Partisan, Pesant, Revolutionary Cap??

[DanielJones]

Hello Folks,

This may have been covered before but can't seem to find any info on this particular cap. I've seen it in photos in books about WWII where either French, German, Polish, Russian & even Greeks are wearing this hat. Molstly civilians though. It looks similar to a Greek fishermans hat or a Prinz Heinrich Navy cap but is slightly bigger and sort of falls like a USAAF crusher cap. I have no idea what this pesant/partisan/revolutionary hat is called. Sometimes they are pictured as leather but others that I have seen show it as a wool cap. They always have a leather bill on them though. I have found very few images to reference on line except a couple of shots of Lenin.

Could someone give a little guidance? Douglas, with your vast collection of headgear, would you be able to enlighten me on what kind of hat I speak of? Maybe you have a couple in your collection you can share images & information of?
I've seen plenty of images in books showing rural pesants, Bolshevic revolutionaries, French Resistans fighter, the basic German citizen wearing this type of cap throughout Europe durring the early to mid 20th Century, the 1920's through the 1940's being fairly predominant. The only other thing I can tink that it is similar to is the hat worn by the main character in "Fiddler on the Roof".

Thanks in advance for any help with search, it is greatly appreciated, and if you find any images or info on this type of hat please feel free to post away. I'll post anything that I find as well. Thanks again!

Cheers!

Dan

 

[Rick Blaine]

Try here

Lenin's Cap

And here:Lenin's Cap.

 

[Fatdutchman]

The Soviet cap with it's chin strap on the front is a militaristic version of it, but it is the basic "forage cap" or "wheel cap". A very common cap throughout Europe and America all through the 19th century, and apparently, into the 20th. The U.S. Army issued this style of cap in the 1830's-1840's. Wool top, leather bill. Chinstrap and all.

Here's a link to one dealer's offering of the 1839 forage cap (the one on the right)
www.umvmco.com/images/CL116_120.jpg

It's taller, but essentially the same.

 

[Rick Blaine]

You Nailed It

The Soviet cap with it's chin strap on the front is a militaristic version of it, but it is the basic "forage cap" or "wheel cap". A very common cap throughout Europe and America all through the 19th century, and apparently, into the 20th. The U.S. Army issued this style of cap in the 1830's-1840's. Wool top, leather bill. Chinstrap and all.

Here's a link to one dealer's offering of the 1839 forage cap (the one on the right)
www.umvmco.com/images/CL116_120.jpg

It's taller, but essentially the same.

on the head there 'Dutchman, looks right out of Dr. Zhivago

 

[Adam_H]

Back in school a professor visited China and brought me back one of these:

 

[Fatdutchman]

If you could find one without the Army chinstrap, you'd have a good civilian hat. I actually have a green one that I got from Dixie Gun Works years ago. They no longer sell it (though they do still sell the 1839 Army issue one). It was a common hunting and work cap.

 

[interlocutor]

In Yiddish it's called a _kashke't_ or _kashke'tl_. I'm not sure of the Russian, but it's probably the same.

 

[Harp]

a fedora (proletariat model)? lol

 

[DanielJones]

I think I may have found what they are currently called. It is either a Fiddler Cap, a Euro Cap or a Spitfire Cap. I have seen a few that are interesting at places like Hats in the Belfry & Village Hat Shop, but I think I'll keep searching fot that just right one. A mix of wool with a leather bill like the USAAF crusher cap. Should prove to be an interesting hunt. Thanks for all your input, it has been very, very helpful.

Cheers!

Dan