Budenovka - a headdress that became a symbol of the revolutionary struggle

Description of the accessory

The Budenovka hat as a military headdress has an interesting history. It was first worn by the Red Army soldiers of Ivanovo-Voznesensk in the fall of 1918. In its shape, the budenovka resembles an ancient Russian pointed heroic helmet of a conical shape. The base of the hat is 6 spherical triangles sewn together. The top of the cap ends with a round cloth pad with a diameter of 2 cm. The material was thick cloth with a cotton pad for insulation. A stitched oval-shaped visor was attached to the budenovka on the front side, and a backplate with a triangular cutout was sewn on the back. In winter, it was unfastened and protected the soldiers’ necks from wind, precipitation and cold, and in summer, it was raised and secured with special buttons to the back of the hat.

The emblem: a scarlet star outlined along the contour with a black edging became a sign of difference between the headdress of a Red Army soldier and military personnel of other countries. Initially, the diameter of the circle around the five-pointed star was 8.8 cm, and then increased to 10.5 cm. Not all stars were red: the color of the emblem depended on the branch of the military.

Troop name	Colors
Infantry troops	Crimson
Artillery	Orange
Cavalry divisions	Blue
Armored forces	Red
Aviators	Sky blue
Border troops	Green
Sapper units	Steel
Engineering parts	Black

A cockade badge with the image of a plow and a hammer was attached on top of the star. Later it was replaced by the emblem of the union of workers and peasants - the hammer and sickle.

Si vis pacem, para bellum!

And so, hats in the armies of the world. For convenience, we will arrange them in alphabetical order.

A balaclava is a headdress that covers the entire head, leaving only a small part of the face, such as the nose and eyes, exposed. Named after the city of Balaklava in Crimea. During the Crimean War of 1853-1856, such knitted helmets protected British troops from the cold. But another name for this item of clothing, a balaclava, was mentioned in print much earlier. In general, this headdress has become known since the 19th century.

Bandana is a triangular or square scarf. Bandanas were originally used by American cowboys to protect themselves from dust. They were tied around the neck so that they could be quickly put on the face. In the late 1980s and early 90s in California, bandanas were used as a sign of belonging to a certain criminal group.

A baseball cap is a soft cap with hard edges and a visor. The history of the cap began in 1860, when players of the Brooklyn Excelsiors team began wearing it. By 1900, this headdress had become popular. In 1940, the modern baseball cap was born. The visor became much shorter and the hat became more comfortable. Currently, baseball caps have become a popular wardrobe item not only for athletes, but also for the military.

Beret. The modern beret comes from the traditional hat of the Pyrenean shepherds. Industrial production of this headdress began only in the 17th century in the south of France. And by 1920, berets were already produced by more than 20 French factories. The beret is part of the uniform of many military units of the armies of the world.

I wrote about berets in elite units of the armies of the world in my article

A peakless cap is a uniform headdress (a cap without a peak) for soldiers, sailors, some junior commanders, and students of naval schools of a number of armies and navies. In the Russian army and navy since 1811. In 1872, in the Russian navy, ribbons were introduced on caps, which indicated the name of the ship or the number of the naval crew. In 1921, a standard uniform for military sailors was approved. Over time, the cap has undergone only minor changes. Instead of the name of the ship, the name of the fleet or naval school appeared on the ribbons. The peakless cap is a Russian national headdress. Many found its appearance beautiful and attractive; foreign sailors were so impressed by it that the Russian cap soon won recognition in all the navies of the world.

American sailors wear caps that look more like Panama hats.

Red pom-poms on the white caps of French naval sailors are a long-standing tradition. Previously, ships had cramped rooms with low ceilings, and the pompom protected the sailor's head from hitting their ledges. Now the ship's premises have become more spacious, but the tradition of using a red pom-pom on the white caps of French naval sailors has still been preserved.

Glengarry. A hat, flattened on the sides (like a cap), decorated with two ribbons attached to the back and a small pompom sewn on top. Usually sewn from thick woolen fabric. According to legend, Glengarry was invented at the end of the 18th century by British Colonel Alexander Raneldson MacDonnell from Glengarry. The prototype for the new headdress was the national Scottish Balmoral beret, also decorated with ribbons and a pompom. The Glengarry was originally worn with working uniforms as a military headdress in the British Army. Glengarry later became popular in the British army due to its practicality and ease of wearing. Glengarry also began to be worn as the main headdress of bagpipers of Scottish regiments. Usually the color of the Glengarry is black or dark blue, modern military Glengarrys are always dark blue. Today the Glengarry is worn by many Scottish regiments of the British Army.

The Confederate is a quadrangular headdress in the Polish army known since the 18th century.

The keffiyeh (other possible spellings are kaffiya, kaffiyeh, and keffiyeh) is a traditional Arabic headdress for men. Typically made from a piece of cotton, it looks like a scarf, sometimes with tassels at the ends. It was folded diagonally and tied on the head in a variety of ways using an agal (a loop or ring of thick twisted cord) or a ribbon. Most often, this headdress can be found in arid areas; it is worn to protect the head from the sun, and the eyes and mouth from dust and sand. Actively used in the armed forces of many countries.

The kepi is a type of cap with a flat round crown and a small visor. The kepi was originally the most common headdress in the French army. Its predecessor appeared in the 1830s during the occupation of Algeria, and was a lightweight reed frame covered with fabric. Later, cheapness made the cap the most popular military headdress, starting in the mid-19th century. Currently, the cap has changed somewhat and has become a very popular headdress.

US Marine Corps cap (utility cover, utility cap, eight-pointed cover). Also used by the Navy and US Coast Guard.

Bear hat. The famous hats of the British Royal Guards are made from the fur of the North American grizzly bear. Officers' hats are taller and shinier. The fact is that they are made from the fur of a male, and the hats of privates and non-commissioned officers are made from the fur of a female grizzly bear (it does not look so impressive). But the hats of ordinary guardsmen, which, so to speak, are inherited, from demobilized soldiers to young conscripts, serve for almost a hundred years, so members of the Animal Welfare Society can rest assured about the number of bears.

