Wikipedia

Stahlhelm

For the German WWI veteran's organization, seeDer Stahlhelm, Bund der Frontsoldaten.

TheStahlhelm(German for "steel helmet") is a term used to refer to a series of Germansteelcombat helmetdesigns intended to protect the wearer from common battlefield hazards such as shrapnel.

Stahlhelm
M35 on display atMuseum Rotterdam
TypeCombat helmet
Place of originGermany
Service history
In service1916–1992
Used bySeeUsers
WarsWorld War I
German Revolution
Chinese Civil War
Winter War
Continuation War
World War II
Korean War
Vietnam War
Production history
DesignerDr. Friedrich Schwerd (M1916)
Designed1915
Produced1916
VariantsSeeVariants

The armies of thegreat powersbegan to issue steel helmets duringWorld War Ias a result of combat experience and experimentation. TheGerman Armybegan to replace theboiled leatherPickelhaubewith theStahlhelmin 1916. TheStahlhelm'sdistinctivecoal scuttleshape, was instantly recognizable and became a common element ofpropagandaon both sides, like thePickelhaubebefore it. The name was used byDer Stahlhelm,a Germanveterans' organizationthat existed from 1918 to 1935.

AfterWorld War II,bothEastandWest Germanmilitaries adopted helmets unrelated to the archetypical German helmet designs from the world wars, but continued to refer to the new models asStahlhelm.The WWII era Stahlhelm continued to be used by police andborder guardsin West Germany until the 1990s,[1]when they were replaced by modernkevlarhelmets.

Historical Context & Origin

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Before the Great War, most types of militaryheaddresswere not designed for protection. Most militaries had adopted either a cap or helmet, usually made of fabric or leather. Only some types ofcavalryretained a metal helmet, albeit these were designed to protect against sabre blows rather than the causes of injury that would become prevalent in the war.

With the growing prevalence of artillery and the widespread adoption oftrench warfare,the proportion of casualties on all sides suffering head injuries rose dramatically. Numerous units on both sides independently developed and locally produced their own ad hoc protective helmets starting in 1915. Stationed in the rocky area of theVosges,Army Detachment Gaederecorded significantly more head injuries caused by stones and shell fragments than other units elsewhere. The artillery workshop of the Army Detachment developed a helmet that consisted of a cloth and leather skullcap with a steel plate (6 mm thickness). The plate protected not only the forehead but also the eyes and nose.[2]

While the Germans were the first to initiate development of a modern combat helmet, they were plagued by red tape and inaction.[2]The French were the first country to adopt and issue theirAdrian helmetto units starting in 1915.[3]TheBritish Empirefollowed suit later that year with theBrodie helmet.

Development

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World War I Germanstormtrooperon theWestern Frontwearing theStahlhelm

The design of theStahlhelmwas carried out by Dr Friedrich Schwerd of the Technical Institute ofHanover.In early 1915, Schwerd had carried out a study of head wounds suffered during trench warfare and submitted a recommendation for steel helmets, shortly after which he was ordered to Berlin. Schwerd then undertook the task of designing and producing a suitable helmet,[4]broadly based on the 15th-centurysallet,which provided good protection for the head and neck.[5]

After lengthy development work, which included testing a selection of German and Allied headgear, the firststahlhelmwere tested in November 1915 at theKummersdorfProving Ground and then field-tested by the 1st Assault Battalion. Thirty thousand examples were ordered, but it was not approved for general issue until New Year of 1916, hence it is most usually referred to as the "Model 1916". In February 1916 it was distributed to troops atVerdun,following which the incidence of serious head injuries fell dramatically. The first German troops to use this helmet were thestormtroopersof theSturm-Bataillon Nr. 5 (Rohr),commanded by CaptainWilly Rohr.

