Kriegsmarine Field-Gray Visor Cap for Knight's Cross Recipient Otto Schulz and Commanding Admiral Black Sea

Made of field-gray cloth, dark green piping, gold cap cord on naval buttons, with national eagle and oakleaf wreath with cockade in hand-embroidered metal thread execution. Interior with brown sweatband, the leather dated 1942, blue lining and celluloid diamond with maker's marking “OKK Wilhelmshaven” and wearer's label “Otto Schulz”, head size 58. Small hole at back of head, condition 2.

Otto Schulz enlisted as a war volunteer in the Imperial Navy on April 4, 1916. Until August 1916 he was at the Naval School for basic training and from June 1, 1916 on the Freya. He then served as a naval cadet on the Rheinland, became Fähnrich zur See here (appointed with rank date of January 13, 1917) and received an assignment to the Oldenburg in March 1917, where he remained until August 1917. Until November 1917 he attended a training course for navigation officers, to return to the Oldenburg for one month and then attend another course for radio telegraphy at the Radio Telegraphy School Flensburg-Mürwik until February 1918. Until the end of the war he was again on the Oldenburg. With the assessment of the officers, he was recognized as qualified as an officer on April 18, 1918. With rank date of June 19, 1918 he was promoted to Leutnant zur See. From early December 1918 to early 1919 he was with the XII. Marine-Artillerie-Abteilung. Until February 17, 1919 he was placed at the disposal of the Chief of the Naval Station of the Baltic Sea and the North Sea.

From February 17, 1919 to May 26, 1920 he was with the II. Marine-Brigade. Here he served in the Officer Assault Company, then as gun commander of a heavy MG and then as orderly officer of a brigade adjutant. Subsequently he was transferred into the Reichsmarine and his deployment followed until May 24, 1921 as platoon leader in the 3rd Infantry Company of the I. Schiffsstammdivision der Nordsee. He served until September 22, 1923 on the cruiser Arcona, was promoted to Oberleutnant zur See on April 1, 1922 and served here until April 1, 1923 as radio officer and from October 1, 1920 additionally as watch officer. Until September 1923 followed his deployment as watch officer and division officer. From the Arcona he served until September 21, 1925 as naval communications officer in List and was simultaneously adjutant at the Kommandantur Cuxhaven. From early February 1925 to mid-March 1925 he had attended a refresher course for radio officers at the Marinenachrichtenschule Flensburg-Mürwik. He came to the service administration as assistant in the Inspectorate of Torpedo and Mine Warfare. From late September 1927 he was in the Versuchskommando der Marine in Kiel and simultaneously commander of the direction-finding boat P III. From September 30, 1927 to September 25, 1929 he was first radio officer and watch officer on the Elsass. On February 1, 1929 he was promoted to Kapitänleutnant in this position and had attended another refresher course for radio officers in November/December 1927. Until September 24, 1931 he served as watch officer on the Schleswig-Holstein. He came as consultant to the Abwehrabteilung in the Reichswehrministerium and remained here until September 29, 1933. Subsequently he was, from April 1, 1935 Korvettenkapitän, until September 24, 1935 assigned to the Marineakademie for a command assistant training, before he served until September 29, 1937 as navigation officer on the Leipzig. Further staff positions followed and on October 1, 1938 he became Fregattenkapitän. From September 1, 1939 to February 28, 1940 he was head of the Abwehrstelle at the Marinestation der Nordsee, was simultaneously Asto there and then there until mid-March 1943 only Asto. On April 1, 1940 he was promoted to Kapitän zur See in this position. From April 1943 he was commander of the Seeverteidigung Krim, which was dissolved with the fall of Sevastopol on May 12, 1944. On March 1, 1944 he became Konteradmiral. From mid-May 1944 to end of June 1944 he was placed at the disposal of the Kommandierender Admiral Schwarzes Meer and on leave. Subsequently he was until the end of the war chief of the Department Intelligence Evaluation (3/Skl). After the war he was initially as department chief Raum Mürwik first in British, then until mid-June 1947 in American captivity.

