History

The Panzer Beret is a two-piece construction. It features a black Basque style beret worn over a crash helmet. The helmet was made of heavy padded felt material.

On the front is a cockade in red, white, and black, as well as the national eagle above it, both on a black cloth backing. The insignia were made of silver aluminum wire for officers and regular thread for NCOs and EMs. The NCO/EM insignia were initially in white, however in 1939 this was changed to silver-grey.

Several special versions of this beret exist. Assault gun crews wore the beret in field-grey with insignia in mouse-grey or dark green. A winter version was issued that included a fur cover, which was either removable or permanently attached. An experimental grey-green version was produced in 1940. The cover of this version has a different design that is porous.

Production of the beret was discontinued on January 15, 1941. However, issued examples were worn throughout the war.