Pakol, pakul or chitarli. Pakul gained great popularity among the Pashtun tribes at the beginning of the 20th century, largely due to the bulkiness of turbans.

Papakha. In the Russian army, this headdress appeared in 1817 among the troops fighting in the Caucasus. However, at that time it was just a fur hat. Since 1855, the papakha was the headdress of the troops of the Caucasian Corps and all Cossack troops. It was usually sewn from astrakhan fur, sheepskin or bear fur. An order of 1871 by the Military Department introduced a black hat made of smushka or merlushka (lamb skin) with a height of 15 to 25 cm. And in the Siberian and Orenburg Cossack troops, the so-called Trukhmenkas were adopted - shaggy hats of the Turkmen type. By the Russo-Japanese War of 1904-1905, hats made of black lamb fur were worn in the active army. In 1913, on the eve of the First World War, the entire army switched to hats. They were made from gray smushka, and were developed and introduced back in 1910. In the Red Army, the hat was abolished for ideological reasons (“this is an attribute of the tsarist troops and the White Guard”) (as well as shoulder straps). But not for long. By order of the People's Commissar of Defense of the USSR dated April 23, 1936, it was reintroduced - however, only for the Don Cossack units. But already on February 1, 1941, by order of the military people's commissar, this Cossack hat was again canceled: from October 1, 1941, the army was supposed to begin the transition to new types of uniforms. The hat in its modern form was introduced in 1940 for marshals and generals. And in 1943, colonels were able to try it on. The hat was excluded from the list of items of equipment for defenders of the Fatherland in 1994 by Yeltsin’s decree, which then introduced a new, current uniform for military personnel. President Vladimir Putin returned the hat to the army in 2005.

Cap (garrison cap, side cap, wedge cap, field service cap). It is believed that the cap first appeared in the Austrian army at the end of the 19th century. The prototype for it was the national Serbian shajkacha hat, which was worn by detachments of Austrian Serbs who attacked the Turkish border territories. In the Russian army, the cap was introduced during the First World War as a headdress for pilots. It could easily be hidden in a pocket and worn instead of a helmet after the end of the flight; a cap was not suitable in this case. For this reason, the cap (from the word pilot) was originally called a flight cap or flight cap. Over time, the cap became the uniform headdress of various military and paramilitary (pioneers, cadets, scouts, etc.) formations.

A patrol cap (field cap) is a soft cap with a hard, rounded visor and a flat top that is used by military personnel in some countries when a combat helmet is not required.

Fishing hat (bucket hat, fishing hat, beanie hat). It is a soft cotton hat with a wide brim that slopes downward. Most often, several holes are made in the crown, as a result of which ventilation occurs, and it is not so hot in the hat. These hats are used by the US Navy and Army, as well as in the armies of other countries. We call such a hat a “Panama”, although this is not entirely true.

Terai. It is a hat for sun protection, with wide brims and ventilation in the crown, most often made of felt. This hat gained immense popularity in the late 19th century. Used as an alternative to a tropical helmet. Now these hats are worn mainly by units of the Nepalese Gurkhas.

Topee. A helmet with a wide brim and a hemispherical crown. Often has a chin strap and a pommel in the form of a small pike or emblem. Usually made from cork or plant fibers, and covered with fabric on top. The colonial helmet appeared in the British army in the mid-19th century during wars with other European powers over their colonies in the tropics and armed uprisings in India. The colonial helmet was later used by the Americans during the Vietnam and Korean wars. Today, the colonial helmet is an element of the dress uniform of some army units of Great Britain and the countries of the British Commonwealth.

Tam o shanter (tam o shanter). Traditional headdress in Scotland. Round hat with a tight-fitting band around the head and a soft, voluminous top. The top of the head is usually decorated with a pompom. They wear it twisted to one side. British and Canadian infantry began wearing khaki tam-o-shanters during World War II. In conditions of trench warfare, such a beret was the most practical alternative to another headdress - the Glengarry. Modern tam-o-shanters, worn by a variety of Scottish regiments, are distinguished by emblems and feather plumes of various colors. Now found only as the headdress of Scottish regiments in the British Army, and in some military units of Canada.

Turban is a men's and women's headdress among the peoples of Asia and North Africa - a sheet of light fabric wrapped around the head. The turban is usually wrapped around a skullcap, fez or hat. Its production usually requires 6-8 meters of fabric, but some types of turbans require up to 20 meters of fabric.

The turban is now worn in many armies where Sikh Hindus serve.

Ushankas are considered a traditional headdress in Russia. Ushanka is made of fur or sheepskin and is intended to protect against the cold. In 1934, the hat with earflaps took on the look familiar to everyone until now; it began to be worn by the Naval Forces of the Workers 'and Peasants' Red Army. A black hat with earflaps consisted of an okol, a black cloth cap, a visor and a nape with headphones. In the lowered position, the headphones are tied with a braid, and in the raised position they are tucked into the back of the head. In accordance with the order of the People's Commissar of the Navy No. 426 of October 20, 1939, the cloth cap was replaced with a leather one, and a leather-covered button was also added. The hats of senior and senior command personnel were made from black merlushka fur, and the hats of mid-level command personnel and long-term service personnel were made from black tsigeika fur. Since 1940, the earflap hat has become the winter headdress of the army and police. The headdress was made of light sheepskin, although in the navy earflaps remained black.

Forage cap. Headdress with a high crown, band and visor. Usually it is decorated along the band and the upper edge of the crown with a special belt, welt and cockades attached to the crown and band. The cap got its name from the word “fodder” (feed for horses). The fact is that the first caps appeared during the Napoleonic wars, and they were worn by Russian, Prussian and British cavalrymen who were searching for feed for horses. Today, the cap, in its various forms, is part of the military uniform of the armies of many countries around the world. It should be added that in Great Britain and the countries of the British Commonwealth the term forage cap is also used to refer to a cap.

