History

Following the First World War, the German Red Cross (Deutsches Rotes Kreuz, DRK) was threatened in its existence by the Treaty of Versailles, since the organisation was mainly focused on preparing its members for war and military-related medical service. This resulted in the DRK switching focus to social welfare activities during the time of the Weimar Republic.

The stipulations enforced by the Treaty of Versailles were declared null and void following the NSDAP’s consolidation of power in 1933. The new Reich Minister of the Interior, Wilhelm Frick, an NSDAP member, ensured that the DRK would be ready to support all of the Third Reich’s future military affairs and political ideologies. In 1938, the DRK was merged with the Ministry of the Interior’s Social Welfare Organisation, officially becoming an organisation under NSDAP oversight. The DRK also had ties to the SS, mainly due to high-ranking medical professionals serving in both organisations simultaneously.

The Visored Field Cap was worn by Red Cross personnel during the Third Reich, from 1938 until the end of the Second World War in 1945. It was in the style of the Mountain Cap and mirrored the design of M-43 field caps worn by other Wehrmacht military organizations during the Third Reich.

The attributes unique to the Red Cross Visored Field Cap include its grey wool cloth body and the use of a Red Cross 2nd pattern national emblem insignia.

The skirt arms of these field caps tend to be wide and closed by two pebbled silver-coloured buttons. The buttons may be functional or ornamental.

The only insignia present on these caps is the Red Cross 2nd pattern national emblem insignia featured on the front of the cap. This insignia may be machine-woven on an oval backing, or, in the rare instance, it is composed of metal and enamelled.

The cap lining may have marks stamped in ink denoting the year of production, the cap size, and the manufacturer.