In contrast to theHadfield steelused in the BritishBrodie helmet,the Germans used a hardermartensiticsilicon/nickelsteel. As a result, and also due to the helmet's form, theStahlhelmhad to be formed in heated dies at a greater unit cost than the British helmet, which could be formed in one piece.[6]

Like the British and French, German troops identified highly with their helmets. TheStahlhelmbecame a popular symbol of paramilitary groups after the First World War. Such was the attachment of the World War One generation to the design that it was reportedly the reason that Hitler rejected a modernised, sloping helmet design to replace it.[7]

Stahlhelmuse in other countries

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National Revolutionary Army of China with M1935 helmets and using a3.7 cm Pak 36anti-tank gun
Irish Armysoldiers in Stahlhelm-like helmets

Germany exported versions of the M1935 helmet to various countries. Versions of the M1935Stahlhelmwere sent toRepublic of Chinafrom 1935 to 1936 and the M1935 was the main helmet of theChinese Nationalist Army(especially the "central" divisions) during World War II.Spainalso received shipments of the helmet. During the inter-war years, several military missions were sent to South America under the command ofHans Kundt.After theChaco War,the Bolivian army adopted theStahlhelmand continued using it until recently. The exported M1935 helmets were similar to the German issue, except for a different liner.

Some countries manufactured their own helmets using the M1935 design, and this basic design was in use in various nations as late as the 1970s.

Finnish Waffen-SS volunteersof the5th SS Panzer Division Wikingduring their homecoming parade inHankoin 1943

The Germans helped the Hungarians copy the M1935 design. The WWII M38 Hungarian steel helmet is nearly identical to the German M1935. Both have almost the same shape, riveted ventilation holes, and the classic rolled edge. Differences include somewhat rougher Hungarian finishing, a different liner and different rivets position – thesplit pinsare situated behind the ventilation holes. A square metal bracket is riveted on the rear, above the back brim, to secure the helmet to the knapsack while marching. It was typically painted in Hungarian brown-green, though blue-grey versions existed. It is sometimes called the "Finnish M35" due to its extensive use by the Finnish Army during theContinuation War1941–44.

After World War IPolandseized large quantities of M1918 helmets. Most were later sold to various countries, including Spain. However, at the end of the 1930s, it was discovered that the standard Polishwz. 31 helmetwas unsuitable fortanktroops and motorized units; while offering decent protection, it was too large and heavy. As a stop-gap measure before a new helmet was developed, the General Staff decided to issue M1918 helmets to the10th Motorized Cavalry Brigade,which used them during theSeptember Campaign.

During the time of theWarsaw Uprisingthe helmet was also worn by the members of thePolish Home Armyand it was during this time that the helmet became the symbol of the resistance, as everyStahlhelmworn by a soldier of the underground army signified a dead German occupier it was taken from.

In November 1926, theIrish Defence Forcesadopted theStahlhelm.As theTreaty of Versaillesbarred Germany from exporting steel helmets, the Irish turned to London-basedVickers,ordering 5,000 copies of a model closely resembling the M1918 helmet. The helmet remained in use until it was replaced by the British Mark II model in 1940. Following the outbreak of World War II, the helmets became the subject of anti-Irish propaganda in Britain. A large number of the withdrawn helmets were reissued to various emergency services after being painted white.[8]

Switzerland used a helmet, designated the M1918, that was roughly similar to the M1916 but had a shallower, wider and more rounded crown and skirt. This was to protect against the harsh winter winds of the alpine regions.

TheChilean Armywas a prolific user of the Vulkanfiber models, bought before the Second World War, along with a few M1935 andCzechoslovak M32 helmets.[9]After the war, local production of lightweight fiber and plastic models started, which are still in ceremonial & garrison use today.[10][11]Small runs of steel helmets were made byFAMAE[12]in the late 90s, either newly made[13]or by reformingM1 Helmetshells,[14][15]but ultimately were not adopted due to the ascendance ofkevlarand synthetic ballistic fiber helmets by that time. AStahlhelmwith crossed bayonets and the corresponding number is the standard insignia of infantry regiments.

The Imperial Iranian Army used small numbers of the Vulkanfiber model, mostly with the Imperial Guard and a few units around Tehran, acquired prior to theAnglo-Soviet invasion of Iran.

Royal Afghan Army soldier poses for the cover of a magazine in 1969

During World War II, theArgentine Armyadopted a similar model made of pressed fibre. For combat and provincial police use, importedSwiss M1918 Helmetswere still in service as late as 1976.

In theSocialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia,due to large quantities captured byWorld War II Partisans,theStahlhelmwas used inYugoslav People's Armyup to 1959, when it was phased out and replaced by theM59/85steel helmet.

