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| Stahlhelm | |
|---|---|
 M35 on display atMuseum Rotterdam | |
| Type | Combat helmet |
| Place of origin | Germany |
| Service history | |
| In service | 1916–1992 |
| Used by | SeeUsers |
| Wars | World War I German Revolution Russian Civil War Chinese Civil War Spanish Civil War Winter War Continuation War World War II Korean War Vietnam War Soviet-Afghan War |
| Production history | |
| Designer | Dr. Friedrich Schwerd (M1916) |
| Designed | 1915 |
| Produced | 1916 |
| Variants | SeeVariants |
TheStahlhelm (German for "steel helmet") is a term used to refer to a series of Germansteelcombat helmet designs intended to protect the wearer from common battlefield hazards such as shrapnel.
The armies of thegreat powers began to issue steel helmets duringWorld War I as a result of combat experience and experimentation. TheGerman Army began to replace theboiled leatherPickelhaube with theStahlhelm in 1916. TheStahlhelm's distinctivecoal scuttle shape was instantly recognizable and became a common element ofpropaganda on both sides, like thePickelhaube before it. The name was used byDer Stahlhelm, a Germanveterans' organization that existed from 1918 to 1935.
AfterWorld War II, bothEast andWest German militaries 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 guards in West Germany until the 1990s,[1] when they were replaced by modernkevlar helmets.
Before the Great War, most types of militaryheaddress were not designed for protection. Most militaries had adopted either a cap or helmet, usually made of fabric or leather. Only some types ofcavalry retained 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 Gaede recorded 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 helmet to units starting in 1915.[3] TheBritish Empire followed suit later that year with theBrodie helmet.
The design of theStahlhelm was 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 firststahlhelm were tested in November 1915 at theKummersdorf Proving 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 thestormtroopers of theSturm-Bataillon Nr. 5 (Rohr), commanded by CaptainWilly Rohr.
In contrast to theHadfield steel used in the BritishBrodie helmet, the Germans used a hardermartensiticsilicon/nickel steel. As a result, and also due to the helmet's form, theStahlhelm had 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. TheStahlhelm became 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]
Germany exported versions of the M1935 helmet to various countries. Versions of the M1935Stahlhelm were sent toRepublic of China from 1935 to 1936 and the M1935 was the main helmet of theChinese Nationalist Army (especially the "central" divisions) during World War II.Spain also 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 theStahlhelm and 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.
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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 pins are 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 War 1941–44.
After World War IPoland seized 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 helmet was unsuitable fortank troops 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 Uprising the helmet was also worn by the members of thePolish Home Army and it was during this time that the helmet became the symbol of the resistance, as everyStahlhelm worn by a soldier of the underground army signified a dead German occupier it was taken from.
In November 1926, theIrish Defence Forces adopted theStahlhelm. As theTreaty of Versailles barred 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 Army was 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 Helmet shells,[13][14] but ultimately were not adopted due to the ascendance ofkevlar and synthetic ballistic fiber helmets by that time. AStahlhelm with 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.
During World War II, theArgentine Army adopted a similar model made of pressed fibre. For combat and provincial police use, importedSwiss M1918 Helmets were still in service as late as 1976.
In theSocialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, due to large quantities captured byWorld War II Partisans, theStahlhelm was used inYugoslav People's Army up to 1959, when it was phased out and replaced by theM59/85 steel helmet.
After World War II,West Germany'sBundesgrenzschutz border guards and some West German police units kept theStahlhelm in their inventories (police units can be seen wearing them during footage of theBlack Septemberhostage crisis in 1972), and theFallschirmjäger variant was used for some time by theGSG 9. With the re-armament of West Germany theBundeswehr introduced theUnited States ArmyM1 Helmet which was replaced by aKevlar helmet (Gefechtshelm), similar to the modernUS helmets, in the 1990s.German firefighter units today still useStahlhelm-shaped helmets in a fluorescent colour.
East Germany'sNational People's Army M-56 helmet was modelled on an unused 1942 German design with a moreconical shape.[15] TheChilean Army still uses theStahlhelm design for ceremonial purposes, as does theBolivian Army. There are also some Japanese cycling helmets (with accompanying goggles) that resemble theStahlhelm. Many schools and universities in Mexico such as theAutonomous University of Baja California have military bands that use or resemble the M35Stahlhelm.[16]
The U.S. Army's 1980s and 1990s eraKevlarPersonnel Armor System for Ground Troops Helmet was 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 Helmet andLightweight Helmet, respectively.
TheChinese People's Liberation Army soldiers still used M1935 helmets which were captured from the Chinese Nationalist Army during theChinese Civil War until 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.
The differentStahlhelm designs are named for their year of introduction. For example, theModell 1942 which was introduced in 1942 is commonly known asM1942 or simplyM42. Here, they are referred to by their M19XX names.
_military_steel_helmet_(Stahlhelm)_M1916_with_camouflage_paint_German_gas_mask_M1918_(2024-05-24)_IMG_2900.jpg)
TheStahlhelm was introduced into regular service during theVerdun campaign in 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 raiding parties, as it was too heavy for general use.[17]
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 thePickelhaube helmet.
