SS Eagle for Schirmmütze IN BRASS - Deschler & Sohn, München (Silver)

The SS Eagle for Schirmmütze was the metal national emblem mounted on the front of the SS visor cap. In the standard cap arrangement, the eagle was positioned on the upper front of the cap, while the Totenkopf badge was mounted lower on the central band. Together, the two metal devices formed the front insignia set of the SS Schirmmütze.

The Deschler & Sohn, Munich version is associated with the reverse marking RZM M1/52. The RZM marking system identified regulated uniform items and authorized manufacturers. In the code M1/52, M1 referred to the category of metal insignia, while 52 was the manufacturer code assigned to Deschler & Sohn of Munich. The mark is usually found on the reverse of the badge, below or between the rear attachment prongs.

The design depicts the eagle with horizontally outstretched wings, a compact central body, a sideways-facing head and the talons resting on a wreath containing the swastika. The wings are long and relatively flat, with feather detail rendered in linear relief. The overall form of the badge was intended for the curved front surface of the Schirmmütze, which is why cap-mounted examples often show a slight transverse curve.

This variant is made from brass, a material distinct from zamak versions and from documented period examples in Cupal, aluminium or stamped alloys. Brass, an alloy of copper and zinc, has greater ductility than zamak and can be shaped more gradually to follow the curve of the visor cap. This allows the badge to be bent progressively without necessarily requiring pre-heating. Zamak is more rigid and more prone to cracking if bent cold, especially in thin areas such as the wing tips, wreath, attachment points and rear prongs.

From a construction standpoint, brass allows fine relief detail to be reproduced clearly, including the feathering of the wings, the head of the eagle, the wreath and the internal lines of the swastika. The surface may be silvered, darkened, patinated or left in its natural yellow brass tone, depending on the finish applied. On finished examples, wear on the highest points of the relief can reveal the yellowish base metal, especially on the wing tips, breast, wreath edges and raised feather lines.

Attachment to the Schirmmütze was by means of two rear prongs, or Splinte, which passed through the cap material and were folded over on the inside. On metal cap eagles, the strength of the prongs and the ability of the badge body to conform to the cap shape were important technical features. On a brass base, the prongs and body are generally less likely to break immediately than those made from more brittle materials, although they remain thin metal parts and still require careful bending.

Original Deschler RZM M1/52 eagles are known with differences in material, finish, curvature, mark placement and rear attachment construction. Some examples have soldered prongs mounted on small backing plates, while others show simpler attachment arrangements. Variations also occur in the sharpness of the feather detail, the depth of the strike, the shape of the wreath and the modelling of the eagle body. The M1/52 marking remains the central feature for attribution to Deschler & Sohn.

The metal eagle was worn on SS Schirmmützen, including black Allgemeine SS visor caps and later grey-green or field-grey cap types connected with the development of Waffen-SS uniforms. On other headgear, such as field caps and side caps, woven or embroidered insignia were more common. The metal version is therefore specifically associated with the visor cap and with the front arrangement consisting of the upper eagle and lower Totenkopf.

A technical detail of Schirmmütze eagles is the need to adapt the badge to the actual shape of the cap. The front of a visor cap is not flat but slightly rounded. A badge that is too rigid or not shaped correctly can stand away at the sides or place stress on the rear prongs. Brass allows a more gradual adjustment of the curve while preserving the profile of the badge and reducing the risk of fractures in thin areas compared with more brittle cast metals.