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| Kokarden |
 | 1842
AKO 4 November 1842 introduced a Preußen Kokarde in the national colors of black/white/black which was worn on the center of the Feldmütze band.
An AKO = Allerhöchste-Kabinetts-Ordre (All Highest Cabinet Order) was a directive issued by the King of Preußen (Prussia) to proclaim an approved article of clothing or equipment for general issue.
This Unteroffiizier (NCO) in one of the Garde Regt. zu Fuß Regiments is wearing a Model 1867 Schirmmütze.
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The Mannschaften (Other Ranks) Kokarde was stamped one-piece metal painted in the national colors with two holes on the front to allow it to be sewn to the Feldmütze, and with two prongs on the back for the Schirmmütze. It was worn by Private to Sergeant.
Officers and Portepee-Unteroffiiziere (NCOs entitled to wear the Officer's sword knot) were entitled to wear the so-called "officer" pattern Kokarde with separate silver metal ring attached to a flat fiber backing that was secured to the Schirmmütze with split prongs.
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| The Kokarde only worn by Officers and Portepee-Unteroffiiziere had a single distinctive diagonal ribbing ring prior to 1867. The post-1867 officer Kokarde has a "double ring". |
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 Contingent Kokarden of the Kingdoms, Grand Duchies, Principalities,
and Free Hanseatic cities of the Empire. |
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1897 Reich's Kokarde
In 1897 a new Reich's Kokarde in Red/White/Black was introduced for all ranks to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the birth of Kaiser Wilhelm 1st. The Reich's Kokarde was to be worn on the right side of the Pickelhaube, and worn centered between the band and the top row of piping on Krätzchen and Schirmmütze, as shown on this Mannschaften (Other Ranks) private purchase Sachsen (Saxon) Husaren-Regt. Nr.19 Krätzchen. |  |
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 | Mannschaften issue pattern
A close up of the issue pattern sewn-on Mannschaften Kokarden on an issued Preußen Garde Kürassier Regt Garde-Korps issue Mannschaften (Other Ranks) Krätzchen. | |
| The standard issued Kokarden was identical for both Dunkelblau and Feldgrau Mannschaften (Other Ranks) Krätzchen as shown on this Model 1910 (in the 1916 color) Bayern (Bavaria) Train (supply) example. |  | |
 | Mannschaften private purchase
The Mannschaften (Other Ranks) private purchase Kokadren held on with split prongs was identical for both Dunkelblau and Feldgrau Mannschaften Schirmmütze as shown on this Model 1910 Mannschaften (Other Ranks) Dragoner Regt. König Friedrich III (2.Schlesisches) Nr. 8 example. | |
Officers and Portepee-Unteroffiiziere
A close up of the standard Officer's and Portepee-Unteroffiiziere two-piece Schirmmütze Kokarden. |  | |
 | Bayern (Bavaria) Officers
Bayern officer's wore a Kokarden with a felt center and mock bullion outer ring as seen with this example. There was a Reich's Kokarde version of this mock bullion outer ring pattern, but it seems the Reich's version was unpopular and it is almost never encountered on surviving examples. | |
| The Bayern (Bavaria) Mannschaften (Other Ranks) private purchase Kokarden was considerably different from the other contingents, and also had a mock bullion outer ring with a painted inner ring, as seen on this example on a Chevaulager Regt 1 Private Purchase Krätzchen. |  | |
Reserve and Landwehr
Reserve and Landwehr Mützen carry a tiny cross officially called "the Landwehr cross" on the Kokarden, so there is no difference between Reserve and Landwehr Krätzchen and Schirmmützen. The Reserve wore cloth Mützen like the regular army from 1808 on, as did the the Landwehr beginning in 1813. The Landwehr cloth Mütze, however, carried a large Landwehr cross, which was worn wore until the Landwehr adopted a Wachstuche (oilcloth) Schirmmütze in 1817. The Landwehr wore a Wachstuche (oilcloth) Schirmmütze until they adopted the Pickelhaube in 1842, and from that year on, also wore cloth Mützen like the regular army and the Reserve.
Prior to 1914, the Landsturm only wore the Wachstuchmütze (oil-cloth cap) with a gilt or white metal Landwehr cross on the top. In 1914 in order to meet the needs of mobilization, the Landsturm were issued cloth Mützen like the rest of the Army. This was made formal in 1916 when the Landsturm finally adopted the Pickelhaube. For the Landsturm, the cross on the Kokarde is gilt. Below are four different patterns of Reserve and Landwehr officer and Portepee-Unteroffiiziere Kokarden.
For the Reserve and Landwehr, the cross on the Kokarde is silver. Often the Landwehr cross will be identical to the larger version on the Pickelhaube, and will carry a tiny motto. Preußen units carried a motto "Für Koenig und Vaterland" on the Landwehr cross, Baden carried "Für Fürst and Vaterland", Hessen carried "Gott Ehre Vaterland", Hansiatic states carried "mitt Gott Furs Vaterland" while Bavaria and Wurttemberg had no motto and the cross was blank.
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 Pre-1867 Preußen with a large cross and single "ring" |  One-piece Baden with small inner cross | |
 Two-piece Mecklenburg with small inner cross |  Two-piece Preußen with tiny seperate cross | |
 | The Mannschaften (Other Ranks) Reserve and Landwehr Kokadren tended to be of the pattern shown here, with the cross inset into the center, and sewn on with double holes on the outside edge as shown on this Württemberg example. | |
Reich's Assets
The Seebataillons (Marines) were a Reich's asset, and as such only wore a single Reich's Kokarde on the lower band, as shown by this young Marine wearing a Model 1907/10 Feldgrau Schirmmütze. |
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| This Württemberg Landjägerkorps issued Schirmmütze shows that on Mützen worn after 1897, if they were only contingent specific, they only wore the contingent Kokarde and did not wear the Reich's Kokarde. | |
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