Exceptional Double EREL Waffen-SS officer visor cap strongly attributed through its handwritten “A. Schmidhuber”ownership slip to August Schmidhuber, later SS-Brigadeführer und Generalmajor der Waffen-SS.
The cap retains its field-grey officer-quality crown, black velvet centre band, white piping, silver officer cords, glossy visor, EREL Sonderklasse Standard interior and EREL Stirnschutz sweatband.
Its eagle and Totenkopf display strong Fritz Zimmermann characteristics, although their reverse markings remain to be confirmed.
Period Bundesarchiv photography establishes that August Schmidhuber wore an officer visor of the appropriate general configuration during 1941
€ 11.995
1 in stock
This exceptional August Schmidhuber Waffen-SS Officer Visor Cap is a premium-quality field-grey officer’s Schirmmütze with a handwritten ownership slip reading “A. Schmidhuber.” Research into the name, construction and surviving period photographs strongly supports an attribution to August Schmidhuber, later SS-Brigadeführer und Generalmajor der Waffen-SS. The attribution remains carefully worded because the surviving name label is persuasive evidence, yet it does not by itself prove ownership beyond all doubt.
The most important provenance feature appears beneath the original celluloid sweat diamond. A handwritten slip clearly appears to read “A. Schmidhuber,” a distinctive name corresponding with the documented Waffen-SS officer August Schmidhuber.
Schmidhuber entered the SS-Verfügungstruppe during the 1930s and subsequently held increasingly senior Waffen-SS appointments. By January 1945 he had become SS-Brigadeführer und Generalmajor der Waffen-SS and commander of the 7. SS-Freiwilligen-Gebirgs-Division “Prinz Eugen.” His Bundesarchiv personnel material is referenced under R 9361-III/553547.
That historical match gives the August Schmidhuber Waffen-SS Officer Visor Cap considerably greater research interest than an anonymous officer’s cap. Nevertheless, the correct catalogue wording remains “attributed to August Schmidhuber” until additional provenance independently establishes ownership.
Period photography provides a valuable second strand of evidence.
A Bundesarchiv image from 1941 identifies August Schmidhuber as an SS-Sturmbannführer. The surviving photograph originates from Bundesarchiv Bild 192-298 and shows him wearing Waffen-SS officer headgear.
The photographed visor has the general characteristics expected of a privately purchased Waffen-SS officer cap: a high field-grey crown, dark centre band, light piping, metallic insignia and a black peak.
Those features are compatible with the surviving EREL example.
However, the wartime image lacks sufficient resolution to demonstrate that the photographed cap and this particular surviving Schirmmütze are identical.
Interior maker markings, precise stitching, reverse insignia details and minor construction features remain invisible.
Accordingly, the photographic evidence strengthens the attribution without turning it into absolute proof.
Internally, the cap retains an especially desirable premium EREL configuration.
The gold-toned rayon lining carries the familiar:
EREL
Sonderklasse
Standard
mark beneath the stitched celluloid sweat diamond.
Meanwhile, the leather sweatband carries the separate EREL Stirnschutz marking.
Collectors commonly describe this combination as Double EREL construction.
Period examples with precisely this maker arrangement survive. Ratisbon’s documents original caps featuring an EREL Sonderklasse Standard diamond together with the separate EREL Stirnschutz sweatband mark.
The August Schmidhuber Waffen-SS Officer Visor Cap therefore combines potentially important named provenance with one of the most desirable private-purchase officer-cap configurations.
Fine field-grey cloth forms the upper body.
Its dense, smooth finish suits high-quality privately purchased officer headgear rather than coarse issue material.
The crown retains an impressive saddle profile.
White piping follows the upper circumference and both borders of the black centre band.
A deep black velvet band surrounds the lower body and remains exceptionally attractive.
Together, these materials create the classic Waffen-SS officer appearance.
Minor storage traces are present, although no serious moth destruction can be seen in the photographs supplied.
Braided silver-coloured officer cords cross the front immediately above the peak.
Decorative knots remain complete.
Matching pebbled buttons secure the cords on either side.
The muted silver finish corresponds naturally with the age and appearance of the metal insignia.
Furthermore, the complete cord arrangement confirms the officer configuration rather than an enlisted or NCO cap with a leather chinstrap.
The black peak retains a particularly strong glossy finish.
Its underside displays a tan-brown colour and finely structured surface appropriate to period-style Vulkanfibre construction.
Light age marks appear across the interior surface.
Nevertheless, the visor remains extremely well preserved.
Its shape also complements the pronounced officer-quality saddle crown.
The eagle deserves careful attention.
Its obverse die characteristics strongly resemble documented Fritz Zimmermann Waffen-SS officer production.
Distinctive features include the wing profile, stepped wing tips, feather arrangement, central body and wreath proportions.