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... ashrapnel bullet 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.[18]
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), theStahlhelm was 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 Ludendorff on 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.[17] In the closing months, some experiments were conducted on the Stahlhelm paint.Wollstaub was 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.
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. The M1918Stahlhelm can 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.
Certain examples of the M1918 had cutouts in the rim along the sides of the helmet. It has incorrectly been said that these cutouts were to accommodate headphones while wearing the helmet or that the helmet were specifically made for the cavalry, so this iteration was once dubbed the telephone talker helmet or cavalry helmet, despite the fact that it was intended to be utilized by all units; today they are known to collectors just as "cut-out M18s". These cutouts were actually done to improve hearing and to reduce echo created by the large, flared skirt. About 100.000 were created in the closing months of the war.
Thefull-visor helmet (also called thesloping-brow helmet) was a rare experimental variant of the Stahlhelm produced in bothM16 andM18 configurations during the late stages of World War I. It is characterised by a gently curved, forward-extended brow — typically cited as roughly 3 cm longer than standard models — apparently intended to improve compatibility with contemporary gas-mask arrangements and to offer a more sloping frontal profile. Surviving evidence indicates the model was trialled only in limited numbers and saw a very short production run; contemporary descriptions and later cataloguing report a somewhat heavier shell, a deeper profile, and simplified interior fittings (including reports of a steel sweatband and altered liner construction). Period photographs and later collector research place examples in both German and Austro-Hungarian contexts, but firm documentation of issue, distribution, and production provenance remains scarce; only a handful of specimens have been documented in literature and collecting forums. Because primary evidence is limited, the full-visor helmet is generally treated in the historiography as a late-war experimental or trial variant rather than a standard service type.[19][20]
The commonly so called Ottoman or Turkish M1918 featured silhouette is similar to the normal M1918 stahlhelm, but instead of a projecting visor the rim (skirt) continues unbroken around the shell., without creating the typical angles between the brim and the sides. The rationale for this departure from the German pattern is not documented and has been the subject of conjecture. An early explanation proposed that the lack of a visor allowed Muslim soldiers to prostrate themselves in prayer without removing the helmet; this explanation has since fallen into discredit, simply because it is not physically possible to touch the forehead to the ground while wearing the helmet. A more credible hypothesis is that the Ottomans sought a headpiece that reflected their own traditions and was visually distinct. The Turkish M18’s form may have been selected because it echoed a widely worn sun helmet favoured by officers andNCOs.
Much of the reliable information on the Turkish M18 derives from Chris Flaherty’s study, which draws in part on material published by the Turkish Military Museum in Istanbul and on French-language sources that were previously little accessible to anglophone researchers. Flaherty reports that every Turkish M18 was manufactured by EisenhüttenwerkThale AG and bears the maker mark “ET” together with a size stamp - which is invariably 66 for these helmets. He also notes that they were fitted with the German Model 1918 liner, featuring white liner pads, and used chinstrap attachments with carbine-clip fittings. Eisenhüttenwerk Thale delivered 5,400 M18 “full-visor” helmets to the Ottoman Turkish army before further shipments were refused by the Turks. That production figure (5,400) has at times been transposed and mistakenly cited as the quantity of the so-called “visorless” helmets. One source of this confusion appears to be Floyd Tubbs’ early collector work Stahlhelm, in which the visorless example is labelled the “Turkey steel helmet” and is asserted to number 5,400 deliveries to Turkey — a claim later research has demonstrated to be incorrect.
Among collectors the Turkish M18 is frequently called the “full-visor” Turkish helmet to differentiate it from the similarly termed “visorless” so-called “Tanker” helmet, which is very similar to the former but originated from a completely different project. Contrary to popular assumption, Flaherty maintains that the visorless pattern was produced for the Imperial German Army rather than for Ottoman forces. There is also a recurring assertion that these visorless helmets were intended for armoured vehicle crews. Period photographs exist showing Freikorps personnel operating with tanks while wearing the visorless helmets, and such imagery likely contributed to the belief that they were designed for tank use.
Austria-Hungary purchased 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 millionStahlhelm of all variants were issued until the end of the war.[21]
TheAustrian M17 helmet 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, an Austrian chinstrap bale 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,[21] many of which were manufactured at theKrupp inBerndorf, Lower Austria.
Other known production locations were:
There was also a quite different, domestically developedBerndorfer variant. It was indicated as "österreichisches Muster" i.e. Austrian mode. 139,968 were produced from May till November 1917 at the Krupp in Berndorf.[21]
This helmet is known by collectors asHungarian M18 variant 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.
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 toReichswehr infantry, 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.[23] Some examples were also retained for parade use by senior officers, who were not generally issued with theStahlhelm.
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 ofmolybdenum steel 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 Command within the Third Reich'sWehrmacht or combined armed forces officially accepted the new helmet on June 25, 1935 and it was intended to replace all other helmets in service.[23]
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.