Ranger hat (campaign hat). These hats are also called sergeant hat or boy scout hat. A wide-brimmed felt hat, with a high top, symmetrically “pinched” on four sides, and thus forming a peak in . Initially, the top of the hat ended with a regular fold, but due to heavy tropical rains, the design of the hat was changed for the sake of practicality: water does not linger in the “Montana folds.” Today, these hats are worn by the Royal Canadian Police, the New Zealand Army, the US Armed Forces, US law enforcement agencies, and the Boy Scouts.

Pillbox hat. A small brimless hat with a cylindrical crown; often completely flat, with a small groove encircling the center of the crown. It's hard to believe, but until recently, a pillbox hat, complete with a chin strap, was a military headdress. It is still used in this capacity in some countries of the British Commonwealth.

In this article, of course, I did not describe all the hats used in the armies of the world , since there are a lot of them. I also did not touch upon combat helmets designed to protect a soldier’s head, but more on that in the following articles.

Materials used from the sites: https://tomall.ru and https://www.softmixer.com

Developed by whom and when

In the first time after the revolution, the Red Army soldier, as well as the rest of his colleagues, wore the uniform of the tsarist army with worn-out insignia. The Bolshevik government needed to create its own military ammunition. The new uniform was approved in 1919 by order of the Revolutionary Military Forces under number 116. It consisted of a cloth overcoat, a tunic shirt, leather bast shoes, and a headdress.

It is not precisely established whether the Budenovka was specially designed for the Red Army or whether the Soviet Government used the 1915 model for the Tsarist Army parade in Berlin. Documents confirming this version have not been found to date. But it is documented that the Military Commissariat announced a competition to create original uniforms for soldiers of the Red Army. Artists Boris Kustodiev, Vasily Vasnetsov, Mikhail Ezuchevsky worked on sketches of Soviet military uniforms.

The result of the work was a helmet whose appearance resembles an ancient Russian conical erihonka with chain mail aventails descending onto the shoulders. This similarity gave the original name to the headdress of the Red Army soldiers - the hero. There were no analogues to the cloth cap in European armies.

Hats

Military hats were part of the military uniform. Since a large “army” of collectors is engaged in collecting exclusively headdresses, this section examines the headdresses of various armies separately from uniforms, which, in our opinion, will be more convenient to use the information of this target category of site users. Helmets and helmets, although worn on the head, performed their specific function - protection from strong physical influences (shell fragments, sometimes bullets, impacts, etc.), therefore, lights are not discussed in this section, but are listed in a separate section of the site "Helmets and helmets."

Military headdresses, regardless of their type, were intended to protect a serviceman’s head from natural influences: rain, wind, cold, sun, dust, dirt, etc. and so on. Just like uniforms, hats also performed certain hygienic functions, simultaneously serving as an identifier of a serviceman’s belonging to a certain branch of the military or officer corps, or less often, military rank. Characterizing military headdresses, we note that they, like military uniforms in different countries, corresponded to certain historical traditions of each country, depended on the type of troops, the time of year and climate of wearing and some other conditions. These conditions determined the material from which the hats were made, its color, and accessories. Some headdresses or their parts were used only with ceremonial uniforms, others - only in the field, or in special rooms or on ships.

The most common headdresses of the Second World War period include berets, caps, Panama hats, caps, caps, caps, hats with ear flaps, and hats. The characteristics of individual military headdresses are as follows.

Beret

The burgundy beret of the British Parachute Forces.

The beret is a soft, voluminous headdress without a visor, known since the Middle Ages, but its use in the armed forces is a relatively recent phenomenon and dates back to the beginning of the 20th century. Previously, certain parts of the Scottish Highlanders of the British Army wore caps resembling berets back in the 17th and 18th centuries. In general, the headdress, which people know under the name “beret,” was widespread in the Basque country, in France and Spain at about the same time. Similarly, in Breton and France, the beret was a traditional item of clothing for fishermen.

More or less widespread use of berets in the armed forces began with the First World War. According to some reports, French tank crews began to wear different versions of soft Basque berets, both large and small, outside formation and while performing missions. The impetus for the widespread use of berets was given by Great Britain, whose tankers began to use the black beret. The Second World War gave berets new popularity. English and American saboteurs, who were thrown behind the German lines, in particular to France, quickly appreciated the convenience of berets, especially dark colors - it was convenient to hide their hair under them, they protected the head from the cold, the beret was used as a balaclava, etc. Some English units introduced berets as the headdress of formations and branches of troops. So, for example, it was with the SAS - the Special Airborne Service, a special forces unit engaged in sabotage and reconnaissance behind enemy lines - they took a sand/reddish-brown beret (it symbolized the desert, where the SAS had to work hard against Rommel’s army). British paratroopers chose a crimson beret. Since then, the crimson beret has become an unofficial symbol of military paratroopers around the world. British commandos, as well as naval saboteurs - the forerunners of the SBS, the Special Boat Service - and the Royal Marines experimented with green berets.

In addition to Great Britain, during the Second World War, berets were used in Germany, France and a number of other countries. At the same time, during this period, berets were not yet a popular military headdress, and reached their peak of popularity in modern times.

Cap

The cap of a private Red Army soldier.

A cap is a summer headdress in the form of a lightweight folding cap flattened on the sides. It consisted of a cap and sides. The cap was sewn from a longitudinal bottom with sharp ends and two semicircular halves. The cap was made of cotton fabric for enlisted personnel, and half-woolen or woolen fabric for officers.

