Original German WWII SA Lagermütze Overseas Cap from Gruppe Südwest with RZM Tag - Sturmabteilung

Original Item: Only One Available. This is a great example of a German WWII Sturmabteilung SA Lagermütze (Camp Cap), usually referred to as an overseas cap by collectors. In construction these are very similar, if not identical to the Heer Infantry EM-NCO M38 overseas cap, except for the color, which is the typical SA / NSDAP brown color. The overseas cap, nicknamed in German military slang as Schiffchen, or literally "little ship" as it resembled an up-turned row-boat, was standard issue for all branches of the Heer.

This example is constructed of tan brown wool, with a light brown cotton rayon blend lining. We have seen some of these with a fold down scallop around the outside, however this type does not, with a faux scallop around the perimeter. The faux flap on the left side of the cap features a triangular SA silver flatwire BeVo embroidered eagle insignia, with a Gelb Orange (Yellow Orange) background, and there is a silver button on the front of the cap. This indicates use by the SA Gruppe Südwest (SA group Southwest), a district in far South West Germany. It is made up of Württemberg and greater part of Baden, with the principal city being Stuttgart. Before 1939, to help differentiate the different SA groups, collar tabs and other items were issued in a variety of colors. Additionally, the "button" or "pip" on the front of the cap could be silver or gold, which matched the color of the uniform buttons, which allowed colors to be used more than once.

The inside of the cap shows light wear, and still has the original fabric RZM tag, which is still clear. The tag identifies the cap as a Feldmütze n. Vorschrift (Field Cap per Regulations) features the (RZM) logo as well as the ink stamped numerical designation of the Hersteller (manufacturer) 79 over lot number A№ 107664. There is also a size 58 stamped on the tag next to the supplier number.

A lovely well marked example of hard to find SA overseas cap, ready to add to your collection!

Brown was to become the official color of the N.S.D.A.P. and S.A. by circumstance rather than design. A large stockpile of discounted, surplus WWI tropical brown shirts and fabric, intended for wear in East Africa, were located in Austria in 1924 and purchased by the NSDAP as a temporary measure to bring uniformity of dress to their party members. In November of 1926 the brown shirt was officially introduced, and retained, as the basic uniform item for the N.S.D.A.P. and S.A., and was eventually adopted by other political organizations such as the H.J., D.A.F., and the N.S.K.K..

Sturmabteilung, literally Storm Detachment, was the NSDAP Party's original paramilitary. It played a significant role in Adolf AH's rise to power in the 1920s and 1930s. Its primary purposes were providing protection for NSDAP rallies and assemblies, disrupting the meetings of opposing parties, fighting against the paramilitary units of the opposing parties, especially the Red Front Fighters League (Rotfrontkämpferbund) of the Communist Party of Germany (KPD), and intimidating Romani, trade unionists, and, especially, Jews – for instance, during the NSDAP boycott of Jewish businesses.

The SA were also called the "Brownshirts" (Braunhemden) from the color of their uniform shirts, similar to Benito Mussolini's blackshirts. The SA developed pseudo-military titles for its members, with ranks that were later adopted by several other NSDAP Party groups, chief amongst them the Schutzstaffel (SS), which originated as a branch of the SA before being separated. Brown-colored shirts were chosen as the SA uniform because a large number of them were cheaply available after World War I, having originally been ordered during the war for colonial troops posted to Germany's former African colonies.

The SA became disempowered after Adolf AH ordered the "blood purge" of 1934. This event became known as the Night of the Long Knives (die Nacht der langen Messer). The SA continued to exist, but was effectively superseded by the SS, although it was not formally dissolved until after NSDAP Germany's final capitulation to the Allies in 1945.