WWII NAZI GERMAN JÄGER OFFICER'S VISOR CAP WW2

Very early issued cap. Feldgrau wool body with gray/green centerband and green wool piping. Bullion wreath and eagle. Nice complete liner with original celluloid sweat diamond. Maker marked to Erel SonderKlasse. Complete leather sweatband but does have several small tears with minor loss. Visor caps were a standard item for all personnel during the Third Reich period and regulations dictated the form of dress they were to be worn with based on the individuals rank. Officer and certain senior NCO ranks were responsible for purchasing their own caps and as a result were allotted a clothing allowance through the army’s Kleiderkasse, (Clothing Account), system. The Officers and certain senior NCO’s could choose to purchase their caps from the armed forces clothing depots or to privately purchase visor caps of higher quality. Although enlisted personnel were issued their caps from government supplies they were also permitted to purchase privately tailored caps although the price may have been restrictive. Originally the insignia worn on the visor caps consisted the Weimar Reichsheer patterns which included a blackened leather chinstrap for all ranks. In February 1927 new chin cords for Officer ranks were introduced with silver cords for the ranks of Leutnant to Oberst and gilt cords for the ranks of Generalmajor to Generalfeldmarschall. Regulations of February 26TH 1936 also permitted senior NCO’s who were Officer Candidates to wear the Officers twisted silver/aluminum chin cord on their visor caps as opposed to the standard EM/NCO’s leather chinstrap. Of Note: Both the first pattern Reichsheer era visor cap eagle and wreath were replaced with the second pattern in March 1935. The different branches of service within the army were allocated a particular identifying waffenfarbe, (Branch of Service Color), with green being chosen for Jäger, (Light Infantry), personnel which was displayed as piping on the visor cap.