Original German WWII National Socialist War Victim's Care Leader's Schirmmütze Visor Cap with Stahlhelmbund Pin

Original Item: Only One Available. The National Socialist War Victim's Care (Nationalsozialistische Kriegsopferversorgung or NSKOV) was a social welfare organization for seriously wounded veterans as well as frontline fighters of World War I. The NSKOV was established in 1934 and was affiliated to the NSDAP Party. The headquarters of the organization was in Kreuzberg, Berlin (at the time called the SW 68 district) and employed the architect Willy Muehlau to design cheap residential complexes for NSDAP war veterans. These complexes emerged some time between the late 1920s and early 1930s and are protected according to the City of Berlin's Denkmalliste (monument list).

This is a very nice WWII NSKOV Leaders Schirmmütze or Visor Cap in size 55. This particular pattern is also called the Zivil-Mütze, as it was used by many of the NSDAP Civic organizations. The front crown of the cap has a very nice The design has a the NSKOV eagle badge in the center, which has the organizations emblem on the chest of the eagle, over NSKOV. The emblem itself has a canted Swas (Swas) inside a red circle, which is overlayed on the Iron Cross emblem. This is surrounded by an oval leaf, with a sword piercing the entire emblem. The badge looks to be silver plated allow, and now shows a lovely patina, with the paint well retained. Below this is a very nice open silvered alloy oak leaf and acorn wreath surrounding a metal tri color cockade, which still has a vibrant red felt insert. The left side of the cap has a lovely silvered ✠ Der Stahlhelm pin on the left side, for membership in Der Stahlhelmbund (The Steel Helmet League) veteran's association.

The cap shows high quality fabrication, made with dark navy blue wool, with a black band adorned with machine embroidered oak leaf and acorn designs. It has a traditional high front, with black piping around the crown, and a silver bullion rope chin strap, indicating that the wearer is a leader or officer. The visor / peak on this cap is the typical black-finished "vulcanfibre" pressed composite paper material, which is in very good condition. The top has a lovely pattern of checking and and crazing from age, and the bottom is checkered brown.

The cap is lined with red rayon, which shows some wear and staining, but no holes or major damage. The original celluloid sweat shield "diamond" is completely missing, along with the stitching, and the bronze powder maker logo under it has degraded, staining the material and making the label illegible. The sweatband is made from brown finished leather, and is in very good condition, though it is stiff from age. There is a torn glue seam on the left side, but no other major damage. We measured the inside of the cap, and it looks to be about a size 65 1/2 cm.

The overall condition is very good, with just a bit of wear and no mothing we can see. It displays great and is ready to add to your collection!