Postwar

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West GermanBundesgrenzschutz band atVilla Hammerschmidt,in front of GermanFederal PresidentHeinrich Lübke(1959-1969)

After World War II,West Germany'sBundesgrenzschutzborder guards and some West German police units kept theStahlhelmin their inventories (police units can be seen wearing them during footage of theBlack Septemberhostage crisisin 1972), and theFallschirmjägervariant was used for some time by theGSG 9.With the re-armament of West Germany theBundeswehrintroduced theUnited States ArmyM1 Helmetwhich was replaced by aKevlarhelmet(Gefechtshelm), similar to the modernUS helmets,in the 1990s.German firefighter unitstoday still useStahlhelm-shaped helmets in a fluorescent colour.

East Germany'sNational People's ArmyM-56 helmet was modelled on an unused 1942 German design with a moreconicalshape.[16]TheChilean Armystill uses theStahlhelmdesign for ceremonial purposes, as does theBolivian Army.There are also some Japanese bicycle helmets (with accompanying goggles) that resemble theStahlhelm.Many schools and universities in Mexico such as theAutonomous University of Baja Californiahave military bands that use or resemble the M35Stahlhelm.[17]

The U.S. Army's 1980s and 1990s eraKevlarPersonnel Armor System for Ground Troops Helmetwas sometimes called the "Fritz helmet" for its resemblance to theStahlhelm.The U.S. Army and Marines have continued to use a design akin to the PASGT helmet with theMICH TC-2000 Combat HelmetandLightweight Helmet,respectively.

TheChinese People's Liberation Army soldiersstill used M1935 helmets which were captured from the Chinese Nationalist Army during theChinese Civil Waruntil the 1970s.

Since 2012,El Salvador's Policia Nacional Civil use a navy/indigo blue-coloured helmet that strongly resembles theStahlhelm;this helmet is used by some members of the riot-control unit and rarely used by the Police's assault teams.

  • Chilean honour guard next to U.S. AdmiralMichael G. Mullenin March 2009
  • German firefighting helmet
  • Chinese soldiers of theNational Revolutionary ArmywearingStahlhelmebefore thebattle of Wuhan
  • Finnish AA-MG crew in 1942. The soldier in the middle has a Austro-Hungarian M1917 and the others have Hungarian M38 helmets.
  • GermanCivil defenceStahlhelmwith wider, flared peak in use from the 1940s until the 1990s
  • Afghan Army soldiers wearingStahlhelm,1950s
  • UkrainianEuromaidanprotester wearingStahlhelmwithSSinsignia, 2014. The inscription says "Putin, think or you'll end up like Hitler".

Variants

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The differentStahlhelmdesigns are named for their year of introduction. For example, theModell 1942which was introduced in 1942 is commonly known asM1942or simplyM42.Here, they are referred to by their M19XXnames.

M1916 and M1917

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1916Stahlhelmwith 1918camouflagepattern applied in the field. (Musée de l'Armée)
Additional steel brow plate orStirnpanzeron a Stahlhelm

TheStahlhelmwas introduced into regular service during theVerdun campaignin early 1916.

The M1916 design had side-mounted horn-like ventilator lugs which were intended to support an additional steel brow plate orStirnpanzer,which saw limited use only by snipers andtrench raidingparties, as it was too heavy for general use.[18]

The shell came in different sizes, from 60 to 68, with some size 70s reported. Helmet weight varied from 0.98 kg to 1.4 kg, depending on shell size. The suspension, or liner, consisted of a headband with three segmented leather pouches, each holding padding materials, and leather or fabric cords that could be adjusted to provide a comfortable fit. The one-piece leather chin strap was attached to the shell by M1891 chinstrap lugs, the same kind used in thePickelhaubehelmet.

The M1916 design provided excellent protection. Reserve Lieutenant Walter Schulze of 8th Company Reserve Infantry Regiment 76 described his combat introduction to the helmet on theSomme,29 July 1916:

... suddenly, with a great clanging thud, I was hit on the forehead and knocked flying onto the floor of the trench... ashrapnelbullet had hit my helmet with great violence, without piercing it, but sufficiently hard to dent it. If I had, as had been usual up until a few days previously, been wearing a cap, then the Regiment would have had one more man killed.[19]

But the helmet had a few flaws. The ventilator horns often let cold air in during the winter, requiring the wearer to block the vents with mud or fabric. The large, flared skirt tended to make it difficult for soldiers to hear, distorting surrounding sounds and creating an echo when the wearer spoke.