On May 17, 1944 he was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross for the evacuation of the “Crimea fighters”. He was also recipient of the Spanish Cross in Bronze.

465839

€ 6.500,00

Kriegsmarine Field-Gray Visor Cap for Knight's Cross Recipient Otto Schulz and Commanding Admiral Black Sea

The field-grey peaked cap of the Kriegsmarine represents a special category of German naval uniform during World War II. This particular headgear combines several historically significant elements: membership in the Kriegsmarine, personal connection to a Knight's Cross recipient, and use in the Black Sea theater during one of the most dramatic phases of the war.

The field-grey version of the naval cap was unusual, deviating from the standard dark blue uniform pieces of the Navy. Field grey was traditionally the color of the Army, but in certain operational areas, particularly on land and in combined operations, naval personnel also wore field-grey uniform items. The dark green piping indicated membership in the Admiral Staff and higher naval command positions.

The golden cap cord was an important rank insignia for officers of the Kriegsmarine. While enlisted men and non-commissioned officers wore no cords or black cords, the golden cord marked the officer career path. The attachment to naval buttons followed the precise regulations of naval service dress, as specified in the corresponding uniform regulations.

The national eagle and oak leaf wreath with cockade in hand-embroidered metal thread execution demonstrate the high quality of this headgear. Hand embroidery was typical for officer versions, while enlisted ranks usually wore machine-embroidered or stamped insignia. The oak leaf wreath was specific to naval officers and thus differed from Army caps.

The manufacturer's marking “OKK Wilhelmshaven” refers to an important production location. Wilhelmshaven was one of Germany's most important naval bases and housed numerous suppliers for naval clothing and equipment. The Officers' Clothing Office (OKK) was an institution through which naval officers procured their uniforms and equipment.

The 1942 dating in the sweatband places this cap chronologically in a phase when the German Kriegsmarine was intensifying its operations in the Black Sea. After the attack on the Soviet Union in June 1941, the Black Sea became an important operational area. German naval units supported Army operations here and were responsible for securing the coastal flank and supply routes.

The position of Commanding Admiral of the Black Sea was of supreme strategic importance. This command structure was responsible for all German and allied naval forces in this region, including coastal defense, mine warfare, convoy escort, and amphibious operations. Naval operations in the Black Sea were characterized by special challenges: the necessity of cooperation with Romanian and Bulgarian allies, the initial dominance of the Soviet Black Sea Fleet, and difficult logistical conditions.

The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was one of the highest military decorations of the German Reich. The award on May 17, 1944, for the evacuation of the “Crimean fighters” refers to one of the most dramatic evacuation operations of the war. After German and Romanian troops were encircled in Crimea, tens of thousands of soldiers had to be evacuated across the Black Sea in spring 1944 under the most difficult conditions. This operation required the highest nautical and organizational skills under constant threat from Soviet air and naval forces.

The career of Otto Schulz reflects the typical path of a naval officer who experienced both World Wars. His entry as a war volunteer in 1916 into the Imperial Navy, transfer to the Reichsmarine of the Weimar Republic, and finally service in the Kriegsmarine show the continuity of the German naval officer corps. His various assignments as navigation officer, signals officer, and in intelligence functions demonstrate broad professional qualifications. His promotion to Rear Admiral on March 1, 1944, marked the pinnacle of his military career.

The size 58 and use of brown sweatband leather correspond to standard productions for German officer peaked caps of this period. The blue lining was typical for naval uniforms and differed from the often green or beige lining in Army caps.

This peaked cap stands as an example of the connection between personal military biography, technical uniform studies, and the dramatic events of naval warfare in the Black Sea during World War II. It documents not only the material aspects of naval clothing but also the strategic significance of an often-overlooked theater of war.