Beret (uniform)
A beret is an umbrella-less round or square headgear made of fabric , velvet or lined silk . The word was in the 15th century from the medieval Latin barretum / birretum borrowed.
history
It is believed that the Latin word birrus has its origin in the Celtic languages . There is an identical word that roughly translates as short . The ancient Greek βίρρος - birrus could also come from this Celtic root. In Irish , the word bai read has been preserved for this. For birrus there is also the Latin form burrus . The terms barretum or birretum , which can only be found in Middle Latin, denoted , like the older birrus, a cloak-like cape with a hood. Remains uncertain whether the German word beret from the French was borrowed or goes back directly to the medieval Latin forms.
15th to 18th century
The beret has been known in European fashion since the 15th century and was originally worn as a sign of educated classes. Through the nobility , it became a fashion piece popular across Europe among the bourgeoisie and the peasant class. With the advent of new hat shapes in the course of the 16th century, especially in Spain, which was then style-defining, the beret was slowly pushed out of military fashion again by 1600. The beret, along with other hat shapes and helmets, was a very popular military headgear among the Landsknechts , who also emerged in the late 15th century . The shape and design were not bound by any guidelines and were only based on the taste of the wearer. No consideration was given to military expediency. Landsknechte often chose very striking, expansive berets and often decorated them with colorful feathers.
The beret could be used as headgear for academics, judges and clergy, as well as in women's fashion over the years. It remained topical, especially for the rural population - including Ireland and France. The beret in the shape of the " beret ", which is part of the shepherd's costume in the mountainous Pyrenees, became very famous .
19th century
.jpg)
During and after the Wars of Liberation , the beret experienced its first, brief rebirth. The Lützower Jäger volunteer association , to which several patriotic and intellectual greats of their time belonged, sometimes wore an expansive black beret. As a result, this headgear came into fashion among the liberal-minded middle class as a politically motivated piece of clothing. At that time it belonged to the so-called old German costume , which wanted to be based very freely on the time of Martin Luther . After the Congress of Vienna, this clothing fashion was considered so provocative and seditious by the resurgent German princes and kings that it was partially banned.
20th century
In modern military affairs, the beret was first used by the French mountain troops in 1889 . At that time it was still in the form of the traditional, sweeping beret made of dark blue wool. The extremely expansive shape disappeared from the battlefield in 1916. As a replacement, a more reduced, more modern form was introduced for use by the troops, although the older form has been used for parade purposes to this day.
In 1910 a new field cap was issued in Germany , which was clearly based on historical beret shapes, but was much more functional due to its handy size and modern implementation. The field cap M1910 was made of field gray fabric and had a binding band in the colors of the respective armed forces as well as two cockades in the colors of the realm and the respective country from which the soldier came. Since most soldiers during the First World War did not attach importance to a proper fit of the field cap, their conception as a beret is not immediately recognizable from many photographs. Modern support reconstructions, on the other hand, make the assignment easier. In 1917 an attempt was made to introduce the field cap in a darker version with a green circumferential band that was uniform for all branches of service, but this was not successful until the end due to the difficult raw material situation.
With the establishment of the Reichswehr , the imperial beret disappeared from the troops. Instead, in 1919 the peaked cap , which had been typical for officers until then, was also introduced to the men.
In the course of the formation of the German armored forces during the 1930s, the so-called armored hat was introduced. This was designed as a sweeping, black beret with several thick, shock-resistant inlays inside. On the front was the sovereign badge with oak leaves and cockade. The armored department of the Condor Legion was also equipped with black berets, but they did not have the expansive shape of the armored hats and no inner lining. The conditions of use showed that the armored cap was rather a hindrance for the crews of the tanks. Therefore, the cap was at the beginning of 1940 by a black boat replaces M 1938th
This made the beret an exclusive feature of the British armed forces during the Second World War . This consisted of khaki wool. In 1944, the first burgundy-red berets were issued as a license plate for the British paratroopers.
In the US armed forces , it was initially only paratroopers of the 509th US Paratrooper Regiment of the 82nd US Airborne Division who were for the first time equipped with berets from the stocks of the British paratroopers. During the second half of the 20th century, it was mainly American special forces that became known for wearing this headgear.