Additionally, warm copper-brown areas visible beneath the remaining silver finish are compatible with Cupalconstruction.
Helmut Weitze documents an original Zimmermann Waffen-SS officer eagle manufactured from silver-plated Cupal and marked:
RZM 499/42
M1/72
Both marks identify Fritz Zimmermann, while the “42” denotes 1942 production.
We have not yet seen the reverse of this cap’s eagle.
Therefore, the catalogue should state:
Probable Fritz Zimmermann Cupal Waffen-SS officer eagle, based on obverse characteristics.
It should not claim the 499/42 or M1/72 markings until they are physically confirmed.
The skull displays equally interesting characteristics.
Its forehead contour, eye openings, triangular nasal aperture, cheek structure and crossbones resemble known Fritz Zimmermann examples very closely.
Paris Musées holds a documented Fritz Zimmermann SS Totenkopf measuring approximately 29 mm high by 30 mm wide. The museum records the reverse marking as RZM 499/41 and notes the two rear attachments.
Consequently, Zimmermann remains my preferred attribution for the skull.
Again, the reverse needs examination before the maker can be stated as confirmed.
The strongest wording is:
Probable Fritz Zimmermann 499/41-pattern Cupal Totenkopf.
If both reverse markings prove correct, the August Schmidhuber Waffen-SS Officer Visor Cap would carry an especially desirable same-manufacturer Zimmermann insignia pairing.
A confirmed 499/41 Totenkopf followed by a 499/42 M1/72 eagle would form a logical 1941–42 combination.
Importantly, a 499/42 eagle could not have been present in its current form in Schmidhuber’s 1941 photograph.
That does not disprove ownership of the cap itself.
An officer could retain a quality private-purchase visor while replacing or updating insignia during continued service.
Nevertheless, the catalogue should not claim that the exact present-day cap configuration can be seen in the 1941 photograph.
Such caution actually strengthens the credibility of the provenance research.
August Schmidhuber later became a senior Waffen-SS commander.
His service eventually included command of formations associated with “Skanderbeg” and “Prinz Eugen.”
His later career was also closely connected with atrocities and war crimes committed in the Balkans. After the war, Yugoslav authorities convicted him of war crimes, and he was executed in Belgrade in February 1947.
That context belongs in a serious historical catalogue entry.
It prevents the named provenance from being treated simply as an enhancement to collector value while ignoring the historical record.
The August Schmidhuber Waffen-SS Officer Visor Cap remains in exceptionally attractive condition.
Field-grey cloth retains excellent body and colour.
Black velvet remains deep and well defined.
White piping presents strongly around the crown and centre band.
Silver officer cords survive complete.
The black visor retains much of its original glossy appearance.
Internally, the sweatband, gold-coloured lining, EREL markings, celluloid diamond and ownership slip remain unusually well preserved.
Both metal insignia display natural-looking age patination.
Cleaning or polishing should be avoided.
Taken together, the cap presents a coherent group of encouraging features.
Premium Double EREL construction matches known period examples.
Correct officer materials remain throughout.
The handwritten ownership slip contains a surname corresponding with a documented senior Waffen-SS officer.
Additionally, surviving period photography establishes that Schmidhuber wore an officer visor of the appropriate general type in 1941.
The probable Zimmermann insignia adds another significant period feature.
For advanced collectors, the August Schmidhuber Waffen-SS Officer Visor Cap combines maker quality, named attribution and photographic research in one unusually strong piece.
The strongest remaining authentication step would be careful examination of the reverse of both insignia.
Photographs beneath the sweatband and of the reverse of the cord buttons would further strengthen the construction assessment.
At present, I would catalogue the provenance as:
Strongly attributed to August Schmidhuber – further documentary confirmation desirable.
That figure recognises the EREL construction, exceptional preservation, probable Zimmermann insignia and named attribution while avoiding the premium appropriate only to absolutely proven personal ownership.
If reverse inspection confirms 499/41 and 499/42 M1/72, while additional archival work supports the ownership label, a future specialist valuation around €17,500–€20,000+ could become defensible.
The August Schmidhuber Waffen-SS Officer Visor Cap should therefore be presented as an exceptional attributed officer’s cap with considerable potential for further provenance development.
Explore related listings: Military Visor & Peaked Caps; Rudolf Rettberg Waffen-SS Panzer Visor Cap | Hohenstaufen; Original Waffen-SS Artillery Crusher Cap | Feldmütze; Double EREL Artillery Officer Visor Cap | Original Heer.
Use these four because each supports a different part of the description:
Bundesarchiv photograph of August Schmidhuber, 1941
Paris Musées – Fritz Zimmermann RZM 499/41 Totenkopf
Helmut Weitze – Zimmermann 499/42 M1/72 Waffen-SS Eagle
Ratisbon’s – EREL Sonderklasse Standard / Stirnschutz reference