Originally paintedFeldgrau(field grey), theStahlhelmwas often camouflaged by troops in the field using mud, foliage, cloth covers, and paint. Official issue cloth covers in white and grey appeared in late 1916 and early 1917. Camouflage paint was not formally introduced until July 1918, when German Army Order II, No 91 366, signed by GeneralErich Ludendorffon 7 July 1918, outlined official standards for helmet camouflage. The order stipulated that helmets should be painted in several colours, separated by a finger-wide black line. The colours should be relevant to the season, such as using green, brown and ochre in summer.[18]In the closing months, some experiments were conducted on the Stahlhelm paint.Wollstaubwas one such paint iteration that was infused with crushed felt in hopes of glare reduction.

After the effectiveness of the M1916 design was validated during the 1916 campaigns, incremental improvements were subsequently made. The M1917 version saw improvements to the liner but was otherwise identical to the original design.

M1918

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World War IStahlhelmand anti-shrapnelbody armour

Introduced on February 12, 1918 Extensive redesigns were made for the M1918 model. A new two-piece chin strap was introduced and was attached directly to the helmet liner rather than the shell. Certain examples of the M1918 had cutouts in the rim along the sides of the helmet. This iteration was dubbed the cavalry or telephone talker helmet, despite the fact that it was intended to be utilized by all units. It has incorrectly been said that these cutouts were to accommodate headphones while wearing the helmet. These cutouts were actually done to improve hearing and to reduce echo created by the large, flared skirt. About ten thousand were created in the closing months of the war.

The M1918Stahlhelmcan be distinguished from the M1916, as the M1918 shell lacks the chinstrap rivet on the lower side of the helmet skirt found on earlier models.

A modified variant of the M1918 was also made, referred to as the Armored Warfare Stahlhelm, created in sparing amounts for tank crews. The only difference from previous models was the reduction of the visor extending over the eyes to allow for better visibility.

Austro-Hungarian variants

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Austro-Hungarian soldiers at theIsonzo frontwithStahlhelme
The Austrian Berndorfer variant

Austria-Hungarypurchased about 416,000 German helmets from November 1916 until the end of the war and also began its own licensed production starting in May 1917. Around a millionStahlhelmof all variants were issued until the end of the war.[20]

Austro-Hungarian M17

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TheAustrian M17helmet was similar to the German M16, it was indicated „nach deutschem Muster “i.e." following Germany's example ". It was coloured golden-brown (known asIsonzo-braun), had a cloth chinstrap and had the chinstrap rivet located higher up on the steel shell. From May 1917 till the end of World War I 534,013 were produced,[20]many of which were manufactured at theKruppinBerndorf, Lower Austria. Other known production locations were:

Austro-Hungarian M18

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This helmet is known by collectors asHungarian M18variant and it was similar to the Austrian M17 design, but the chinstrap rivet was smaller in size and located even higher up than the Austrian version. It was coloured in golden-brown (known asIsonzo-braun). Another difference was in the attachment method of the chinstrap, it was fixed to the same rivet that held the liner metal ring. These were manufactured at the Krupp in Berndorf.

Berndorfer variant

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There was also a quite different, domestically developedBerndorfervariant. It was indicated as "österreichisches Muster" i.e. Austrian mode. 139,968 were produced from May till November 1917 at the Krupp in Berndorf.[20]

Ottoman variant

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The formation in 1917 by theOttoman Empireof stormtrooper battalions following the German model prompted the requirement for steel helmets, as these had not previously been adopted. Although German helmets were ordered, Ottoman officers believed that the design impeded the soldiers' ability to hear orders in the field and requested that the visor, ear and neck protectors be removed, which was done usinggrinding machines.[22]Germany delivered 5,400 visorless versions of the M1918 helmet for the Ottoman Empire. The missing front visor was thought by the Germans to be for religious reasons,[23]and it was claimed that it was to allow Turkish soldiers to touch their foreheads to the ground during prayer, without removing their helmets. However, this story has been disputed. The Turks rejected any more than the 5,400 delivered and an unknown number from the overrun were issued to German armed forces and were used by GermanFreikorpsunits after the war.

