Thursday, July 9, 2009

Civil looking un-civil berets




These pictures and the description below come from the web site of a collector/trader in Nazi memorablia.
Not a beret that would fit in my collection, but I find it interesting how "civil" this military beret looks; not the military standard smooth and flat top as we know it from armies around the world, but the lappet still showing in the middle.
Not that that makes it any more civilized, of course...

Regiment General Goring panzer beret (schutzmutze). This exceptionally rare beret is the rarest item of headgear I have ever had. I first heard of this piece several years ago when I learned that this was sold to an advanced collector approximately 25 years ago after turning up at a show in Greenbelt, Maryland when a person walked in with it along with a sturmartillery beret. This until now unobtainable beret was worn by the Regiment General Goring armored units from 1938 through early 1940. This offering features a machine stitched bevo Luftwaffe eagle and machine woven kokarde. The beret's upper body (tam) is in excellent condition showing only minor wear. The crash helmet liner indicates the maker as G.A. Hoffmann, Berlin. The oilcloth maker's label is unit stamped " 1/ /Pz.R./III" - 1ST Kompanie/…./ Panzer Regt./ 3rd Battalion. The sweatband is marked size 55. Under the leather sweatband is stamped B II 40 (Luftwaffe depot marking and date). Extremely rare. $16,999.

People willing to pay this sort of money for a beret like this, and everything it stands for, seems a bit uncivil to me anyway... The beret below is a 1938 Panzer, or armoured corps beret.

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