WWII German cap and belt

[Transylvania]

My grandfather served in the US Army as a translator stationed in Germany during the Korean War. After he passed away, my family discovered what appears to be a German WWII cap and belt with buckle he had boxed and tucked away in his basement. Any help identifying what exactly these items are and if they are of any value would be greatly appreciated. What led me to these forums was a search for Larry Stone, as I am in the San Diego area and heard he was the local militaria expert.  I was very sad to see he had recently passed away and wanted to offer my condolences as well.  Thank you.

[easterneagle87]

Is it a Veterans Organization hat with the hat band applied upside down? Definite value for sure. The buckle has been "de-nazified", but with the belt, a good item! 

[easterneagle87]

After a little research, I do believe it is a German Vets Organization hat. At least the hat band is. And it is installed upside down. You can make out the tower and swazi in its fabric.  Here are a couple of screen shots of correctly installed bands. Not wild about the Heer wreath and cockade, but I'm definitely not an expert. 

 

[manayunkman]

This should be in the Spoils of War section.

 

I agree with Easterneagles identification.

[Transylvania]

Thank you everyone for the responses. It is much appreciated. 

[Kurt Barickman]

Kyfshauserbund

[OriginalCollector]

This is an early belt buckle from the Wehrmacht Army, made of aluminum (later versions were made of iron) and still featuring a leather tab (later omitted), which bears the manufacturer's stamp. The belt strap also retains its corresponding aluminum belt hook. The aluminum components were originally painted olive green. The buckle and belt strap constitute a matching set.

 

This is a cap associated with the NS-Reichskriegerbund Kyffhäuser. The fabric is very coarse—a characteristic often observed in reproductions. Typically, these caps feature a printed trapezoidal label sewn inside—displaying the large Kyffhäuser logo and the manufacturer's details—as well as a small white, printed fabric label from the Reichskriegerbund sewn onto the sweatband. Both of these elements are missing here; furthermore, the underside of the visor lacks the distinctive "waffle-pattern" texture typical of the era. I find it highly improbable that a cap with an inverted cap band would have been officially sold during the Third Reich by a licensed manufacturer! This is extremely peculiar. The wreath and cockade appear to be original; however, the Reichskriegerbund eagle—featuring the black Iron Cross—is missing from its position above them. Additionally, while the split-pin buttons for the chin strap are present, the strap itself is missing. This may well be a post-war "put-together" piece, assembled using a combination of original Third Reich components and later parts. It is worth noting that caps of this type continued to be manufactured and modified for veterans in the post-war period—albeit without the swastika, featuring instead the Iron Cross and a different style of cap wreath.

[easterneagle87]

The author did state, that his g-father served in Germany in the early 50’s during the KW. Is it possible, that this hat was put together from parts, due to lack continued manufacturing after the war and used in some municipal role, aka de-naz’d. Or sold / traded to soldiers for cigarettes, food, etc? 

[OriginalCollector]

As I have already explained, Kyffhäuser peaked caps continued to be produced after the war for Kyffhäuser veterans—who officially met until around the 1960s—though they were not permitted to wear swastikas and used different, modified caps instead. Furthermore, there is not a shred of evidence that these caps were used by "veterinarians"; that is simply incorrect research! By the 1950s and 60s, no one was bartering caps for food or cigarettes anymore; Germany was experiencing the "Economic Miracle" (Wirtschaftswunder) and the post-war upswing, so there was no need for such exchanges.

 

Had someone worn the band reversed as a form of political protest against the Third Reich, they would have been arrested and sent to a concentration camp! Moreover, it would make no sense to go to such trouble; the band was elaborately stitched all the way around, and removing it would have damaged the cap. What would be the point, anyway? Even reversed, the swastika remains clearly recognizable as such, while the Kyffhäuser logo—embroidered in black-on-black—is barely visible, making it hard to even notice that it has been attached upside down. What kind of protest would that be if hardly anyone could see it—certainly not a passerby on the street?

The fact remains—and the reason behind it no longer matters—that the cap is of questionable authenticity. The fabric is too coarse, suggesting a later reproduction (likely from the 1960s or later); the mandatory labels and the transparent trapezoid patch bearing the Kyffhäuser name and logo are missing; and the specific eagle-and-Iron Cross emblem is absent, with no visible pinholes indicating it was ever attached there. The visor is atypical; the chin strap is missing, and the buttons for it are incorrect—too large and mounted far too high on the band rather than below it, where they should be for the strap to fit properly. All these signs indicate that the cap as a whole is not authentic. It is worth very little and isn't particularly sought-after anyway, given that it is merely a Kyffhäuserbund item.

 

Regarding the belt, I previously stated that it is evidently genuine and possesses several characteristic features. However, it is a mass-produced item; furthermore, it is unlikely anyone would go out of their way—such as meeting at a trade fair—just to inspect it, especially since it has been denazified and is therefore damaged. Most collectors already own several examples with the swastika intact and wouldn't necessarily want to acquire one in this devalued condition. Items like this can be found at any flea market in Germany, with or without the swastika. If the leather strap bore a stamped unit marking or other official designation (rather than something drawn on with a pen)—which I haven't been able to spot in the photos—then it would be of greater interest to collectors.

 

 

[manayunkman]

For many years these hats were undesirable and very low cost so faking them has to be a more recent trend if they fake them at all.

 

So I think the one you have is period or made soon after the war, why the band is upside down is anyone’s guess.

 

 

 

 

[Transylvania]

Want to say a big thank you to everyone who has helped shed light on these two items (OriginalCollector, manayunkman, easterneagle87, and Edelweisse) and for creating another fond memory associated with my Grandfather.  The knowledge shared on this forum has been really impressive and my parents have enjoyed me relaying everything back to them.  It has been much appreciated.