History

In May of 1934, the SS officially introduced the first pattern of Field Cap, the M34, for wear by Enlisted Men (EMs) and Non-Commissioned Officers (NCOs) serving in the SS.

The cap was modelled after the Army pattern cap and had a scalloped skirt front and a slouched centre ridge. However, unlike the Army pattern, the SS field cap did not feature air vents. The M34 lining was generally produced out of a solid coloured cotton fabric. Privately purchased caps usually have lining manufactured out of high-quality cotton or rayon.

Concentration camp personnel were issued earth-brown caps and no other branch of the SS was authorized to wear this colour. The caps originally featured an embroidered SA-pattern eagle on the left side of the cap, because at this point in time the SS-pattern eagle had not yet been introduced. In addition, a removable metal button with a raised death’s head was attached to the front skirt. In 1937, the eagle on the side of the cap was replaced with a black triangle that featured an SS-pattern eagle embroidered in white thread.