Hitler Youth Uniforms: HJ Summer Caps

Figure 1.--This Hitler Youth wears the summer uniform with black lederhosen, a popular choice for boys involved in outdoor activities. This boy has been photographed with Reich Propganda Minister Josef Goebels.

The Hitler Jugend caps varied somewhay as the style was changed about 1936. The HJ caps in the 1920s and early 1930s wore a cap with a leather bill or peak. This was substituted in 193? with a campaign cap. Interestingly the American Boy Scouts adopted a similar cap style. While it was adopted by NAZI-approved nationlist groups in occupied countries, few Scout groups except the American Scouts adopted it. The caps worn by the boys were brown to match their shirts. I'm not sure how popular or common the caps were. Many Hitler Youth photographs show the boys without their caps.

Peaked Cap

The Hitler Jugend caps varied more than any other uniform garments. The HJ caps in the 1920s and early 1930s wore a cap with a leather bill or peak. At the time this cap was worn for both summer and winter wear. Many early Hitler Youth boys did not wear the cap. Because of the leather bill, it was probably relatively expemsive. I'm not sure just when it was replaced, probably about 1935. Photographs of boys wearing this cap are much less common than wearing the campaign or field caps. I do not recall a lot of older boys wearing this cap.

Campaign/Fields Cap

The peaked cap was substituted in 193? with a campaign cap. Both Deutche Jugend and Hitler Jugend appear to have worn the same style campaign cap. Interestingly the American Boy Scouts adopted a similar cap style. While it was adopted by NAZI-approved nationlist groups in occupied countries, few Scout groups except the American Scouts adopted it. The caps worn by the boys were brown to match their shirts. They had red piping and were worn with both a eagle over the swastica--also worn by the military at the top front, There was also the red and white Hitler Youth pin. On the campaign there was a woven red and wide device rather than a medal pin that was worn with some other caps. Some HBC contributors report a darker colored hat, but this light brown campaign hat was the most common. I'm not positive about the material, but think it was probably cotton. It was normally worn at more of an angle that American Boy Scouts common wore their similar caps. The campaign cap was much less common than the peaked caps.

Figure 2.--This close up of the Hitler Youth summer caps give a good idea of the srtyle and detioing.