M1933

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Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitlertroops wearing refurbished WW1Stahlhelme,during a drill inspection in Berlin, 1938
GermanReichswehrsoldiers wearing WW1Stahlhelme,but with the new insignia
M1933Stahlhelmused byFeuerpolizeipersonnel during the Third Reich

In 1932 the Army High Command ordered the testing of a new prototype helmet intended to replace the older models. It was made entirely from a composite plastic material called "Vulkanfiber".The Model 1933 Vulkanfiber helmet kept the basic form of previous helmets but was much lighter. It was put into limited production following favourable field tests in early 1933 and small numbers were issued toReichswehrinfantry, artillery and communications units. It was removed from service following the introduction of the M1935 helmet and most of the remaining stock were reissued to civil organizations such as fire brigades and police forces.[24]Some examples were also retained for parade use by senior officers, who were not generally issued with theStahlhelm.

M1935

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In 1934 tests began on an improvedStahlhelm,whose design was a development of World War I models. The company "EisenhüttenwerkeThale"(today Thaletec) carried out prototype design and testing, with Dr Friedrich Schwerd once again taking a hand.

The new helmet was pressed from sheets ofmolybdenumsteel in several stages. The size of the flared visor and skirt was reduced, and the large projecting lugs for the obsolete armour shield were eliminated. The ventilator holes were retained but were set in smaller hollow rivets mounted to the helmet's shell. The edges of the shell were rolled over, creating a smooth edge along the helmet. Finally, a completely new leather suspension, or liner, was incorporated that greatly improved the helmet's safety, adjustability, and comfort for each wearer. These improvements made the new M1935 helmet lighter, more compact, and more comfortable to wear than the previous designs.

TheArmy's Supreme Commandwithin the Third Reich'sWehrmachtor combined armed forces officially accepted the new helmet on June 25, 1935 and it was intended to replace all other helmets in service.[24]

Liner system used in M35, M40 and M42Stahlhelme

More than 1 million M1935 helmets were manufactured in the first two years after its introduction, and millions more were produced until 1940 when the basic design and production methods were changed.

Gladiator civil defense helmet

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1944 pattern Luftschutz helmet

In 1938, the Germans developed a variant of theStahlhelmwith a wider, flared peak and ventilation holes originally intended forcivil defenseandLuftschutzpersonnel.[25][26]Known as thegladiatorpattern, the privately purchased Luftschutz helmet was originally made from three pieces of steel and typically painted black or dark blue.[27]Later in the war these were issued toVolkssturmpersonnel, and sometimes repainted inFeldgrün.[28][29]By 1944, the helmets were stamped from a single steel sheet, and the original leather lining replaced with vinyl or cloth to reduce costs.[30]A modified postwar version in fluorescent green, white or yellow continued to be issued to rescue workers in theBundesrepublikuntil the early 1990s.

M1940

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The M1935 design was slightly modified in 1940 to simplify its construction, the manufacturing process now incorporating more automated stamping methods. The principal change was to stamp the ventilator hole mounts directly onto the shell, rather than utilizing separate fittings. In other respects, the M1940 helmet was identical to the M1935. The Germans still referred to the M1940 as the M1935, while the M1940 designation were given by collectors.[31]

Fallschirmjägerversion

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Fallschirmjägerin 1943/1944
Salvaged helmets converted into saucepans at the end ofWorld War II

A variant of the M1935 helmet with a shell lacking the projecting visor and deep flared rim was issued toFallschirmjäger(Germanparatrooper) units. It was so designed in order to lessen the risk of head injury on landing after a parachute jump; also to reduce the significant wind resistance and resulting neck trauma. EarlyFallschirmjägerhelmets were manufactured from existing M1935 helmets by removing the undesirable projections, which were omitted when the new design entered full production.[32]The modified shell also incorporated a completely different and more substantial liner and chinstrap design that provided far more protection for German airborne troops. The chinstrap featured a four-point retention system that has come into use again by modern combat helmets such as theMICHsince the late 1990s.

M1942

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The M1942 design was a result of wartime demands, by order of Hitler, to ‘maintain intimidation but reduce cost’. The rolled edge on the shell was eliminated, creating an unfinished edge along the rim. This edge slightly flared out, along the base of the skirt, reducing the protection the helmet gave. The elimination of the rolled edge expedited the manufacturing process and reduced the amount of metal used in each helmet. Shell paint colours were typically matte grey-green (Heer) or grey-blue (Luftwaffe), and the decals were eliminated in 1943 to speed up production and reduce the helmet's combat visibility. Greater manufacturing flaws were also observed in M1942 helmets made late in the war.[33]

M1944

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A new variant, designed in 1942 by the Institute for Defence Technical Materials Science in Berlin, was the so called M44. It was stamped out of one piece of metal, but with sloped sides. It was similar in appearance to theBritish 1944 Type Mk III helmet.[34]They were tested in three variant models B, B/II, and C. The one selected for extensive tests was the B/II. They were produced by the Thale Eisenhuttenwerke. The B/II will inspire the East German M56 in fact they looked very similar. M44 helmet was never approved for service and it remained a prototype.

