Original German WWII HJ 56cm Summer Overseas Cap with Red "General-HJ" Piping and RZM Tag - HJ Sommer Mütze

Original Item: Only One Available. AH believed German youth to be the future of his 3rd Reich. The HJ (AH Jugend or HJ) National Youth Organization was formed officially in 1935, and with the exception of NSDAP ideology indoctrination was very similar to the Boy Scouts. Beginning at about the age of ten years, both boys aged 14-18 (AH Jugend) and girls aged 14-18 (Bund Deutscher Mädel) were enlisted in the Party-run organization. Within the organization, a degree of military style ranks were maintained, as well as the various "corps" or branches that existed in the Wehrmacht.

This is a great example of a HJ youth overseas cap or Allgemeine jugend Sommer-Mütze (General HJ summer cap). It is a cotton "whipcord weave" twill tan colored cap with hochrot (Deep Red or Scarlet) piping, which indicates they wearer was in the General-HJ Branch. The front features an early pattern SA-Style Reichsadler eagle on the top, over an enamel HJ cap badge diamond insignia, which has prongs on the back for attachment, so it is not a membership badge. Most of these that we have had in the past were the later types without the SA eagle and with BeVo insignia.

The interior of the cap is lined with orange "service cloth" type material, which shows little to no use. The bottom of the cap still has a fully intact brown finished leather sweatband, which is in excellent condition showing no wear or deterioration. The cap looks to most likely have never been issued, with any wear being from age and storage.

The cap still bears a original fabric RZM tag, which indicates that the cap is a SOMMERMÜTZE (Summer Cap) made per the RJF regulations. The HJ logo is on the left, while the RZM logo is on the right, though the size 56 was stamped over it. There is the Hersteller (supplier) number 79 followed by lot number B ✱ 377841. The bottom of the tag lists the regulations that the cap was made in compliance with.

This wonderful basely used early style HJ cap would make a wonderful piece for any German WW2 collection. Ready to research and display!