In the National People's Army of the GDR , berets were rarely used - the service uniform instead included a so-called kepi , actually a boat. Only the NVA paratroopers wore a gray beret with their uniform and a red, later an orange, beret with their dress uniform.
Until the 1970s, the beret - in addition to its function as part of official costumes - played a subordinate role as a piece of clothing in Germany. It was particularly popular with intellectuals and artists. In terms of uniforms, only a few student associations and, since the 1960s, some important international scout associations wore it .
21st century
The beret is part of many uniforms around the world, mostly in the military or police sector, but also in civil organizations.
military
Germany
The beret is one of the headgear of the German Bundeswehr . For almost all army uniforms, but also for some air force and naval uniforms, the beret is part of the personal equipment. In many units of the Bundeswehr, the beret is the usual headgear outside of combat service . Its color and the troop badge attached to the beret above the left temple often allow the soldier to be assigned to a particular type of service (or service area or range of uses ) or to a large multinational unit .
Austria
Similar to the German armed forces, the Austrian armed forces also have to “earn” their berets. It will be given to you with your clothing, but can usually only be worn after the end of the 2nd week of basic training. Until then, the field cap must be worn. In addition, it depends on the respective troop body whether the field cap is still worn instead of the beret after the basic training. In general, however, the beret is always preferred for armored units - also in the context of combat service.
Beret colors
- Black - armored troops, armored infantry troops
- Scarlet - Guard
- Coral Red - Military Police
- Yellow-green - soldiers of the Army Sports Center
- Signal gray - members of the military academy and the security school
- Pike gray - soldiers from the NBC defense school and the “Austrian Forces Disaster Relief Unit”.
- Rust brown - soldiers of the command support school and command support battalions 1 and 2.
- Green - infantry, hunters, engineers, all branches of service without their own beret color
- Oliv - soldiers of the Jagdkommando
- Oliv with Jagdkommando badge instead of the federal eagle - soldiers who have completed the Jagdkommando basic course
- Dark blue - Army logistics school, operational support command, paramedics in the army hospitals
- UN blue - soldiers in the international deployment of the United Nations
Color of the federal eagle
- Old silver: recruits and batches
- Silver: NCOs
- Gold: officers
Switzerland
The beret is called Béret in the Swiss Army . From January 1, 1990, the Béret was given to all pull-out units. Since January 1, 1991 it has also been mandatory for all other units. In contrast to Germany and Austria, only the colors are an expression of the respective military type. The emblem on the béret represents the main unit to which the wearer belongs. The emblems of the higher non-commissioned officers (from the level of field women) and officers (see ranks of the Swiss Army ) are provided with a golden oak wreath. In the Swiss Army, in contrast to most other organizations and armies, the Beret emblem is worn on the right.
- black: General staff service, territorial service , tanks, genius, rescue, transmission / command support, NBC defense, military intelligence, military justice, army pastoral care, standby service, sport
- green: infantry, military music
- red: artillery
- dark blue: Air Force
- blue: medical troops, Red Cross service
- Bordeaux red: logistics troops (supply, material, transports, veterinarians)
- gray: military security
- light blue: Peacebuilding mission for the UN
- beige: Special Forces Command ( KSK )
United States
The wearing of the beret in the United States Armed Forces dates back to World War II . Since that time, the armed forces of the US armed forces have handled the wearing of berets differently. Since 2001, the beret has been the ordered military headgear in the Army for the service suit , after it was previously limited to special troops such as special forces or parachute troops ( English Airborne Troops ). In the Air Force , the beret is still worn by soldiers with special use, while the Space Force , Navy , Marines and Coast Guard wear a beret.
