Original German WWII HJ National Youth Organization Skimütze Winter Ski Cap

Original Item: Only One Available. This is a great looking German WWII HJ National Youth Organization Skimütze (Ski Cap), privately purchased for a young member of the HJ, probably by his parents. These were the standard headgear for DJ and HJ members during the winter months, and they are quite a bit more insulated than the summer issued caps. While they are called "Ski Caps", they were definitely used for general use.

The cap is constructed of very dark navy blue worsted wool gabardine cloth, with fold-down panels with rounded scallops to the front and forward sides, covering the entire neck on the sides and rear when in use. When not in use, the panels are raised with their ends resting upon the visor, being joined together by a simple plated stamped steel buckle. The visor is reinforced with cardboard, and covered in matching gabardine cloth.

The front top of the cap has a very nice enameled HJ diamond emblem, which consists of a black mobile swas inside a white square diamond, which is surrounded by alternating white and red quadrants. The borders between sections are plated metal, which still displays the original silver finish on the front and back. The back is also (RZM) marked with M1/25, for manufacture by Rudolf Reiling of Pforzheim.

The interior of the cap is lined with lightweight black cotton twill, which has crossing rows of quilt stitching to hold the insulation in place. It is in very good condition, showing some soiling around the bottom, and we can see a diamond of stitching on the top where a label used to be, but it is now completely missing. There is no size marked, but the cap is definitely VERY small, pretty much "child sized", and probably about a 49-50cm in size.

Overall condition is very good, with the color retained very well and showing only light wear, with no real signs of moth damage. The visor is still quite well shaped, though there is a bend / crease near the center, which is quite soft.

Overall, this is a lovely example of a private purchased HJ Winter Skimütze, ready to research and display!

HJ believed German youth to be the future of his 3rd Reich. The 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 (jugend) and girls (Bund Deutscher Mädel) were enlisted in the Party-run organization.

The HJ Skimütze Ski Cap was based on the Bergmütze (Mountain Hat) used by Austrian and German Gebirgsjäger (Mountain Troops) during WWI. Germany had adopted it in 1915, and after the war it spread throughout the military. It has the same fold down flaps, which can be placed over the ears during cold weather, and is secured with a buckle.