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In 1938, the Germans developed a variant of theStahlhelm with a wider, flared peak and ventilation holes originally intended forcivil defense andLuftschutz personnel.[24][25] Known as thegladiator pattern, the privately purchased Luftschutz helmet was originally made from three pieces of steel and typically painted black or dark blue.[26] Later in the war these were issued toVolkssturm personnel, and sometimes repainted inFeldgrün.[27][28] By 1944, the helmets were stamped from a single steel sheet, and the original leather lining replaced with vinyl or cloth to reduce costs.[29] A modified postwar version in fluorescent green, white or yellow continued to be issued to rescue workers in theBundesrepublik until the early 1990s.
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.[30]
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. EarlyFallschirmjäger helmets were manufactured from existing M1935 helmets by removing the undesirable projections, which were omitted when the new design entered full production.[31] 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 theMICH since the late 1990s.
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.[32]
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.[33] 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 Eisenhüttenwerke. The B/II would later inspire the East German M56, which looked very similar to the M44. The M44 helmet was never approved for service and it remained a prototype.
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.[32]
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 theKVP of 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.
TheEast German M-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 (seeM1944 above). The helmet had seen trials since 1943 but was not adopted during World War II.[34]
The design was not used until the requirement for a distinct German helmet for theVolkspolizei and theNational People's Army arose. The East German leadership was motivated in large part by a desire to avoid provoking the offence that using a traditionalStahlhelm design would have caused East Germany's Warsaw Pact allies (especially Czechoslovakia, Poland and the Soviet Union),[15] but a more practical military necessity was also present due to the continued use of surplusStahlhelme by West German units, in particular border guards. Moreover, the East Germans suspected the West could re-issue theStahlhelm on 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-40 design. 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 World armies.
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.
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.
TheWest German M-56Stahlhelm was 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 renamedStahlhelm M1A1. 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.[35]
The M1A1Stahlhelm remained in service until 1992 when theBundeswehr replaced it with aPASGT-derivedkevlarhelmet called theGefechtshelm ("Combat helmet").
AfterStahlhelm shells were painted, the colours of which varied by organization, small identification or insigniadecals usually 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][36] The right side of early M35 helmets bore the tricoloredshield of 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, hearkening 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 combinedWehrmacht military 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 aswastika in 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. TheSS was both aparamilitary and a political organization, and its blackrunic initials on 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 Insignia on the left side. Bolivian Army personnel carry the national flag andWiphala decals on their Stahlhelms when in the full dress.[citation needed]
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Kingdom of Afghanistan − M18 Hungarian model, purchased from Czechoslovakia in the 1930s[37]
Argentina − A hardboard local made helmet called M38 was used between 1938 and 1956
Austria-Hungary − M17
Belgium
Bolivia
Bulgaria −M16-18 used in WW1 and the M36 used in WW2
Cambodia
Chile
Republic of China (1912–1949) − M35
People's Republic of China − M35, Captured from the Nationalists
Colombia
Croatia − M56[38]
Cuba − Seen worn on sappers auxiliaries and supplied by Czechoslovakia[39]
Czechoslovakia − Used German or Austro-Hungarian M16/M17s until the early 1920s, when they were replaced by the M22, a domestic design[40]
Dominican Republic
Estonia − M16-18
Finland
Georgia − Seen worn by Gamsakhurdia's forces during theGeorgian Civil War[41]
German Empire − M16-18
Weimar Republic
Nazi Germany − M35~M42
East Germany − M56
West Germany − Copies of M35, for Bundesgrenzschutz use
Greece −limited use byELAS[42][43]
Hungary
Imperial State of Iran
Irish Free State − Used 1926−1940[clarification needed]
Italy
Latvia − M16, M1918[44][45]
Kingdom of Libya
Lithuania − M1918
Mexico − Limited use of M1916, replaced by M26Adrian Helmets in 1938)[46]
Norway - Used by theNorwegian Armed Forces from 1945 until the introduction of the AmericanM1 helmet in the late 1950s
Ottoman Empire − M18
Ukrainian People's Republic − M18
Poland – Interwar Polish state issued WW1 stahlhelms toBorder Protection Corps,10th Motorized Cavalry Brigade, and state police units. During the World War II helmets captured from the German occupying force were used byPolish underground formations.
Russian White movement - supplied byGermany toWest Russian Volunteer Army troops in theRussian Civil War.
Sweden (Försökshjälm Modell B. A variant to theM1926)[citation needed]
Spain
Russian SFSR − M18 stolen from Germans or supplied by Soviet Bavaria used in the Russian Civil War
Tunisia − used by National Guard in 60s and spotted in Battle of Ben Guerdane.Picture of a Tunisian national guard officer wearing aStahlhelm
Turkey[47]
Venezuela
Vietnam − M56 East German helmet[48]
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| Sidearms |
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|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rifles |
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| Hand grenades | ||||||
| Machine guns |
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| Helmets | ||||||
| Other equipment | ||||||