M1945

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There have been reports of a variant manufactured in the last months of the war. The M1945 was reported to have been similar to the M1942 design but did away completely with the ventilator. These helmets are reported to be extremely rare. Many collectors and historians are of the opinion that the M1945 helmet is just a regular M1942 helmet that lacked the vents simply because of machine malfunctions in the factory, or unfinished M1942 helmets that were completed in the post-war era.[33]

East Germany

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M1954

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It was an evolution of the prototype M1944 with a modified and more squared line. The appearance of the helmet was a transitional way between the M35 and the M44. It was nicknamed "Kesslerbombe" as a reference to the generalHeinz Keßler.It was used by theKVPof the GDR and it was fitted with two different suspension systems during its life in service. The first one fixed with three rivets as in the WW2 models, the second type required further holes in the helmet shell. It was substituted by the helmet M1956.

M1956

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M1956 East GermanStahlhelm

TheEast GermanM-56 helmet was inspired by the 1942 designed helmet, intended as a replacement for the M1935/M1940 modelStahlhelm.It was initially developed for the Wehrmacht by the Institute for Defense Technical Materials Science in Berlin (seeM1944above). The helmet had seen trials since 1943 but was not adopted during World War II.[35]

The design was not used until the requirement for a distinct German helmet for theVolkspolizeiand theNational People's Armyarose. The East German leadership was motivated in large part by a desire to avoid provoking the offence that using a traditionalStahlhelmdesign would have caused East Germany's Warsaw Pact allies (especially Czechoslovakia, Poland and the Soviet Union),[16]but a more practical military necessity was also present due to the continued use of surplusStahlhelmeby West German units, in particular border guards. Moreover, the East Germans suspected the West could re-issue theStahlhelmon a general basis in the Bundeswehr at any time and therefore needed a helmet that was easily distinguishable from that of their potential enemy. For both reasons, the 1942 design was likely chosen because it was the most similar of all German designs to the most recognizableSoviet helmets,in particular the iconicSSh-40design. Such a design not only served a political purpose but was one that NATO armies were unlikely to duplicate closely. Indeed, the M-56 was similar enough in appearance to the SSh-40 that some Westerners failed to realize its German origins altogether and assumed the East Germans had adopted a Soviet design.

The M-56 helmet came in three basic versions, Mod 1 or I/56, Mod 2 or I/57 and Mod 3 or I/71, and was widely sold (or given) toThird Worldarmies.

West Germany

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M40/51

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When theBundesgrenzschutz(BGS) (Federal Border Guards of Germany) was formed in 1951, it was supplied with old salvaged and refurbished M35, M40 or M42 helmets. Among the changes made, there was the replacement of the interior and the introduction of new eyelets for the chinstrap, some welded inside the helmet some even fixed to the helmet with rivets. The helmets for the BGS were repainted in dark green RAL 6012.

With the progressive depletion of stocks, starting from 1951 new helmets were produced following the construction rules of the M40 model. Regarding the interior, was used the simplified M31 type, with a chinstrap directly fixed to it, (adopted above all by the police forces of the Länder), and a liner with a chinstrap fixed to the helmet according to the methods described above; this version was adopted by the BGS.

M40/53

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Starting in 1953, a further update of the interior was introduced with the type called I53, developed by the company Schuberth Werke Braunschweig.

This interior was no longer fixed with the classic three nails that ran along the helmet shell but by a screw placed inside, in the centre of the upper part of the helmet.

For this reason the helmet is recognizable from the previous versions by the absence of the rivets on the shell. In later versions, the ventilation holes were also removed. As regards to the fastening of the chinstrap, were used the same solutions of the previous model.

M56 & M1A1

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Helm M1A1, as it was worn in a similar form since 1956. Its retirement began in 1992.

