The German helmet of the Normandy Campaign

The German helmet of the Normandy Campaign

A helmet customized for Battle Some of the most unique German helmets of WWII were worn during the Battle for Normandy. The terrain of thick green hedgerows, rolling green meadows, golden fields and orchards created diverse but deadly battlefields; one that necessitated good helmet camouflage for survival. To help their helmets blend into this environment, …

The Helmet with the Grinning Skull. A Short History of the Danzig Police Helmet

The Helmet with the Grinning Skull. A Short History of the Danzig Police Helmet

Fight for the Post Office At 4 am on September 1, 1939 German sappers cut the power to Danzig’s Post Office plunging it’s Polish staff into total darkness. No doubt a fitting act foreshadowing the dark times Poland would soon endure. World War II had just officially started, and the Free City of Danzig was about to be in the middle of the war.  The now …

The M42 German helmet, the End of an Era

The M42 German helmet, the End of an Era

More Helmets for an Expanding War The German helmet of World War II is often broken down for distinction in three different models. The M35, M40 and M42. In truth according to the German high command there was only one model, the Model 35, so called because the first years of production was in 1935. The other models, …

The German Helmet of Stalingrad

The German Helmet of Stalingrad

A Helmet for a Titanic Battle The largest battle the World had ever seen would take place at the Russian city of Stalingrad between August 23, 1942 and February 2nd, 1943. Before the battle ended, both sides would sustain a combined total of over 2 million casualties.  Throughout this titanic battle, the German army would utilize different …

What's inside II, German Helmet Liners 1940-1945

What’s inside II, German Helmet Liners 1940-1945

War Brings Changes During any war the uniforms and equipment used by the military inevitably will go through changes. Certainly this was true of much of the equipment utilized by the German armed forces during WWII. These changes would  include helmet liners. Between 1940 and 1945 the German M31 helmet liner would see several modifications. Many of these changes …

What's inside, German helmet liners 1920-1940

What’s inside, German helmet liners 1920-1940

  A New Liner for a New Era As the German Reichswehr slogged it’s way through the turbulence of the 1920s, supply issues were a constant concern. With the armistice of the Great War and subsequence treaty of Versailles, Germany had been forced to sell off or destroy much of it’s military equipment such as steel helmets. Immediately after the end of the …