United States Army
- olive green: 1st Special Forces Command (Airborne)
- sand color: United States Army Rangers
- claret: parachute troops
- brown: Security Force Assistance Command
- black: all other soldiers
United States Air Force
- black: Tactical Air Control Party
- Bordeaux red: Parachute rescue personnel and Combat Rescue Officer
- red: Combat Controller and Special Tactics Officer
- gray: special reconnaissance
- dark blue: security force, instructor at the United States Air Force Academy
- green: SERE instructor
- brown: Combat Aviation Advisors
police
Germany
Riot police
Especially with the riot police and on foot patrols, especially in pedestrian zones or in rural areas, the emergency suit or uniform also includes a beret, which has been worn since the introduction of the new national police uniform in 1976. In some cases, dog handlers of the police in emergency suits are also equipped with this headgear.
- green or blue: riot police
- formerly green: riot police component of the federal police before the introduction of the blue emergency suit
- black: Bavarian Support Command (USK) / closed units of the Berlin police
- Bordeaux red: Baden-Württemberg and Bavarian Special Operations Command (SEK)
- white: motorcycle relay or motorcyclist of the patrol and escort service
Federal Border Guard, today Federal Police
With the introduction of the new police uniforms in 1976, the Federal Border Police (BGS) also introduced a green beret for emergency suits. The successor organization to the BGS, the Federal Police , took over this practice when it was founded in 2005. With the changeover to blue operational clothing, the beret was replaced by blue baseball caps with the words "POLICE". A green beret only belongs to the still green everyday uniform of the officers of the GSG 9 of the Federal Police . In 2020, the beret was reintroduced for emergency services of the federal riot police as well as for emergency services of the MKÜ of the federal police headquarters.
inch
A green beret was part of the green uniform that the German customs administration had introduced in 1972. a. borne by the officials of the subject areas (border) controls and customs offices. With the changeover to the new blue uniform in 2018, the beret has been omitted and, in addition to the so-called “functionally representative” equipment that is worn in everyday work, only a baseball cap is available, with the federal coat of arms with customs lettering in silver on dark blue (water customs: gold on dark blue).
Austria
As a civil, albeit militarily organized, guard , the Austrian Federal Police also has different beret colors:
- dark blue: Basically all employees, on special order
- black: The operational units (EE) of the respective state police departments and the operational trainers
- Wine red: WEGA and Task Force Cobra . The members of the EKO Cobra are the only law enforcement officers who are also allowed to wear the beret with their representative uniform.
- green: service dog handler
- light blue (UNO): Police officers on the UN mission (e.g. at the United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo )
Color of the federal eagle:
- Platinum: assigned officials
- Silver: duty officers
- Gold: Senior Officials
Civil and disaster control
After some local branches of the German Technical Relief Organization (THW) had experimented with the beret since the early 1970s , the THW management decided in 1991 to finally introduce this headgear. The color of the beret is black, the metal organizational emblem is worn as a badge (initials “THW” placed one above the other in the gearwheel). The beret is provided in the clothing directive as the relevant administrative regulation for the multifunctional emergency suit and the work suit; however, it can also be worn with a service suit. Since it has not been reissued for some time, its practical use differs locally. The American baseball cap is now planned as an alternative . In addition to the THW, many other civil protection organizations wear berets, including fire brigades (mostly red or dark blue, depending on the country / region).
Red Cross
The German Red Cross wears the same beret as the Bundeswehr medical service, but with the red cross with a border as a beret badge. At the level of the DRK local and district associations, these borders are in silver, for the district and state associations as well as the federal association in gold.
scout
Boy and girl scout associations from various countries have been wearing or wearing a beret as part of their outfit since the 1920s , sometimes as an alternative or replacement to the original scout hat . By the 1990s at the latest, the beret was abolished by some of the largest scout organizations.
Australia
Depending on the scout movement in Great Britain, the uniform reform of 1967 was implemented there and the beret was introduced. However, the Australian authorities did not get rid of the boy scout hat, as in Great Britain. Until a major new uniform reform that was introduced in early 2004, scouts, rovers and leaders of the Scout Association of Australia ("Scouts Australia") could choose between a scout hat or a green beret. Venture scouts wore a maroon beret. With the 2004 reform, the scout hat and beret were abolished. A navy blue baseball cap, a navy blue crumple hat made of wool felt and a dark blue floppy hat (so-called "fishing hat") have been part of the official equipment ever since.
