Band behorend bij matrozenhoed c. 1800 - 1850

This hat band, made from an unknown material, bears the words 'Verbondene Marine'. The hat band of the German Imperial Navy presents us with a rich tableau of social and institutional history. The hat itself, as part of the naval uniform, symbolizes the might and reach of the German Empire, seeking to establish itself as a global power. Produced at a time of great social and political change, the hat band speaks to the complex relationship between the military, the state, and the individual. The navy, and by extension its members, were instruments of imperial ambition, but they also were subject to rigid hierarchies and disciplinary systems. The language used on the band evokes a sense of unity and common purpose, yet it also subtly asserts the authority of the state. By exploring archival resources such as naval records, political pamphlets, and even popular songs of the period, the historian can get a better understanding of the symbolic weight carried by this seemingly simple strip of cloth.