Posted 8 years ago
bluemax1914
(71 items)
This is a rare Panzergrenadier officer's visor cap in beautiful condition. The body is constructed of field-gray tricot, with a hand-embroidered oak leaf cockade and zinc metal Reichsadler. The waffenfarbe piping is meadow, or grass green.The interior is lined with silver-grey silk, with the celluloid trapezoid inscribed with the distributor's name and location. ("Josef Huber Uniformen Landshut, Bay. ..",) The cap was made by Berolina aka GA Hoffman from Berlin. The term Panzergrenadier was not adopted until 1942. Infantry in panzer divisions from 1939 onwards were known as Schützen Regiments; they wore the same rose pink piping on their uniforms as the tank crews. Soldiers in special Motorized Infantry units wore the standard white piping of the Infantry. In 1942, when Infantry Regiments were renamed as Grenadier Regiments by Hitler as a historical homage to Frederick the Great's Army, the Schützen regiments (and the soldiers in them) began to be re-designated as Panzergrenadier regiments, as did Motorized Infantry units and soldiers. Their waffenfarbe was also changed from either white (in the case of Motorized Infantry) or rose pink (with an "S" cypher that distinguished the Schützen from the tank and anti-tank units that also wore that colour) to a grass green shade previously worn by motorcycle troops. Some units did not change over their designations and/or waffenfarbe accoutrements until 1943, and in some cases did not change at all, one of the factors that contributed to making this a rare variety.
I know it was a deliberate action, but the design and quality of German uniforms is so impressive. Who would not feel victorious wearing them!