A highly desirable original Luftwaffe Officer White Summer Visor Cap manufactured by EREL / Robert Lubstein of Berlin, dating to approximately 1938–39. The cap retains its correct removable white piqué summer crown, silver officer piping and cords, superb hand-embroidered silver bullion eagle and wreath, black ribbed centre band and green-underlined visor.
€ 1.995
1 in stock
This impressive Luftwaffe Officer White Summer Visor Cap is a high-quality private-purchase Schirmmützemanufactured by EREL – Robert Lubstein of Berlin, one of the best-known German military headgear manufacturers of the period.
Unlike the fixed-crown General officer cap examined previously, this example has the correct removable white summer top. The detachable crown is manufactured from cream-white textured piqué or waffle-weave cloth and was designed to be removed for cleaning.
The cap retains silver officer piping, silver braided cap cords, a hand-embroidered silver Luftwaffe eagle, elaborate silver bullion wreath and cockade, black ribbed centre band and original black visor.
Most importantly, the interior retains identifiable EREL markings, including the characteristic “Erel Stirnschutz” stamp to the sweatband. The heavily worn celluloid diamond also retains traces of the Luftwaffe sales-department and EREL markings.
A virtually identical EREL white summer officer cap is currently documented by Helmut Weitze at €2,650. That example also has a detachable white waffle-weave crown, hand-embroidered metallic insignia and an EREL Sonderklasse Extra interior.
The detachable crown is one of the most important identifying features of this cap.
Rather than forming a permanent part of the cap body, the white top can be removed from the underlying frame. This allowed the pale summer material to be cleaned without exposing the lining, sweatband and visor to washing.
The cloth displays the distinctive fine geometric texture associated with original Luftwaffe summer caps. Light foxing and scattered age staining remain visible throughout.
These marks should not be cleaned out.
Weitze describes comparable pre-war EREL officer caps as having a removable white waffle-weave crown, particularly on examples dating around 1938–39.
The maker is particularly desirable.
EREL was the commercial brand used by Robert Lubstein of Berlin, one of Germany’s premier military cap manufacturers. Lubstein produced high-quality private-purchase headgear for officers of the Wehrmacht and other organisations.
On this example, the leather sweatband carries the clearly visible marking:
EREL – Stirnschutz
with patent-related wording beneath it.
Weitze identifies the same markings on original EREL Luftwaffe summer caps and explains that Stirnschutz referred to Lubstein’s proprietary forehead-pressure construction.
The surviving celluloid diamond is heavily worn, although enough of the gold print remains to support an EREL/Luftwaffe sales-department attribution.
Comparable examples are marked:
Verkaufsabteilung der Luftwaffe
Berlin SW68, Puttkamerstraße 16/18
EREL Sonderklasse Extra
Weitze currently lists an almost exact example with that marking and dates it to circa 1938.
The Sonderklasse Extra designation represented one of EREL’s premium-quality commercial lines.
Private-purchase officers could select superior materials and construction beyond ordinary issue requirements. Consequently, these caps often display more refined tailoring, better linings and particularly elaborate bullion insignia.
The present Luftwaffe Officer White Summer Visor Cap demonstrates that higher grade clearly.
Its hand-embroidered insignia, vented leather sweatband, silk-type lining, removable white top and substantial visor construction all indicate an expensive officer-quality product.
This cap is an officer’s example, not a General officer’s cap.
The distinction is important.
Three narrow silver-coloured piping lines are associated with Luftwaffe commissioned officer visor caps. General officers instead used gold-coloured piping, cords and insignia.
The silver piping on this cap remains clearly visible around the crown and centre band.
Its muted appearance corresponds naturally with the silver cords and bullion insignia.
Weitze specifically describes white summer officer caps with silver/aluminium piping and distinguishes them from General caps fitted with gold trim.
The detachable crown carries a beautifully executed hand-embroidered silver bullion Luftwaffe eagle.
Metallic thread forms the wings, body and national emblem. The eagle sits on a pale cloth backing that blends with the white summer crown.
This construction is important because high-quality summer-cap insignia could be made removable together with the crown or fixed by clips/prongs to facilitate laundering.
Weitze’s circa-1938 EREL example retains precisely this combination: removable crown and hand-embroidered metallic-thread eagle on a white backing.
The embroidery on your cap has mellowed naturally with age but retains excellent feather detail.
