Customs Visor Cap.

The German Customs Service can be traced back to 1834 when a Customs Union was formed to allow the separate German States to trade amongst themselves without trade and tariff taxes, while still imposing import trade taxes on other European nations. With the unification of the German States into a single nation in 1871 the Custom Service became national paramilitary organization, under control of the National Finance Ministry in Berlin. The national Custom Service was still responsible for imposing and collecting import trade taxes but was also tasked with border defense duties. In 1936 the Customs Service was reorganize d and given further policing responsibilities including the apprehension of individuals attempting to escape from the NSDAP's yoke.On June 17th 1936,Reichsfuhrer-SS H.Himmler was appointed to the newly created position Chief of the German Police in the National Ministry of the Interior,effectively giving him full control of all Police agencies within Germany including the Customs service. As a result of this new regulations were instituted, in July 1936,to bring about uniformity in dress and included new insignia for the Customs personnel. Cap in the good condition, post-1936 pattern, Police green wool construction (Branch of Service color)