Mountain cap
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The mountain hat , sometimes also called ski hat or gray hat in Germany , is a headgear from the Austrian military tradition , which, due to its practical properties, is internationally widespread among various professional groups and organizations and in some cases is still very popular today.
description
The classic mountain hat was originally developed as an all-weather hat and is made from high-quality felt or worsted fabrics . There are also versions for higher temperatures made of tent fabric, drill or moleskin as well as water and dirt-repellent versions made of rubberized fabrics. The crescent-shaped visor is very often starched and consists of the hat material used in each case. The cap is always oval-cut and sewn onto a relatively flat cap body. Traditionally, a soft, all-round neck and ear protection can be folded down on the side and back of the cap. This protection is made so wide that it covers the ears completely and, in many newer models, at least parts of the neck. With older models like the Finnish Kenttälakki M36, the neck protection can be tucked deep under the uniform coat, which optimizes the heat function. In the area of the field of vision, the protection tapers to around 4 centimeters in width and can be pulled under the chin as a chin strap. This fixes the hat firmly on the wearer's head, which is helpful in wind or certain activities. Like most chinstraps, the strap on the mountain hat can be opened. This is usually done using two metal or plastic buttons sewn one behind the other. Civilian designs in particular often prefer a quick release fastener instead of buttons. When the protection is not in use, both buttons and quick-release fasteners can be seen on the front side above the peak of the hat.
During the Second World War , the German Wehrmacht produced a very widespread, fabric-saving hat variant, mainly for versions made of tent fabric or drill holes. This lacks protection and is only indicated, if at all, by a decorative seam. In almost all of these variants, however, the buttons on the front side have been retained as pieces of jewelry.
history
Austria
In 1868 a new field adjustment for infantry, artillery and cavalry was developed in the Austro-Hungarian army , which also included the first-time introduction of an official service cap, known as a field cap. This hat already had the typical ear and neck protection as well as an eye shield made of soft cloth. After 1871 the kuk infantry and artillery received a new, optically upgraded field cap with a sickle-shaped eye shield made of leather. The mountain cap was last used in Austria by the Federal Gendarmerie, which was restructured in 2005, and is still worn by the fire brigades, the mountain and nature rescue teams and some traditional music groups.
Germany
Civilian versions of the hat had already found their way into German sports fashion since the end of the First World War . In its military version, the mountain cap was only introduced to the mountain troops in a green-gray color shortly before the Second World War . From 1941 the German Africa Corps also took over the mountain cap in a sand-colored, lighter version for service. Since the other parts of the army also recognized the advantages of the mountain cap over the little boat used there , it was introduced as a uniform field cap in the Wehrmacht in 1943 . The uniform field cap was lighter, sewn lower and had a longer peak than the mountain cap. Among other things, black versions made of Moleskin were used for the armored forces as well as numerous variants made of the different camouflage fabrics used by the Wehrmacht, Waffen-SS and the Italian army .
After 1945, many former soldiers wore their military hats as work hats. In addition, the civil production of numerous variants quickly began. Today, these types of hats are particularly popular with farmers and foresters in northern Germany .
With the rebuilding of state structures in West Germany since 1949, the mountain hat became part of the workwear of a large number of authorities as well as state and civil organizations. Among other things, the closed associations of the riot police , Federal Border Police (until 1976), Federal Armed Forces (parallel to the beret until today), Deutsche Bundespost (until 1994), Deutsche Bundesbahn , Technical Relief Organization , disaster control units , fire services, German Red Cross , Maltese Aid Service , motorway maintenance agencies , ADAC .
In the meantime, the beret , first introduced by the French Chasseurs alpins in 1889 in a modern army, is worn in some of the aforementioned authorities and organizations . The majority today, however, wear versions of the North American baseball cap , which first found its way into German uniform fashion in the 1990s.
In its traditional form, the mountain cap is still worn by the German mountain troops in the Bundeswehr today . The traditional form is also preserved in some German fire departments . It is known by the fire brigades under the designation "Dienstmütze" or "Arbeitsmütze" and consists of either wool tricot yarn or a boiled wool fabric. The fire brigade emblem of the respective federal state is attached above the two closing buttons of the ear and neck protection. In some federal states, fire service ranks have a circumferential silver or gold piping on the cap . Such a silver piping also adorns the mountain cap of the officers of the mountain troops (see picture), in the case of generals it is gold.
The Bundeswehr also continues to use a simplified form of the mountain hat, called the field hat, as a work hat made from a light cotton blend.
Finland
With the Kenttälakki M36, the mountain cap in different colors and fabrics was introduced into the Finnish army in 1936 . Occasionally the hat is also referred to as Kesälakki. With the slightly modified M39, a model came to the armed forces that is still used today. In addition, with the M91, the mountain hat has also been issued as a light cloth hat in the Finnish camouflage pattern since 1991.
Web links
Individual evidence
- ↑ Laurent Mirouze: Infantrymen of the Second World War , Verlag Karl-Heinz Dissberger, Düsseldorf, ISBN 3-924753-27-X , p. 48
- ↑ Laurent Mirouze: Infantrymen of the Second World War , Verlag Karl-Heinz Dissberger, Düsseldorf, ISBN 3-924753-27-X , p. 48
- ↑ Andrew Steven, Peter Amodio: Waffen SS - Uniforms in Color . Verlag Karl-Heinz Dissberger, 2nd edition, Düsseldorf 1992. ISBN 3-924753-44-X
- ↑ Laurent Mirouze: Infantrymen of the First World War , Verlag Karl-Heinz Dissberger, 1990, Düsseldorf, ISBN 3-924753-28-8 , p. 28