The prototype of this headdress may have been the Glengarry, a Celtic headdress used by the Scottish military, or the Serbian Šajkača headdress. In European armies, the cap appears in the third quarter of the 19th century and is called a field or forage cap. So, in the French army, such a cap was very reminiscent of previous caps, even down to the presence of a tassel. A significant difference was the upturned brim, which could be lowered, if necessary, to cover the ears. The frontal part of this headdress was decorated with a five-pointed star among fusiliers, and with a hunting horn among voltigeurs. With the massive introduction of steel helmets, the cap became widespread in the army as a headdress worn under the helmet.

The new type of headdress did not immediately take root among the troops. Only during the First World War, military caps began to be worn by military personnel of various technical branches of the military, primarily aviators, artillerymen, and motorists. The cap was officially introduced into the Red Army on January 16, 1919 as a headdress for military cadets. However, during the interwar period they became very widely used in the field. It’s interesting that some caps of that time still retained the tassel from their caps. This was, for example, the Spanish “Isabelina”, which became widely known during the civil war of 1936-1939. The front tassel and piping along the edges of the sides wore the colors of the military branch: in the infantry - red, among the rangers - green, etc. In the 1930s in Germany, the cap was introduced as the main headdress of the Wehrmacht. In a number of armies, insignia of military ranks were placed on the cap. This is what the Spaniards, Italians and French did. Officer's caps, made from higher quality fabrics, often had a special trim that made it possible to distinguish them from similar hats for non-commissioned officers and enlisted personnel. To do this, edgings of various colors were laid in the upper seams of the cap and along the edges of the sides. The same edging went along the top of the sides. The color of the edging corresponded to the corresponding branch of the military.

In the Armed Forces of Italy, Croatia and Bulgaria during the Second World War, a specific form of cap, the bustina, was used as a headdress. It had a special cut with buttoned flaps that could be detached to the sides; insignia for military ranks were worn on the side of the bustina, and a cockade was worn in front. Bustina was sewn from various wool-blend and cotton fabrics of khaki color, and for higher ranks - from “cordellino” fabric with a bluish tint. For example, in Bulgaria the bustina was brown with the image of a lion.

During the Second World War, the cap was one of the most popular headdresses for military personnel. It was used in the armies of Great Britain, Germany, Italy, the USSR, the USA and a number of other countries.

Panama

Panama of American military personnel.

Panama is a light summer hat with an elastic narrow brim, sewn from dense fabric and used in hot climates, incl. in the desert or tropics. Panama hat provides excellent protection from rain and sun in hot and humid climates. Due to its wide brim and soft shape, the Panama hat perfectly breaks up the human silhouette and masks the easily identifiable shape of the head. An even greater level of camouflage is available by attaching artificial foliage to the Panama hat. Panama comes from Ecuador's national straw headdress, the Sombrero de paja toquilla. The headdress got its name due to the fact that it gained popularity in Europe and the USA during the construction of the Panama Canal.

Panama hats were introduced into the Red Army in the late 1930s. Almost at the same time, hats with wide brims around the entire circumference of the head were created for the American army. They were originally made from denim and then from twill with a herringbone pattern. These hats were called “Daisy May” in honor of the comic book heroine. The British armed forces were equipped with their own uniform for hot climates, which included the Bushman's hat. The Australians called their version of this headdress the “funny hat” due to its short brim and curious appearance.

A type of Panama hat can be considered a pith helmet, which was covered with fabric and performed the same function as a Panama hat, however, due to its rigidity, it could not be folded compactly, and therefore was less popular among the troops. During World War II, Panama hats in various designs were used in the armies of Australia, Great Britain, Germany, Italy, and the USA. THE USSR.

Cap

British Army General's cap.

A cap is a headdress with a hard visor and a stable band, which was the result of the development of the shako, which until the mid-19th century gradually decreased to the modern form of the cap. Wider brims at the cap allow you to increase the area of head coverage in the heat. The cap is not only a tribute to tradition, but also a recognized comfortable headdress, visually attractive and very functional. The last factor is determined by the possibility of placing on this headdress clearly and clearly expressed identification marks about the official and professional affiliation of its wearer.

The main features that distinguish a cap from a number of other headdresses are associated, first of all, with its design. Any cap contains in its design special reinforcing elements: a hoop that retains the shape of the crown and gives it the desired bend, as well as rollers of cotton wool or fabric for stuffing the crown and cardboard seals for the band, so that the original shape of the headdress is stably maintained. The standard uniform cap for military personnel includes the following elements: the bottom is in the shape of a wide oval; band; edging along the edges of the bottom and band; crown; visor; welt in the form of a strap or braided cord; two buttons to hold the welt; cockade. In the design of the cap, additional elements (emblems, sewing) can be used as special distinctive signs. This is most typical for highlighting special team functions. A type of cap is considered to be a peakless cap and a cap.

During the Second World War, the cap was the most common ceremonial headdress in almost all armies of the world.

Capless cap

Peak cap of sailors of the Royal Norwegian Navy.

Peakless - is a cap without a visor, intended for sailors. It appeared in the navy almost simultaneously with the appearance of the cap in the army. By the beginning of the 19th century, it was already a fairly common headdress. It should be noted that for its time, a visor cap was a fairly progressive uniform headdress, and for this reason, visor caps were introduced in many fleets with certain features. The cap consisted of a band, a crown, piping, a ribbon on a sailor's cap, a white - summer or ceremonial - cover, a cockade (in some armies, branches of the armed forces and branches of the military).

The Second World War showed the impracticality of wearing a visor every day - it was easily soiled, inconvenient to wear, and had a complete lack of protective functions (from sunlight, etc.). Therefore, other, more adapted headgear - berets, caps, helmets, caps - were gradually introduced into the navy, and in a number of cases, sailors worked without headgear at all. The cap remains for the most part a symbol of the Navy and is worn by sailors in formation, in dress or on special occasions.

During World War II, caps were worn in the navies of Great Britain, Germany, Norway, the USSR and other countries.

Kepi

Wehrmacht soldier's cap.

