Original Item: Only One Available. The NSDAP or Nationalsozialistische Deutsche ArbeiterPartei, (National Socialist German Worker’s Party), was originally founded in Munich as the DAP, Deutsche Arbeiterpartei, (German Worker’s Party), on January 5TH 1919. When Adolf AH joined the DAP in the autumn of 1919 he was to reform what was basically a debating society into an active political party. Appointed as the first chairman of the party on July 29TH 1921, AH was to restructure it along para-military lines in a hierarchy.
This new NSDAP structure consisted of four ascending levels of government: the Ortsgruppenleitung (Local group leadership), the Kreisleitung (District leadership), the Gauleitung (Regional District leadership), and the Reichsleitung (National leadership). Each group was distinguished by a specific color of piping on the collar tabs and visor cap. From 1936 to 1939 in this scheme, light blue was for the Ortsgruppe level, black for Kreis level, burgundy red for Gau level, and gold yellow for the Reich level. After that the Kreis level changed to white piping.
This is nice example of a rare German WWII NSDAP Kreisleitung (District leadership) Level Political Leader's Visor Cap, which we believe is in about a size 56-57cm. Very similar to the military issue Schirmmütze (Peaked Cap), these were usually referred to as a Dienstmütze (Service Cap) or Tuchmütze (Cloth Cap). The cap shows high quality fabrication, made from tan "whipcord woven" fabric, and a traditional high front. The cap has the typical triple piping around the circumference, the white for the district level leader. The cap band is a lovely dark tan / gold velvet material.
It is decorated with a well detailed cast metal gilt brass spread-wing NSDAP Reichsadler (national eagle) insignia on the front, and an open cast metal gilt oak leaf wreath surrounding a metal tri-color cockade on the velvet band. The cockade has a small swas (hook cross) in the middle, only seen on these party leadership caps. All are in very good condition, with their plating partly retained.
It has a wonderful gold bullion cord "chinstrap", attached to the cap by gold-washed pebbled aluminum buttons, indicating that this cap is for an Officer / Leader. The visor / peak on this cap is actually brown-finished heavy pressed leather, not the usual vulcanfibre we see on these caps. It is in good condition, with just a bit of bending, and some lovely checking in the finish. It does look like it became loose and was secured by glue to the cap at some point.
The cap is lined with with orange "service cloth" on the sides, with lovely cream colored rayon twill on the top. The celluloid sweat shield diamond is however completely missing, as are the stitches, and there are no markings on the interior of the cap. The sweatband is tan finished leather, and is in very nice supple condition. We checked under the sweatband, and there is not an RZM tag, so this was most likely a high end bespoke example. The cap is in very good condition overall, with a great condition velvet band and body, showing just a bit of fraying on the bottom.
These caps are very rare, and this is the first example of a District level cap that we have been able to locate in a while. In fine condition, this cap is ready to display!
