Marshals of the Soviet Union

Introduction

Included here are caps worn only by the highest ranking officers in the Soviet military - Marshals of the Soviet Union. Of the millions of Soviet army, navy and airmen, only 39 individuals ever achieved this lofty rank. A thumbnail image accompanies each cap description. Clicking on that thumbnail will bring up a larger, higher resolution image.

The first two caps shown here are unfortunately not in my collection - but in a couple of friend's. I have included them here even so and even though they are actually from the WWII era so that viewers can see how MSU caps have developed over the years. This cap was part of the new gray parade uniforms introduced for Soviet MSUs and Generals as part of the 1943 uniform regulations. Relatively short lived, this cap served as the model for the next version - produced in Wave/Foam (or Tzar) Green - introduced as an element of the 1945 "Victory" uniforms. Only the crown color changed in that cap from the 1943 model shown here. As with many other Soviet uniform elements, this cap reflects an evolutionary upgrade from earlier caps worn by marshals and generals. The gray top with red wool band and piping had been authorized since 1940 - as were the gold cords held in place by buttons stamped with the Great Seal of the USSR. The center cockade too, had been in use since 1940. The major change in 1943 was the addition of gold wire embroidery surrounding that cockade. As you can see, this was quite extensive and ornate. This embroidery pattern was unique to MSUs and remained basically unchanged through 1991. The visor is standard black enameled fiberboard - of the M35 square or "spade-shaped" design. The inside has the upgraded kid-leather sweatband and silk lining which were usually found in these exalted ranks.From the Frodig Collection Very Rare (and expensive!)

Marshal of the Soviet Union
Parade
1945-1954

This cap was part of the new "Wave" or "Tzar" green parade uniforms specifically developed to commemorate victory over the Germans in 1945. Although the new uniform was significantly different from the gray uniform it replaced, the cap changed only in the color of the crown. All other elements present in the M43 MSU parade cap remained the same. This specific cap has a rounded visor - which was an optional variant from the spade-shaped one usually seen on caps of this era. The inside also has an upgraded kid-leather sweatband but the lining is only cotton, instead of the silk normally found on these caps. This parade cap remained unchanged until 1954/55 when embroidery was added to the visor and a new cockade replaced the WWII era one (see caps below).Very Rare (and expensive!)

Marshal of the Soviet Union
Parade-Walking Out
1970-1980

A rather unassuming-looking cap, which to all but a few seems identical to the gray Army generals' walking-out caps common in many collections. What sets this cap apart and identifies it as unique to Marshals of the Soviet Union (MSU) is the design of the gold embroidery surrounding the general-officer cockade. Whereas Army generals' band embroidery of this period took the form of elongated laurel leaves, MSU caps were done in stylized oak leaves and acorns. The embroidery is done in gold thread - not metallic wire, although both types apparently existed side-by-side. As previously mentioned, the remainder of the cap is the same as for an Army general. It is made of light gray cloth with red band and piping, with standard officer's gold cords held in place by two gold colored buttons cast with the Great Seal of the USSR. The visor has a patent leather top, covered underneath with black cloth. Lining is dark gray silk, sweat band is kid leather pierced with a red ribbon. As is common with later general/marshal caps, it is not dated. Although all Marshal caps are scarce, the gray walking-out cap is seen less than the parade or khaki service versions. As with the other gray walking-out caps, this version was phased out in 1980 in favor of the wave-green parade cap. Rare

Marshal of the Soviet Union
Parade
1970-1991

The pinnacle in Soviet visor cap ornamentation - if not in beauty, at least in quantity! This undated cap is typical of MSU parade caps of the late Cold War period. Despite its late manufacture, it displays many elements used on MSU caps since the Victory parades of 1945: wave green crown, red band and piping, and a MSU-unique pattern of band gold-wire embroidery. MSU parade caps were upgraded in 1955, when leather visors with MSU-pattern embroidery were introduced and the simple woven gold cap cords were replaced by a leather chin strap also embroidered in gold wire. Like the other embroidery, the pattern on this strap was different than that found on generals' and lesser marshalls' caps. All MSU embroidery replicates oak leaves vice the laurel leaves reproduced on their lower-ranking cousins. The M1955 all-gilt generals' cockade also replaced the round cockade in use prior to that date. Although the elements of the MSU parade cap remained basically unchanged from 1955 until 1991, in 1970 the crown size was increased to match that of other Soviet Army caps of the period. The interior of the cap is typical of general officer caps: silk lining, real leather sweatband and a leather maker's label stamped with the manufacturer and cap size. Dates are also sometimes found on these labels, although they became uncommon during the last few years of the USSR (see my discussion on fakes for more information on this phenomenon). Rare

Marshal of the Soviet Union
Service
1980-1991

The everyday cap of a Soviet MSU during this period. This late-model cap is very similar in design and construction to the gray walking-out cap described above, with the exception of the khaki colored crown. As you can see, it too has the MSU-unique oak leave wreath embroidery on the band. In this case, the spray of gold thread leaves is smaller (four leaves per side vice the seven on my gray cap) - but that probably reflects a manufacturing variation, rather than a deliberate difference. As previously mentioned, the remainder of the cap is the same as for the walking-out cap; red band and piping, standard officer's gold cords held in place by two gold buttons cast with the Great Seal of the USSR, and a patent leather visor covered underneath with black cloth. The lining is silk and the sweatband is kid leather pierced with a colored ribbon. Again, there is no date (which leaves the possibility of post 1991 production). The date range I reference is based on 1980 regulations that added embroidery to the marshals/generals' service caps in conjunction with the phasing out of the similarly embroidered gray walking-out caps. Prior to that time, marshals and generals' service caps had no embroidery and, as a result, were identical to each other. Rare

A last few notes concerning this and other MSU caps. The quality of visor, strap and band embroidery varied quite a bit on these caps. As elsewhere in Soviet uniform manufacture, cheaper materials and mass production shortcuts had a deleterious impact. Most of this was directly attributable to cost considerations as the USSR found itself imploding economically in the 1980's and the beginning of the 1990's. The cap above represents a middle stage in the quality range of caps produced. This is reflected best in the most expensive element of its construction - the embroidery. The embroidery is all still in fine gold (or gilt) wire, unlike some of the last caps which intermixed a large amount of gold-colored silk thread in this embroidery (seen below). Unfortunately, I still don't know for sure if this silk embroidery was only found post 1991. The generals/marshalls' cockade on the above cap is two-piece, vice the very late one-piece version seen below. Even the manufacturer's label was affected by cost-cutting initiatives, with some late caps replacing the traditional leather one with a plasticized version (see below right). Caps made post 1991 were particularly likely to be made with cheaper materials. Here are closeups of the probable post 1991 cap I've referenced.

Marshal of the Soviet Union
Tan Service
1985-1991

Not in my collection, but I'm making an exception in the case of one of my heros: Marshal of the Soviet Union Akhromeyev. The first (and I believe last) time this cap was seen in the West was when he and his escorts visited the United States in the summer of 1988. The cap is virtually identical in construction and design to the Marshals' gray walking-out (shown above) and khaki service caps, except that the crown material is made of light tan cotten material and the spray of oak leaves is smaller. See my Army 1989-1991 page for a picture of a junior officers' cap of this type.