Kepi (cap) is a type of cap with a hard or soft small bottom and a long, straight and wide visor. The cap has special flaps that can be used to protect the ears, face and neck from cold and wind. The hard visor protects from the sun and precipitation. The first classic cloth cap appeared in 1852 in France, and was intended to be worn during campaigns and non-combatant service. In addition to the French army, the kepi was also found in the armies of Russia, the USA, Great Britain, Austria-Hungary, Italy and a number of German principalities. Later, the cap became an element of the uniform of people who deal with equipment (drivers, repairmen) due to the presence of a visor that covers the face from external influences, and a crown on which a badge can be attached. The cap is also convenient because it can be folded and put in a pocket or tucked under a shoulder strap. Sometimes uniform caps have a piping at the top of the crown.

The most common caps during World War II were in Germany, Poland, and the USA. Finland and France.

Hat with ear flaps

Finnish hat with earflaps.

A hat with earflaps is a winter fur (made of natural or artificial fur) headdress with turn-down earflaps (earphones, “ears”). Ushanka is worn as it is convenient for a person, usually folded, that is, with the ears tied on the top of the head, but if necessary, the ears are lowered down along with the flap on the back of the head, protecting the ears and back of the head, as well as partially the cheeks and chin, from cold and wind a man wearing earflaps. Earmuffs can also be tied at the back of the head and under the chin. A hat with earflaps consists of an okol, a cap and a crown. The fur cap consists of a visor, a back cover with headphones and a braid for tying them.

The hat with earflaps first appeared in Rus', and among the military the “hat - Kolchak” gained popularity, which began to be used in the White Army of A.V. Kolchak in 1918-1919. Later, the fashion for earflaps with a round crown spread in the working environment of Petrograd, and then throughout Russia. Since 1931, the hat with earflaps has been adopted for use by the Red Army. In 1939, the headdress was adopted by the Finns during the Winter War.

During World War II, in addition to the USSR and Finland, the earflap hat was used in China, Mongolia, Canada and partly in Germany.

Papakha

Hat of the Kuban Cossack of the Red Army.

Papakha is a winter fur (sheepskin or astrakhan) headdress of cylindrical shape with a flat top, without brim and visor, officially adopted for equipment in the Russian army in 1855. It is one of the oldest headdresses of the peoples of Central Asia and the Caucasus. Since 1936, it was introduced in the Red Army to equip the personnel of the Terek, Kuban and Don Cossack units with special weekend (ceremonial) uniforms. Since 1940, the papakha became the official winter headdress of generals and marshals of the Red Army. In addition to the Red Army, the hat was used in Germany by units of foreign legions, which were staffed by people from the allied USSR.

In addition to the general types of headdresses for most countries, individual armies had their own specific military headdresses, characteristic only of that country. For example, in the Red Army they used cloth helmets “Budenovka”, in the Polish army they wore quadrangular caps - “Confederate hats”.

The detailed use of military headgear by the armed forces of some countries is given below.

Australia Belgium UK Hungary Germany Greece Denmark Italy Canada Netherlands Norway Poland Romania USSR USA Finland France Switzerland Sweden Japan
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Military way

Having entered the uniform of Semyon Budyonny's army, the headdress began to be called budenovka. The new name caught on, became a household name and entered the Russian language dictionaries. True, in the division of Vasily Chapaev and the army of Mikhail Frunze, the budenovka was called in its own way - frunzevka.

In the summer of 1922, a lightweight version of the cap made of light gray cotton fabric appeared. A few years later, this helmet was replaced by caps and caps, but winter budenovkas remained, taking on a rounded shape. In the police, modifications of the budenovka existed until the 40s.

The gray helmets of the security officers were marked with maroon stars. Having gone through the hard years of the Civil War, the Budenovka remained in the Red Army until the beginning of the Great Patriotic War.

Together with the name of the headdress, there were humorous nicknames for it:

“lightning rod” or “mind rod” - due to a sharp spire extended upward like an antenna;
“hello-goodbye” is a model of a lightweight helmet with two visors (over the forehead and at the back of the head).

In the Far East, the sharp peak of the cap was often compared to the Kamchatka volcanoes. “Our indignant minds are seething,” the commanders joked at the soldiers, saying that steam was coming out of the cloth spire when the “Internationale” was sung.

What is a military winter hat called?

The history of the famous Russian hat with earflaps

One of the iconic accessories of the Russian people in the minds of the West, in addition to the matryoshka doll, vodka and balalaika, is the earflap hat. The Oxford Dictionary even has separate terms for this matter, pronounced quite in Russian, shapka and ushanka.

The ancestors of the hat with earflaps were the headdresses of different nations. However, they looked and were called somewhat differently. Ancestors near and far

According to historians, the Russian hat with earflaps originated from the Mongolian malakhai. Among the nomads it was a cone-shaped cap, sewn from processed sheep skin. Malachai was worn mainly by men, and during long treks across the winter steppe it was indispensable. After all, the wide lapels of the malakhai protected the lower part of the face and cheeks from frost and wind.

Over time, the sheepskin lapels on the sides of the malakhai began to be cut vertically. This is how we got ears that, when it was cold, were tied on the face, and in warm weather they were tucked away at the back of the head.

During the invasion of the Mongol hordes into the borders of Kievan Rus, an involuntary exchange of cultural and everyday artifacts occurred between the peoples. This is how malachai penetrated into the ancient Russian environment.

The Slavs liked the nomadic hats. Moreover, they considered it indecent to appear in public without a headdress. The word “goofy” just means that a person has committed a stupid act by showing others his uncovered hair.

