Czapka
Encyclopedia
Czapka (ˈt͡ʂapka, plural: czapki) is a Polish
and Belorussian generic word for a cap
. However, it is perhaps best known to English speakers as a word for the 19th century Polish cavalry
headgear, consisting of a high, four-pointed cap with regimental insignia on the front (full name in Polish: czapka rogatywka
, initially: konfederatka) to which feathers or rosettes
were sometimes added.
. In its early, compact form from 1784 onwards the Czapka was introduced by Austrian uhlans, during the time Galicia was under Habsburg rule. Its use was spread from eastern Europe by the Polish Legion, fighting for the French in the Napoleonic Wars
, and became popular not only among Napoleon's French and allied forces, such as Westphalia
, Bavaria
, Saxony
and Naples
, but also among the armies of his enemies. The Grand Duchy of Warsaw used them for infantry and artillery units, but otherwise they were only ever used for uhlan units.
After the Polish lancer
s proved their effectiveness during the Napoleonic Wars
, armies across Europe quickly adopted the concept of the lancer
regiments, complete with the czapka as their headdresses.
of Napoleon III
. Lancer regiments in the British Army continued to wear czapki (described as "lance caps") for full dress until 1939 and the modern Queen's Royal Lancers still retains this historic headdress for its Lancer Honour Guard . With the end of the Second French Empire
the lancer regiments and thus the czapka disappeared from the French Army.
The German or Austro-Hungarian czapka ("shapka") consisted of a body of pressed blackened leather, known as the cap and only given a shield on the front. This ended halfway down the back of the head and only protected the front of the head. Instead of a peak, the front was centred on the front point of a four-cornered lid on a stem on top of the helmet. On the left front edge of this lid was attached the National or cockade
. There was also a sleeve for the insertion of a brush plume. On the front of the body was a metal emblem (usually an eagle). In German parade examples, a Paraderabatte in the regimental colours was also worn on this type of helmet. In Austro-Hungary they were lined in the regimental colour. A leather chin strap on chains was attached, worn up on the front of the helmet when dismounted. In Austro-Hungary there was also the Kommode-Tschapka, a lighter and more convenient version for field service for officers, without the emblem on the front and with a Wachstuchschicht instead.
The Portuguese cavalry included lancer ("lanceiros") regiments until the overthrow of the Monarchy in 1910, and these retained the czapka in full dress. Spanish lancers wore the "Polish style" headdress from 1833 until after 1868 when a nickel-plated helmet with spike was adopted.
) regiments. They varied in detail but all had the characteristic four sided top, resembling the mortar-board of academic dress. Plumes were common on parade and in several of the armies named the different regiments were distinguished by the colour of the top or sides. Belgian, Austro-Hungarian and German lancers wore their czapki on active service during the opening weeks of the war, usually with dull coloured or waterproof covers. In the case of the Austro-Hungarian Uhlans, since there were not enough of these coverings, many czpaka helmets were summarily painted grey. German and Austro-Hungarian uhlans wore the czapka during the First World War, though it ceased to be worn for field uniform after the adoption of the "Stahlhelm" steel helmet in 1916.
, the new Polish Army adopted a four-pointed form as its standard issue national headdress in the form of a rogatywka
. After 1952 this czapka style hat was replaced by a round peaked cap of Soviet style, apart from soft field caps, which retained rogatywka style. However in 1982 the rogatywka re-appeared as the headdress of the ceremonial honour guard guarding Belvedere Palace. Officers of the modern Polish Army wear the four sided cap in certain orders of dress, although berets are the normal headdress.
Polish language
Polish is a language of the Lechitic subgroup of West Slavic languages, used throughout Poland and by Polish minorities in other countries...
and Belorussian generic word for a cap
Cap
A cap is a form of headgear. Caps have crowns that fit very close to the head and have no brim or only a visor. They are typically designed for warmth and, when including a visor, blocking sunlight from the eyes...
. However, it is perhaps best known to English speakers as a word for the 19th century Polish cavalry
Polish cavalry
The Polish cavalry can trace its origins back to the days of Medieval mounted knights. Poland had always been a country of flatlands and fields and mounted forces operate well in this environment...
headgear, consisting of a high, four-pointed cap with regimental insignia on the front (full name in Polish: czapka rogatywka
Rogatywka
Rogatywka is the Polish generic name for an asymmetrical, peaked, four-pointed cap used by various Polish military formations throughout the ages. It is a distant relative of its 18th century predecessor, konfederatka , although similar caps has been used by light cavalry since 14th century...
, initially: konfederatka) to which feathers or rosettes
Rosette (decoration)
A rosette is a small, circular device that is presented with a medal. The rosettes are primarily for situations where wearing the medal is deemed inappropriate. Rosettes are issued in nations such as France, Italy and Japan...
were sometimes added.
Origins
This headdress developed initially as a square-topped variant of a shakoShako
A shako is a tall, cylindrical military cap, usually with a peak or visor and sometimes tapered at the top...
. In its early, compact form from 1784 onwards the Czapka was introduced by Austrian uhlans, during the time Galicia was under Habsburg rule. Its use was spread from eastern Europe by the Polish Legion, fighting for the French in the Napoleonic Wars
Napoleonic Wars
The Napoleonic Wars were a series of wars declared against Napoleon's French Empire by opposing coalitions that ran from 1803 to 1815. As a continuation of the wars sparked by the French Revolution of 1789, they revolutionised European armies and played out on an unprecedented scale, mainly due to...
, and became popular not only among Napoleon's French and allied forces, such as Westphalia
Westphalia
Westphalia is a region in Germany, centred on the cities of Arnsberg, Bielefeld, Dortmund, Minden and Münster.Westphalia is roughly the region between the rivers Rhine and Weser, located north and south of the Ruhr River. No exact definition of borders can be given, because the name "Westphalia"...