Germany
In Germany , the hexagonal or octagonal beret made of velvet or cord became established in the area of the Wandervogel and youth movement since the 1920s . The Nerother Wandervogel, founded in 1919, deserves special mention . These berets should tie in with the medieval hat fashion and remind of the traveling people of the Middle Ages, the Vaganten. Although they could lead a “free life”, they were considered socially outsiders. Especially after the Second World War, this beret fashion and the associated lifestyle was by several bündisch taken oriented German scouts. The largest scout organization in Germany, the German Scout Association Sankt Georg (DPSG), also introduced an anthracite gray beret with an artificial leather headband as headgear in 1964. The new headgear could be worn by scout troops instead of the scout hat. However, the boy scout hat was completely abolished the following year. In this case, those responsible for the introduction of the beret did not tie in with ideas that were popular with young people, but followed a fashion that was just emerging at the time within the international scouting movement . With the increased appearance of the beret in the Bundeswehr in the 1970s, many German scouts distanced themselves from this hat fashion in order not to be brought into social proximity to the military. Today, the beret is therefore only an official part of the gulf in very few German scout associations. In 1978 it was no longer part of the official divide in the DPSG. To date, no official headgear has been introduced there. Since the end of the 1990s, however, the DPSG has again offered the boy scout hat - alongside other various hats and caps - and since 2005 a green baseball cap for wolves as unofficial items of equipment. Other large scout associations in the post-war period, such as the Bund Deutscherpfadfinder (BDP) or the Christian Scouts of Germany (CPD) never had an official headgear. Neither are their successor organizations, the Association of Scouts and Scouts (BdP) and the Association of Christian Scouts and Scouts (VCP).
France
As early as the 1920s, some French scouts wore a beret in addition to a boy scout hat. They belonged to the mountain scouts and had taken over this headgear from the French mountain hunters (Chasseurs alpins) . In order to avoid confusion with the mountain hunters, the cap material was pulled down in the opposite direction. Later, the wolves were also given berets. After the end of the Second World War, the raiders - a scout level known especially in France, in which rovers or rangers commit to a longer-term task - made the proposal to the Scouts de France to introduce the beret of the French paratroopers. As a result, all Scouts de France scouts received a navy blue beret, while their raiders received a green beret. Today none of the recognized French scout associations has mandatory, official headgear. Only smaller frets, such as the Association des Guides et Scouts d'Europe , which emerged from a split in 1958 , hold on to the navy blue beret.
Great Britain
In Great Britain, the Boy Scouts Association, founded in 1910, became the Scout Association in 1967 . In the course of this restructuring of the organization, a green beret was introduced instead of the boy scout hat. According to an internal study from 1989, this beret was abolished again at the beginning of 1990. Only the air scouts of the Scout Association still wear a navy blue beret. All other scouts are equipped with baseball caps.
Canada
In Canada , the beret was worn with the Boy Scouts of Canada (now Scouts Canada ) boy scout uniform between 1968 and 1998 . It was green in color until 1992, when it was switched to navy blue. Today only the baseball cap or a sand-colored fabric safari hat is officially offered. For the "beavers", formerly known as wolves, there is a light, dark blue slouch hat (so-called "fisherman hat") with a sloping brim.
Thailand
In Thailand, scouting is considered to be the basis of the state. With the exception of the wolves, all scouts of the National Scout Organization of Thailand have a red beret.
United States
With the Boy Scouts of America (BSA) the red beret was part of the uniform since September 1, 1972. It could alternatively be worn by local groups instead of the khaki-colored boat , a khaki-colored field cap in the style of a baseball cap or a boy scout hat. Only the red color was initially perceived as unattractive, later it was also found that the beret was in no case as practical as the scout hat in different weather conditions. The beret has not been officially issued since the 1990s, but has not been abolished either. The red beret can still be worn next to the boy scout hat and various baseball caps. The American girl scouts (Girl Scouts of the USA) sometimes wore a green beret, which, however, led to irritation among the population, as the green beret is a distinctive feature of the special forces in the US Army.