Reasons for refusing budenovka in the army

The young Soviet state needed to create a uniform that would be different from the tsarist uniform and the uniforms of foreign armies. The headgear was carefully designed to meet these requirements, but the soft cloth surface, unlike the helmet, did not protect the heads of soldiers in the trenches. During the hot summer months, the helmet squeezed my head, causing pain. While driving, the budenovka often fell over my eyes, causing inconvenience. Military operations during the Finnish War showed that cloth hats do not retain heat well. Therefore, by order of the People's Commissar of Defense in the summer of 1940, the budenovka was replaced by a hat with earflaps. However, in many military units, special schools and partisan detachments in the first years of the war, the Budenovka continued to be worn.

— PILOT: Introduced by order of the People's Commissar of Defense of the USSR No. 176 of December 3, 1935. The cap for command personnel is made of woolen fabric, similar to the jacket (tunic). Cap color : for command personnel of the air force - blue , for command personnel of the auto-armored forces - steel, for all others - khaki .

The cap consists of a cap and two sides. The cap is made on a cotton lining, and the sides are made of two layers of main fabric. On the front of the cap there is a star made of cloth (which is the “lining” of the red metal star), and along the top of the sides and the seams of the cap there are piping. The color of the star and edging is based on the type of military service. The artillerymen have a black cloth star with red edges. The infantrymen have both a cloth star and crimson edgings.

Canceled by order of the People's Commissar of Defense of the USSR No. 005 of February 1, 1941. — “The transition to new types of uniforms will begin on October 1, 1941 and will be completely completed by the end of 1942. The issue of newly introduced uniform items for supply will be carried out after the expiration of the wearing of the old uniform items.”

The pilot cap for privates and junior officers was also introduced by Order No. 176 of December 3, 1935. The cap consists of a cap and two sides. The cap is made on a cotton lining, and the sides are made of two layers of main fabric. A Red Army badge is attached to the front - a red five-pointed star for casual wear and, since February 1941, a protective green star.

— CAP: Introduced by order of the People's Commissar of Defense No. 176 of December 3, 1935. The cap is made from cloth or worsted fabrics, similar to the material of the jacket. The lining of the cap is satin. The undertube is made of dermantine. The front of the cap is straight, slightly convex, with a rigid stand; a metal frame is inserted inside. The height of the cap is 4.3-4.5 cm. The height of the crown is 4.8-5.0 cm. The visor of the cap is fiber, black , varnished, elongated. Above the visor, to the yellow uniform brass buttons, a black chin strap is fastened. The caps an edging along the edge of the bottom and the top of the band. red edging ; infantrymen have both the band and edging crimson). The star on the casual cap is red.

The field cap was introduced in February 1941, following an order to abolish colored elements of the uniform during wartime. It was made entirely of khaki-colored fabric and had a khaki-colored star.

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No. 1 - Lieutenant-artilleryman in a field cap; No. 2 - Corporal in an officer's cap with colored piping; No. 3 - Officer's and soldier's cap : No. 4 - Private IPTA artilleryman in a field cap; No. 5 - Lieutenant-artilleryman in an everyday cap and with everyday shoulder straps; No. 6 - Casual and field officer's cap .

— WINTER HAT WITH USHANKA: It was introduced by order of the People's Commissar of Defense of the USSR No. 187 of July 5, 1940. A hat with earflaps consists of a headband, a cap, a visor and a nape with earmuffs tied with a braid. The hat with ear flaps for senior, senior and middle command personnel is made of woolen fabric and natural fur of gray color, for military personnel of military service from cotton helmet cloth and artificial fur of gray color. Higher, senior and middle command personnel are allowed to sew hats at their own expense from natural lamb or gray astrakhan fur.

Until February 1941, only red stars were used; after February 1941, protective green stars were introduced for field uniforms.

— WINTER HAT-FINKA: Supplied by the Red Army from 1931 to 1940. A flat, round type of winter hat with a fur descending band (back of the head) covering the ears and neck. Manufacturing materials - cloth , batting , calico , sheared Tsigean sheepskin fur

— KUBANKA: Introduced by order of the People's Commissar of Defense of the USSR No. 67 of April 23, 1936.

The Kubanka is made from black merlushka, 10-11 cm high. The top of the Kubanka for Terek Cossack units is light blue, for Kuban Cossack units it is red. Along the top, the bottom of the kubanka is sewn crosswise in two rows: for ordinary personnel - black soutache, for command and command personnel - gold soutache or gold braid 4 mm wide. A metal sprocket of the established type is attached to the front.

Canceled by order of the People's Commissar of Defense of the USSR No. 005 dated February 1, 1941 - “The transition to new types of uniforms will begin on October 1, 1941 and will be completely completed by the end of 1942. The issuance of newly introduced uniform items for supply will be carried out after the wearing period of the old uniform items has expired. »

— WOOL KNITTED BALACEA: Winter woolen balaclava for the Red Army . In accordance with the specifications, the color is “gray melange”, knitted from twisted black and white threads. In reality they could be different colors.

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No. 1 - Illustration of a Finnish cap; No. 2 -Illustration of a Kubanka; No. 3 - Illustration of a knitted balaclava.

— HELMET / HELMET: SSH-40 (steel helmet model 1940) was made of steel with a thickness of 1.9 mm. The balaclava, made of leatherette cushions with cotton padding, was removed if necessary, and the helmet was put on the earflaps. The Red Army fought the entire war wearing a 1940 model helmet. The helmets were painted in the standard protective color 4BO without any additional markings or insignia. , a red star was stenciled onto the front of the helmet In winter, helmets were painted with white paint or compositions based on lime or chalk (link to the instructions of the State Institution of the Red Army).

At the initial stage of the war, the previous models - SSh-36 and SSh-39 . But by the end of 1941, they were almost completely replaced by the SSh-40 and old models of steel helmets became extremely rare. On the front of these helmets, the contours of a red star were stenciled. In February 1941, these stars had to be painted over due to the abolition of colored elements on uniforms during wartime.

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No. 1 - Private artilleryman in a hat with earflaps; No. 2 - Cavalry medical instructor in Kubanka. June 1942; No. 3 - Illustration of Soviet helmets and winter hats; No. 4 -Soviet sniper in SSh-36. August 1941; No. 5 -Soldier in helmet SSH-39; No. 6 - Jr. artillery lieutenant in SSh-40.