, Bavaria
Bavaria
Bavaria, formally the Free State of Bavaria is a state of Germany, located in the southeast of Germany. With an area of , it is the largest state by area, forming almost 20% of the total land area of Germany...
, Saxony
Saxony
The Free State of Saxony is a landlocked state of Germany, contingent with Brandenburg, Saxony Anhalt, Thuringia, Bavaria, the Czech Republic and Poland. It is the tenth-largest German state in area, with of Germany's sixteen states....
and Naples
Naples
Naples is a city in Southern Italy, situated on the country's west coast by the Gulf of Naples. Lying between two notable volcanic regions, Mount Vesuvius and the Phlegraean Fields, it is the capital of the region of Campania and of the province of Naples...
, but also among the armies of his enemies. The Grand Duchy of Warsaw used them for infantry and artillery units, but otherwise they were only ever used for uhlan units.
After the Polish lancer
Lancer
A lancer was a type of cavalryman who fought with a lance. Lances were used in mounted warfare by the Assyrians as early as and subsequently by Greek, Persian, Gallic, Han-Chinese, nomadic and Roman horsemen...
s proved their effectiveness during the Napoleonic Wars
Napoleonic Wars
The Napoleonic Wars were a series of wars declared against Napoleon's French Empire by opposing coalitions that ran from 1803 to 1815. As a continuation of the wars sparked by the French Revolution of 1789, they revolutionised European armies and played out on an unprecedented scale, mainly due to...
, armies across Europe quickly adopted the concept of the lancer
Lancer
A lancer was a type of cavalryman who fought with a lance. Lances were used in mounted warfare by the Assyrians as early as and subsequently by Greek, Persian, Gallic, Han-Chinese, nomadic and Roman horsemen...
regiments, complete with the czapka as their headdresses.
Nineteenth century usage
At the end of the Napoleonic Wars the czapka continued to be worn by uhlans in Germany and Austria, as well as in France by Line-Regiment Lancers and later the Imperial GuardImperial Guard (Napoleon III)
The Imperial Guard of Napoleon III was a military unit in the French Army formed by Napoleon III as a re-establishment of his uncle Napoleon I's Imperial Guard, with an identical uniform and almost the same privileges...
of Napoleon III
Napoleon III of France
Louis-Napoléon Bonaparte was the President of the French Second Republic and as Napoleon III, the ruler of the Second French Empire. He was the nephew and heir of Napoleon I, christened as Charles Louis Napoléon Bonaparte...
. Lancer regiments in the British Army continued to wear czapki (described as "lance caps") for full dress until 1939 and the modern Queen's Royal Lancers still retains this historic headdress for its Lancer Honour Guard . With the end of the Second French Empire
Second French Empire
The Second French Empire or French Empire was the Imperial Bonapartist regime of Napoleon III from 1852 to 1870, between the Second Republic and the Third Republic, in France.-Rule of Napoleon III:...
the lancer regiments and thus the czapka disappeared from the French Army.
Cockade
A cockade is a knot of ribbons, or other circular- or oval-shaped symbol of distinctive colors which is usually worn on a hat.-Eighteenth century:...
. There was also a sleeve for the insertion of a brush plume. On the front of the body was a metal emblem (usually an eagle). In German parade examples, a Paraderabatte in the regimental colours was also worn on this type of helmet. In Austro-Hungary they were lined in the regimental colour. A leather chin strap on chains was attached, worn up on the front of the helmet when dismounted. In Austro-Hungary there was also the Kommode-Tschapka, a lighter and more convenient version for field service for officers, without the emblem on the front and with a Wachstuchschicht instead.
The Portuguese cavalry included lancer ("lanceiros") regiments until the overthrow of the Monarchy in 1910, and these retained the czapka in full dress. Spanish lancers wore the "Polish style" headdress from 1833 until after 1868 when a nickel-plated helmet with spike was adopted.
World War I
In 1914 czapki were still worn in full dress by all Imperial German, Austro-Hungarian, British, Belgian and Russian lancer (uhlanUhlan
Uhlans were Polish light cavalry armed with lances, sabres and pistols. The title was later used by lancer regiments in the Russian, Prussian, and Austrian armies....
) regiments. They varied in detail but all had the characteristic four sided top, resembling the mortar-board of academic dress. Plumes were common on parade and in several of the armies named the different regiments were distinguished by the colour of the top or sides. Belgian, Austro-Hungarian and German lancers wore their czapki on active service during the opening weeks of the war, usually with dull coloured or waterproof covers. In the case of the Austro-Hungarian Uhlans, since there were not enough of these coverings, many czpaka helmets were summarily painted grey. German and Austro-Hungarian uhlans wore the czapka during the First World War, though it ceased to be worn for field uniform after the adoption of the "Stahlhelm" steel helmet in 1916.
Polish usage to present day
During the twentieth century the czapka became one of the symbols of Polish national independence. After World War IWorld War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, the new Polish Army adopted a four-pointed form as its standard issue national headdress in the form of a rogatywka
Rogatywka
Rogatywka is the Polish generic name for an asymmetrical, peaked, four-pointed cap used by various Polish military formations throughout the ages. It is a distant relative of its 18th century predecessor, konfederatka , although similar caps has been used by light cavalry since 14th century...
. After 1952 this czapka style hat was replaced by a round peaked cap of Soviet style, apart from soft field caps, which retained rogatywka style. However in 1982 the rogatywka re-appeared as the headdress of the ceremonial honour guard guarding Belvedere Palace. Officers of the modern Polish Army wear the four sided cap in certain orders of dress, although berets are the normal headdress.