The black ribbed centre band carries an elaborate hand-embroidered silver bullion wreath.
Its central cockade retains the traditional black, white and red national colours. Around it, dense metallic embroidery forms the characteristic Luftwaffe winged wreath.
This is a particularly high-quality feature.
Rather than the flatter and cheaper insignia sometimes encountered on service caps, this example has pronounced three-dimensional bullion work.
The condition and oxidation correspond closely with the crown eagle and silver cords, providing a coherent overall appearance.
Two braided silver cords cross the cap immediately above the visor.
These identify commissioned officer status and are correct for a Luftwaffe officer below General rank.
The cords remain complete and show appropriate age toning. Their braided construction, knots and fittings compare well with documented EREL officer caps.
By contrast, General officer caps use gold cords.
Therefore, the correct catalogue attribution is:
Luftwaffe Officer White Summer Visor Cap
rather than General officer.
The black centre band is manufactured from tightly woven ribbed material.
Its deep colour provides the characteristic contrast against the pale detachable summer crown.
The material appears well preserved despite age and handling. Silver piping borders the band, while the bullion wreath is mounted centrally.
This combination of white, black and silver is immediately recognisable as Luftwaffe officer summer headgear.
The black visor retains an attractive period finish with natural surface crazing and service wear.
Its underside is the distinctive green finish frequently encountered on superior private-purchase German officer visor caps.
The edge stitching remains visible, while the visor retains good shape.
No restoration or polishing is recommended.
The green underside, original stitching and age cracking all add useful authentication evidence.
The interior displays considerably more use than the exterior, which is entirely believable for a cap that was actually worn.
A broad tan leather sweatband remains fitted. Multiple ventilation perforations are present around the frontal section.
The leather carries the important EREL Stirnschutz marking.
Behind it sits a light-coloured silk/rayon lining. A large transparent celluloid diamond remains stitched into the crown.
Although the gold printing has suffered considerable wear, traces of the original manufacturer and Luftwaffe sales-department information can still be seen.
The staining beneath and around the diamond appears old and undisturbed.
It should be left exactly as found.
The construction allows a reasonably tight date.
Weitze dates closely comparable EREL removable-top examples to approximately 1938–39. Their information also notes that removable-top white caps are particularly associated with the pre-war period and very early-war production.
I would therefore catalogue the cap as:
A slightly wider late 1930s to early WWII range is also reasonable.
The photographs provide a strong combination of positive characteristics.
The removable piqué crown, silver officer trim, high-quality bullion insignia, black ribbed band, green-underlined visor, EREL Stirnschutz sweatband and worn EREL/Luftwaffe celluloid markings all correspond closely with documented original examples.
My catalogue assessment is:
Item: Luftwaffe officer visor cap
Pattern: White summer Schirmmütze
Manufacturer: EREL / Robert Lubstein, Berlin
Quality: Sonderklasse / premium private-purchase type
Crown: Removable white piqué/waffle-weave top
Piping: Silver officer pattern
Insignia: Hand-embroidered silver bullion
Cap cords: Silver officer cords
Centre band: Black ribbed material
Visor: Black with green underside
Sweatband: Ventilated leather marked EREL Stirnschutz
Lining: Light silk/rayon with surviving celluloid diamond
Date: circa 1938–39
Rank: Commissioned officer, below General rank
Authenticity assessment: Highly convincing original period example
Externally, the cap remains in very good original condition.
The removable crown displays moderate foxing and scattered small stains. Nevertheless, its texture remains excellent and the cap retains an attractive saddle profile.
The bullion insignia remains strong, while silver cords and piping show only normal ageing.
Internally, the cap shows much heavier honest wear. The lining and celluloid shield are stained, while the sweatband exhibits age cracking and perspiration marks.
Those condition differences are convincing because the interior naturally received considerably more contact during wear than the detachable outer top.
Do not clean the crown, wash the lining or attempt to restore the celluloid markings.
Explore related listings: Military Visor & Peaked Caps; Nordmenn Militaria – Original Helmets & Headgear; Ludwig Heilmann Luftwaffe General Visor Cap | 5th Fallschirmjäger.
For the strongest exact specialist comparison:
Helmut Weitze – EREL Luftwaffe White Summer Officer Visor Cap
A second useful Weitze reference lists additional EREL removable-top officer caps and confirms current market prices.