TheWest GermanM-56Stahlhelmwas a direct copy of the U.S. M1 helmet. It was properly called "zweiteiligerStahlhelm"(two-piece steel helmet). In 1958 the helmet was made as a one-piece helmet and renamedStahlhelmM1A1. The M1A1 came in three sizes: 66, 68, and 71. This helmet was used until 1981 when a modified version was released and renamed the Helm1A1. Modifications included a 3-point chin strap with the third point connecting at the nape, extra-large sizes, and a further adjustable liner.[36]

The M1A1Stahlhelmremained in service until 1992 when theBundeswehrreplaced it with aPASGT-derivedkevlarhelmetcalled theGefechtshelm( "Combat helmet" ).

Decals and insignia

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AfterStahlhelmshells were painted, the colours of which varied by organization, small identification or insigniadecalsusually were affixed to one or both sides of the helmet. Almost every military, naval, and political organization had its own distinctive insignia, which was applied as decals to the sides of helmets.[citation needed][37]The right side of early M35 helmets bore the tricoloredshieldof black, white, and red stripes, the traditional national colors of thepre-WWIGerman Empire(cf. the black, red, and gold of today'sFederal Republic of Germany,harking back to the1848 Revolt). The left side of the shell often received decal insignia denoting the branch of the armed forces, orWehrmacht,or an organization within theNazi Party.

The combinedWehrmachtmilitary forces of Nazi Germany consisted of theHeer(army), theKriegsmarine(navy), and theLuftwaffe(air force). While not technically part of the Wehrmacht, theWaffen-SS( "Armed-SS") tactically operated as such and was considered part of Germany's armed forces during the war. The same was true of someSturmabteilung(SA) units, along with other subsidiary organizations, which functioned as part of the armed forces particularly towards the end of the war. Wehrmacht branches typically displayed distinctive emblems in the form of decals on their helmets. The Heer, or army, displayed a black shield bearing the frontal view of a silver-coloured German eagle holding aswastikain its talons (known as theReichsadler), while the navy used the same eagle emblem in gold. Luftwaffe decals displayed the side view of an eagle in flight, also holding a swastika. TheSSwas both aparamilitaryand a political organization, and its blackrunic initialson a silver-coloured shield (normally applied to the right side of the shell) looked like twin lightning bolts. Other military, political, and civil or defence organizations used similar decal insignia to distinguish their helmets. Such visible identification devices were gradually abandoned as the war progressed, however, so that by war's end most Wehrmacht helmet insignia had been eliminated to reduce the wearer's visibility in combat.

For the Chinese Nationalist Army soldiers, their M35 helmets were stencilled with theChinese Nationalist Insigniaon the left side. Bolivian Army personnel carry the national flag andWiphaladecals on their Stahlhelms when in the full dress.[citation needed]

Fiction

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Users

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See also

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Notes

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  1. ^jwh1975 (10 April 2016)."WWII equipment of the Bundesgrenzschutz".wwiiafterwwii.Retrieved14 May2018.{{cite web}}:CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  2. ^abRalph Reiley."The German Stahlhelm, M1916s".Retrieved19 July2024.
  3. ^Bélanger, Adrien; Amalric, Adrien (2008).La Grande guerre: chronologie, plans, cartes, illustrations, annotations sur l'armée, la troupe, les batailles, le matériel, les armes, etc. en parallèle de la transcription des extraordinaires journaux de guerre d'Adrien Amalric[The Great War: chronology, plans, maps, illustrations, annotations on the army, troops, battles, equipment, weapons, etc. alongside the transcription of Adrien Amalric's extraordinary war diaries] (in French). Domérat. p. 268.ISBN978-2-9523027-3-9.{{cite book}}:CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  4. ^Tubbs & Clawson (2000),p. 10.
  5. ^Tenner, Edward (Summer 2003)."Hardheaded Logic: The Helmet is older than the city-state and newer than the airplane".American Heritage.19(1). Archived fromthe originalon 28 August 2008.
  6. ^Dunstan, Simon; Volstad, Ron (1984).Flak Jackets: 20th Century Military Body Armour.Osprey Publishing. p.5.ISBN0-85045-569-3.
  7. ^Tenner, Edward, and Edward Tenner.Our own devices: The past and future of body technology.New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 2003, pp. 252–253
  8. ^Thompson, Glenn (5 October 2014)."Artefacts: Vickers helmet".History Ireland.Retrieved28 September2018.
  9. ^"Mº 35 de fibra".cascoscoleccion.Retrieved14 April2018.
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    Cuban construction worlers wearing M35 Stahlhelms exported by Czechoslovakia

References

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