WHAT KIND OF GERMAN CAP IS THIS??

[Ernst60]

Hi all:

 I believe this is a WW1 German (Bavarian) Artillery EM cap. Please CONFIRM. Also, what model of cap is this? Is it an M 1907? Were these caps ever used in the field??

Thanks...Ernst60

[derekb]

I believe it is known as a, Feldmutze. 

[FROGSMILE]

The Feldmutze cap was for 'undress' occasions and would have been used for walking out of barracks pre-war, and for routine duties when review order was not required, it would not have generally been worn in the field, when Feld Grau was worn instead.

Edited 22 October , 2018 by FROGSMILE

[bierast]

Feldmutze is the official term for the peakless cap (regardless of whether it's the old bunte - 'colourful' - version or the feldgrau version). Colloquially the soldiers called it a Kratzchen (approximately 'scratcher'). Having spent days wearing one outdoors I'm not sure why they called it that, as it is lined and not itchy at all (though it certainly would be if it had lice in it)!

 

The bunte uniform was often worn early in the war by Landsturm units operating behind the front, including Armierungs-Bataillonen (unarmed labour units) which were drawn from Landsturm manpower judged fit for labour but not for armed service (e.g. men with appallingly bad eyesight or dangerous political views!). Supposedly some of the less well-stocked army corps districts did briefly put combat units into the field like this too before supplies of feldgrau caught up. Ultimately even the rear-area Landsturm units were fully equipped with feldgrau uniform.

 

Within Germany the bunte uniform was routinely worn throughout the war by recruits undergoing training, and often by their instructors (where the latter were older NCOs who had not been into the field themselves).

 

The Feldgendarmerie (military police) wore bunte (typically green) civil police uniform as standard at the beginning of the war, but also eventually received feldgrau.