Individual evidence
- ^ Günther Drosdowski: Etymologie, dictionary of origin of the German language. Verlag Bibliographisches Institut & FA Brockhaus, Mannheim 1989, ISBN 3-411-20907-0 , pp. 63-64.
- ^ Norbert Nail, Joachim Göschel: About Jena: The riddle of a place name: old and new contributions. Franz Steiner Verlag, 1999, ISBN 3-515-07504-6 , p. 90.
- ↑ Gunvor Krogerus: Terms for women's headgear and headdress in Middle Low German , Commentationes Humanarum Litterarum, 72 (Societas Scientiarum Fennica), Helsinki 1982, ISBN 951-653-110-5 , p. 53.
- ↑ Laurent Mirouze: Infantrymen of the First World War. Verlag Karl-Heinz Dissberger, Düsseldorf 1990, ISBN 3-924753-28-8 , p. 28.
- ↑ Laurent Mirouze: Infantrymen of the First World War. Verlag Karl-Heinz Dissberger, Düsseldorf 1990, ISBN 3-924753-28-8 , p. 62.
- ↑ Laurent Mirouze: Infantrymen of the First World War. Verlag Karl-Heinz Dissberger, Düsseldorf 1990, ISBN 3-924753-28-8 , p. 63.
- ↑ Manfred Merkes: German politics in the Spanish civil war. 1936-1939. Bonn historical research, Vol. 18, Röhrscheid, Bonn 1969, p. 56.
- ↑ Jürg Burlet: History of the Federal Military Uniforms 1852 to 1992. Textaid DTP, Egg 1992, ISBN 3952035009 , p. 160.
- ↑ Military branches and branches of service. Retrieved May 11, 2020 .
- ↑ Rod Powers: The Beret in US Military Uniform History. In: www.thebalancecareers.com. The Balance Careers, June 27, 2019, accessed June 25, 2020 .
- ↑ Federal Police / Federal Riot Police. (No longer available online.) Archived from the original on August 13, 2017 ; accessed on August 13, 2017 . Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.
- ↑ Planet Wissen: Guest in the studio: Jerome Fuchs, commander of GSG 9 . September 23, 2016 ( planet-wissen.de [accessed on August 13, 2017]).
- ↑ Wolfgang Reuber: The beret - the ideal headgear for the THW helper , website of the Federal Agency for Technical Relief, Local Association Bad Homburg. Retrieved April 13, 2014.
- ↑ The new uniform of the Scouts Australia from 2004 in words and pictures. Retrieved on April 14, 2014. ( Memento from September 25, 2003 in the Internet Archive )
- ↑ fact sheet from September 2003 on the Australian scouts with the uniform of that time. Retrieved April 14, 2014.
- ^ The Scout Shop of Scouts Australia. Retrieved on April 14, 2014. ( Memento of the original from April 15, 2014 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.
- ↑ Resolutions of the 24th Bundestag. In: Georgspfadfinder , 4, 1964. pp. 118–119; here p. 118.
- ↑ Federal management of the DPSG (ed.): The scout gear. In: Boy Scouts. Another way. Georgs-Verlag, Düsseldorf 1978, pp. 327–333.
- ↑ The History of the Scout Association (Scoutbase). Retrieved April 13, 2014 ( Memento February 2, 2006 in the Internet Archive )
- ^ The Official Scout Shop of The Scout Association. Retrieved April 14, 2014.
- ^ Scouting's new look. In: Scouting , Vol. 60, No. 6 (1972), pp. 18-29, here: p. 28; Vote for the uniform of your choice . In: Boys' Life , September 1972, p. 71 (illustration of the new uniforms).
- ^ Letter to the editor from Ralph C. Reiner. In Scouting , Vol. 61, No. 1 (1973), p. 15.
- ↑ Kenneth H. Powers: Campaign hats off! (Letter to the editor). In: Scouting , Vol. 69, No. 1 (1981) p. 19.
- ^ Douglas K. Daniel: Search-a-ree. In: Scouting , Vol. 90, No. 5 (2002), pp. 37-39 and p. 51; on the introduction of a new uniform and new baseball caps, see: Boys' Life , September 1980, pp. 37-39 (illustration of the new uniforms).
