the Third Reich: 1933-1945 Unlike its counterpart the helmet, the visor cap was meant to distinguish the officer and display rank. Within a few seconds of seeing an officer, a practiced eye would be able to tell exactly what type of behavior was required. As an important symbol of power and prestige, it was vital for these caps to have uniform components. During World War II, Germany’s military forces were divided into three main components – the Heer, the Kreigsmarine, and the Luftwaffe (the SA, SS, NSKK, and NSFK branches were considered paramilitary and not part of the Wehrmacht). The Heer was the equivalent of the army, the Kreigsmarine the equivalent of the Navy, and the Luftwaffe the equivalent of the air force. Each of these components had special insignia and colors denoting the branch of the military they belonged to, but each of them also had uniform ranking insignia that were recognizable no matter what branch the officer was in. The gold bullion oak leaves were the most prestigious insignia available to officers in Germany, but were available by private purchase only.¹

Country: Germany	War Period: World War II
Garment Type: Visor Hat	Year Made: 1935 — 1945
Identification: HRV-05-0706