Date Code

K 1968
Z 1969
M 1970
X 1971
B 1972
L 1973 (1987)
O 1974
S 1975
R 1976
A 1977
U 1978
F 1979
E 1980
G 1981
I 1982
C 1983
H 1984
T 1985
P 1986
L 1987 (1973)
Y 1988
N 1989
D 1990

 Size Chart

 cm -------Uk------- US

54 -- 6 5/8 -- 6 3/4

55 -- 6 3/4 -- 6 7/8

56 -- 6 7/8 --    7

57 --     7    -- 7 1/8

58 -- 7 1/8 -- 7 1/4

59 -- 7 1/4 -- 7 3/8

60 -- 7 3/8 -- 7 1/2

Nationalen Volksarmee.
Ground forces-Landstreitkrafte.
 
General, gabardine fabric, one piece cockade and yellow cap cord , red piping, red band. Size 61 and dated "T" (1985). VEB 1856.
Officer, silver hand embroidered wreath and metal cockade, silver cap cord. Originally this hat had the red piping for Artillery. The red piping was mostly removed or trimmed down and the white piping sown on. This occurred around 1964/65 in accordance with new uniform regulations. Thanks to Tony for informing me of this. Size 58 and dated 1960. VEB 1856. Marked DDR.
Officer, gabardine fabric, single piece cockade and silver cap cord , white piping. Size 57 and dated "G" (1981).
Security Troops NCO Visor, gabardine fabric, single piece cockade and black plastic cap cord , white center band. Size 56 and dated "Y" (1988).
Paratrooper Officer Beret. Wool , embroidered cockade. Size 56, dated "1/G" (First quarter/1981).
A: Female Beret. Wool, two piece embroidered cockade. Size 55 and dated "P" (1986).
B: Female Beret. Wool, single piece cockade with nut and bolt attachment. Size 56, dated "C" (1983).
Winter hat or "shapka". Same wool fabric hat worn by lower EM/NCO's but with an officer's single piece cockade. Size 56 and dated "N" (1989).
Female winter hat or "shapka", gabardine fabric, single piece cockade. Size 50 and dated "L" (1987?).
Female winter hat with visor, gabardine fabric (?) seems "woolly".  Single piece cockade. Size 51, dated "T" (1985).
NVA Skimuetze cap. Older style "Bullseye" two piece cockade. The Bullseye was used up until 1961 on officers headwear and as late as 1963 for enlisted men. Size 54, dated 1962. VEB 1855.
NVA marked Skimuetze cap, (A MdI marked Skimuetze cap is shown on the "Kampfgruppen" page. Same type of hat but this one is marked NVA and the other is MdI). Gabardine fabric, circular silver cockade. Size 56 and dated "I/C" (1st quarter 1983).
NVA Rain Pattern baseball-style cap. Textile circular cockade. Size 2-medium, dated "N" (1989).
NVA baseball style cap. The black outer covering on this hat is easily scraped off from the brown rubbery material underneath. Probably the Crappiest Cap ever made. If you should decide to buy one be sure to take a picture, the photo will out live the cap!! Marked "NVA III 1856 D"
Female cap/kappe. Single piece cockade with nut and bolt attachment. Size  54, no date, no markings.
Female cap, gabardine fabric, two piece cockade. Silver piping. Size 53 and dated "L" (1973). (Note: the letter "L" was used for both 1973 and 1987.)
A: Non-career soldier side cap. Rank: Non-career EM's/NCO's. Wool fabric, textile circular cockade, no piping. Size  55 , and dated "E" (1980).
B: Early Issue Career soldier side cap. Rank: Career EM's/NCO's to officers below general. Gabardine fabric, textile circular cockade, no piping. Size  53 , no date. On the inside of the cap is stamped "DDR 53 1856 23171".
C: Later issue Career soldier side cap. Gabardine fabric, textile circular cockade, no piping. Size  56 , and dated "P" (1986).
Cooks hat- Kochmutzen. Unused, "made in East Germany" export tag sown on inside. Size 56.
Side cap for kitchen use. Unused, "made in East Germany" export tag sown on inside. Size 55.