— CAP: The generals of the Red Army were entitled to two types of caps: everyday and field.

• The everyday cap was introduced by order of the People's Commissar of Defense of the USSR No. 212 of July 13, 1940. Khaki -colored cap made of materials similar to the tunic. Crown height 5 cm. Black , varnished. A braided gilded filigree cord is attached to the gilded buttons above the visor. There are piping along the edge of the bottom and the top of of the cap . The color of the band and edging is based on the type of military service. In the middle of the band, above the cord, is an enamel star with a hammer and sickle on two gilded rims. The hammer and sickle, the edges of the star and two rims are gilded. On the cap of the aviation generals, in the front in the middle of the band and crown there are embroidered gilded emblems: the top one is at a distance of 5 mm from the edge of the bottom, and the bottom is at a distance of 8-10 mm from the lower edge of the band.

• The field cap is neither in the order of the People's Commissar of Defense of the USSR No. 212 of July 13, 1940 (on the introduction of uniforms for generals), nor in the order of the People's Commissar of Defense of the USSR No. 005 of February 1, 1941 (where colored elements of the uniform were abolished for wartime) listed, but it was in 1941 that general’s caps entirely in khaki .

— PAPAKHA: Introduced by order of the People's Commissar of Defense of the USSR No. 212 of July 13, 1940. The papakha is made from natural gray lamb. Consists of a fur collar, a colored cloth cap, and a crown quilted on cotton wool with a silk lining. The color of the cap matches the color of the stripes. A narrow golden braid is sewn crosswise on top of the cap. A cockade is attached to the center of the okol .

— HAT-USHANKA: Introduced by order of the People's Commissar of Defense of the USSR No. 187 of July 5, 1940. A hat with earflaps consists of a headband, a cap, a visor and a nape with earmuffs tied with a braid. The hat with ear flaps for senior, senior and middle command personnel is made of woolen fabric and natural fur of gray color, for military personnel of military service from cotton helmet cloth and artificial fur of gray color. Higher, senior and middle command personnel are allowed to sew hats at their own expense from natural lamb or gray astrakhan fur.

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No. 1 - Senior command staff of the 13th Guards. SD at the entrance to the dugout (from left to right): division commander , Major General A.I. Rodimtsev, Chief of Staff Lieutenant Colonel T.V. Velsky, regimental commissar L.K. Shchur. 1943 Stalingrad; No. 2 - Head of the logistics of the Bryansk Front, Lieutenant General Nikolai Aleksandrovich Antipenko with delegates from Mongolia. 1942; No. 3 - Lieutenant General V.D. Sokolovsky in a casual cap; No. 4 - Illustration; No. 5 - Lieutenant General P.A. Belov. 1942; No. 6 - Lieutenant General P.A. Belov. 1942; No. 7 - General Lizyukov in a field cap (in the center with the GSS star); No. 8 -Illustration.

Source: https://broneboy.ru/uniforms-and-equipment-RKKA/headdresses-RKKA/

Mark on history

Budenovka was not just a headdress for Red Army soldiers. It became the emblem of the new socialist life, a symbol of the valiant army bringing freedom to the workers and peasants. The red star attached particular significance to the headdress. It was also present on the flag and coat of arms of the country, and was an identification mark on airplanes and airplanes. The five-pointed star symbolized the unity of the proletariat of all countries. The color red was a symbol of the proletarian liberation revolution, bringing freedom to humanity.

A special romantic halo appeared on the headdress in the 50s after the victory of the Soviet Union in the Great Patriotic War. Budenovka was reproduced on postcards, book illustrations, and appeared on posters, emphasizing the victory of the Soviet Union over the fascist invaders.

The headdress became an indispensable souvenir for foreigners and a collector's item. Not a single theatrical production about the events of the Civil War was complete without a Red Army attribute. Budenovka appeared on movie screens in popular films about the revolution and military events of the 20s.

For the Red Army or for the march through Constantinople?

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Everything is clear with the name of the headdress: “budenovka” is in honor of Semyon Budyonny, the famous commander of the red cavalry. In fact, the cloth helmet was originally called “Frunzevka” in the Red Army after Mikhail Frunze, since it was under his command that the units where the new headdress was introduced as a mandatory component of uniforms were located.

Back on May 7, 1918, the People's Commissariat for Military Affairs of the RSFSR announced a competition. The artists had to develop new uniforms for the Red Army, including a headdress. Such great artists as Viktor Mikhailovich Vasnetsov and Boris Mikhailovich Kustodiev took part in the work on Budenovka. As a result, on December 18, 1918, the Revolutionary Military Council approved a cloth helmet, the shape of which resembled the helmet and aventail of Russian epic heroes.

True, there is another version of the origin of budenovka. According to this point of view, the history of the unique headdress goes back to the pre-revolutionary period. During the First World War, in order to raise patriotic sentiments in the army and in the rear, the tsarist authorities actively exploited ancient Russian themes, including the exploits of epic heroes.

Special cloth helmets were also developed, in which soldiers of the Russian imperial army had to march through Constantinople (Istanbul) after the victory over the Ottoman Empire. But these helmets never arrived in the active army, but remained in warehouses, where they were discovered by the subordinates of the People's Commissar of Military Affairs Leon Trotsky after the revolution. However, unlike the Soviet version of the origin of Budenovka, documentary evidence of the Tsar’s version is unknown.

The official adoption of the new winter headdress occurred after the order of the Revolutionary Military Council No. 116 of January 16, 1919. He described the budenovka as a khaki-colored cloth helmet with a cotton lining, consisting of a cap sewn from six triangles tapering upward, an oval visor and a nape plate descending from the back with elongated ends that were fastened under the chin or fastened to buttons on the cap.

A five-pointed star sewn on the front above the visor testified to the fighter’s membership in the Red Army. Since from July 29, 1918, the Red Army wore a metal emblem in the form of a red five-pointed star with a crossed plow and hammer, it was attached to budenovki in the center of a sewn cloth star.

Then, during the Civil War, the budenovka acquired symbolic meaning for the Red Army and everyone who supported the Bolsheviks: Red Army soldiers wearing budenovkas appeared on many propaganda posters. The most famous of them was the poster “Have you signed up to volunteer?” Dmitry Moor (Orlov), created in June 1920.

What place does it occupy in modern fashion?

After the war, the Budenovka hat became a popular item of children's clothing. Warm helmets that covered the head and neck were worn by boys of preschool and primary school age. Headdresses were always decorated with a red star. In the 21st century, militaristic clothing style has become one of the trends. Stylized military headdresses are worn with pleasure not only by men, but also by young girls. Budenovka knitted from warm wool looks stylish and fashionable. Often hats are decorated with Norwegian patterns, knitted patterns, and pieces of fur. Preference is given to knitted versions of the helmet with a low top, an imitation backplate and elongated ears.

Felt hats for the Russian bath are produced in the form of budenovka, saving the head from the effects of high temperatures in the steam room. Instead of stars, this version of the hat is decorated with humorous inscriptions, wishes or humorous drawings. Russian fans often come to sporting events in budenovkas.

Also, military ammunition of past years takes pride of place on the shelves of antique stores. Products that have witnessed great events attract not only historians, but people who revere traditions, the culture of their people, the revolutionary and military past, are interested in them. Budenovkas are exhibits of private collections, interior decoration and original gifts. The Red Army helmet with a star is the most popular souvenir bought by foreign tourists in Russia.

“He’s wearing a three-cornered hat...” - the history of the military cocked hat

Any object crowning a warrior’s head must first of all provide him with a certain practical benefit.
In the era of swords and battle axes, preference, of course, was given to metal or leather helmets, which gave a chance to survive after receiving a hefty blow to the top of the head, and at the same time not to “wrack your brains.” With the advent of firearms in the world, wide-brimmed hats, well known to all of us from films about the Musketeers, took precedence. Such a headdress did not save from bodily harm, but at least provided protection from the sun and rain. On the other hand, as it turned out quite quickly, the hat also had very significant drawbacks, especially for shooters. Try to load a musket, arquebus or fusée, and even more carefully aim with them, having on your head a structure with a wide brim and, in addition, a structure made of feathers that creeps into your eyes. Many began to simply fasten or pin these very fields that interfered with the view to the crown. If you remember, Porthos sported a hat of exactly this style in the Soviet film adaptation of Dumas...

However, all this turned out to be nothing more than half measures. According to historical evidence, the Italians were the first to become completely tired of the eternal struggle with their own hats. It was in the army there that they first began to cut off their fields completely (it turned out terribly unaesthetic - some kind of pot on the head), and then they began to bend them, so as not to interfere, and sew them together in the corners. This is how, in fact, the famous cocked hat was born, which for a whole century became the main headdress not only of military men and sailors, but also of many civilians. It was a very convenient and practical thing...

The French, however, dispute the primacy in this matter among the inhabitants of the Apennine Peninsula, declaring that they were the ones who built the first “tricorne”. Well, be that as it may, the cocked hat really came into general fashion, including among the military, during the time of the French “Sun King” Louis XIV, in the brilliant 17th century. By the way, another great historical figure who glorified this headdress is Frederick II the Great.

In principle, he did not recognize any other covering for his truly brilliant head, which is why in 99% of his known images he flaunts his invariable cocked hat. But the famous lines written by Lermontov about Napoleon: “He is wearing a triangular hat and a gray traveling frock coat...” are, imagine, a historical mistake. Bonaparte’s famous hat was no longer a three-cornered hat (“bicorne”), which became the next “step in hat evolution” and replaced its predecessor, including on military heads, in the 18th century. However, I’m getting ahead of myself.

In tricorne, Europe fought, discovered new lands, had fun and was sad. It is clear that this headdress, like everything else in those days, had a completely clear “social gradation”. The cocked hats of ordinary soldiers or townspeople were made from felted felt or wool in the simplest and most practical colors. Those that military leaders, court rakes and other representatives of the nobility deigned to place on their shining heads were true works of haberdashery art. They were sewn from such “aristocratic” materials as expensive brocade and satin, decorated along the edges with lush braid and the number of feathers, which depended solely on the taste and financial capabilities of the customer.

Ladies were especially zealous in this matter. Yes, yes... Young (and not so young) beauties quickly enough appreciated the tricorne and included it in their own wardrobes, “slightly” hanging it with bows and precious stones. By the way, interestingly, tricorn hats have been preserved in women's fashion longer than in men's fashion! The reason for this was the entry into fashion of incredibly voluminous and fluffy wigs. For men, of course. In the truest sense of the word, the cocked hats did not fit on such a design - so we had to carry them under our arms, using them exclusively in the process of shuffling around in front of each other.

For the longest time, the cocked hat existed as part of the military uniform, as well as classic costumes for hunting and riding in general. Ladies' - first of all. In our Fatherland, this headdress not only appeared, but also took the strongest position, as you might guess - during the reign of Peter the Great. The first Russian Emperor, who created the army he created according to the European model, dressed everyone in cocked hats. And even more so for their own courtiers. And the tsar himself, who loved to flaunt himself in military uniform, most often appeared in public wearing a cocked hat.

Everything in this world, as we know, follows the path of simplification. About 100 years after the appearance of the tricorne, the same military decided that three corners was too much, two would be more than enough. This is how the bicorne bicorne appeared, which was preserved in many armies as part of the ceremonial uniform of senior command until the early to mid-twentieth century, or even to this day. The era of shakos and caps awaited ordinary soldiers ahead. No corners at all...