WWII German Uniforms

German soldier wearing an SS camouflaged cap.

The German Army of WW2 made a good deal of
use of disruptive patterned clothing. The SS
factories produced their own distinctive patterns.
The cap is made of a solid cotton/rayon duck cloth
that has been dyed with a pattern sometimes
known as the peapattern. The cap is the field cap
of the pattern of !"#2$ although this one was
made later$ !"##. The badge to the front of the
cap is an early e%ample$ of embroidered cotton on
a grey wool base.
This peapattern camouflage cloth appeared in the
use of the German SS forces in !"##$ after &arch$
when many drill uniforms were produced in both
the duck material as well as a herringbone twill
material.
There was only one version of this type of pattern.
&ost other patterns had two versions of the
camouflage pattern$ usually one being the autumn
pattern and the other a summer pattern. 't was
intended that this pattern was a universal pattern
A German soldier in a standard service dress uniform, 1944.
This soldier of the WW2 wartime German Army is in
the Artillery.
The red piping on both his shoulder straps and about
his peaked cap$ denote his arm of service as that of
the artillery. (is peaked cap is an early version$
which is missing the side buttons and the leather chin
strap. The front national badges are an unusual mi%.
The eagle is a metal badge$ secured to the cap with
three prongs$ while the wreath and cockade is woven
on a cotton base$ in silver and coloured thread.
The tunic is a modification on the !")* pattern
uniform$ this modification to the service dress tunic is
known as the &odel of !"#)$ or &#)$ and there are
many variations to it. The uniform was modified as
the +uality of materials decreased$ and one feature
was increasing the buttons from * in the front to si%.
The collar is the same material as the rest of the
,acket$ and the collar badges are made in a grey
rayon$ possibly with a red centre$ but the colour has
run and faded over the years. The breast eagle is
also made of the same grey material. The four patch
front pockets all have scalloped pockets. 't is obvious
that the +uality of this garment is not up to the same
high standards as earlier made versions$ but it is still
a well made item. There are various metal badges
and medals on the tunic. The red$ white and black
ribbon in the 2nd button hole is for the Second -lass
'ron -ross$ where as the !st -lass 'ron -ross is worn on the centre of the left breast pocket.
To the right of this 'ron -ross is the oval shaped black Wound .adge$ and opposite is an
Assault .adge. This soldier has no rank badges$ but on his left sleeve is the /uban -ampaign
shield.
The German Army camouflage smock and cap of late orld ar !
The German Army camouflage smock and cap
The German Army of WW2 made a good deal of
use of disruptive patterned clothing.
'nitially the German Army only supplied the
soldiers with a camouflaged triangular shaped
ground sheet/cover. The SS factories produced
their own distinctive patterns$ and led the way in a
variety of camouflaged items. The Army followed
suit and produce various items$ including a
lightweight smock$ and the field cap as seen here.
The field cap is similar to the cap used by the
0.A./. 'n Africa$ but with a shorter peak. The
material is a cotton type and it is lined in grey
coloured cotton.
The smock is also made in a light cotton$ and was
to be worn over the top of the normal uniform.
The neck of the smock has a section of lace holes$
with laces$ to close it. The smocks have a hood$
which is large enough to cover the soldier1s head
whilst he is wearing a steel helmet. At the waist$
the smock is gathered with a draw string$ and there are two vertical slit openings$
about the level of the waist belt. 't was intended that these would allow access to the
ammunition pouches worn beneath the smock. 'n this case the belt is worn over the
camouflage smock. This soldier is a 2oliceman$ and wears his 2olice uniform
underneath$ his belt buckle shows the standard 2olice symbol.
German Army "#$, of !. #arrying a su%&machine gun, and special
ammunition pouches.
German Army "#$ with '(4) and pouches.
Some soldiers of the German Army were armed
with personal firearms other than the bolt action
maser designed rifles. This 3-4 is carrying a
&2#5$ a submachine gun$ in the pistol cartridge
of "mm.
The &2#5 was loaded from straight maga6ines$
each of which could hold )2 rounds. The soldier
was therefore not re+uired to carry the usual rifle
ammunition pouches on his e+uipment set. 'n this
case two pouches were issued$ each carrying
three maga6ines .
The pouches were made as a left and right hand
side set. The pouches did not sit straight up and
down$ but were canted towards the chest of the
wearer. The left pouch set had an e%tra pouch$ set
on the trailing edge$ which was large enough to
carry the maga6ine loading tool. The pouches are
made of canvas and leather. This particular set has been blackened$ the olive green
colour still shows through.
*ate war German Army %ack pack, issued with we%%ing straps
*ate war German +ucksack
As the was progressed and the German
Army rationalised e+uipment and took into
consideration some of the economic
constraints in manufacturing and
maintaining e+uipment$ some e+uipment
underwent slight modification.
The pack is not produced as an emergency
measure but as a result of the need to be able to produce e+uipment with some limited
means. The pack is identical in design to earlier German pattern of packs$ a design
that went back many years. The earlier pack$ had leather straps and a horse hair hide
rear covering$ known in slang as a monkey for the monkey riding on the soldiers
back. This pack has done away with the horse hair covering$ and the leather straps are
replaced with pair of Gray webbing straps.
! German SS snipers in training, from the Signal maga,ine.
Two members of the Waffen SS in combat
training. The photo is from the Signal
maga6ine. The two soldiers are both
carrying /"7 &auser rifles with turreted
telescopic scopes.
German Army senior "#$s, in dress uniforms.
Three German Army Sergeants.
All the 3.-.4.s are wearing their best uniforms.
The parade uniform was abandoned for the
duration of the War$ yet soldiers kept a uniform for
dress occasions.
German ! Tank moving through a destroyed farming area
German WW2 Tank moving through a
destroyed farming area
-niforms of the affen SS
Waffen SS troops uniforms for the battle. 8igure ! depicts an SSschut6e9 figure . an
infantry :nterscharfuhrer. .oth are fairly typical of the appearance of the bulk of the
Waffen SS at /ursk 8igure / depicts a ;eiter of the SS/avallerie 0ivision$ which was
not present at /ursk9 he wears a smock and .ergmut6e worn by many troops
employed in the battle.
'nfantry cap
affen SS #lothing
SS&-ntarschartuhrer, 0astern 1ront 194!
4nly the camouflage helmet cover and belt buckle identify this motorcyclist as a
member of the WaffenSS. The golden yellow piping on his shoulder board further
identifies him as belonging to a motori6ed reconnaissance unit. :ntil <une !"#2 the
piping would have been copper brown. The waterproof motorcycle coat was a popular
and practical item. 4riginally introduced for army motorcyclist$ the /radschut6mantel=
was soon adopted by the SS. 0espite regulations restricting its use to authori6ed
personnel$ it was a much pri6ed ac+uisition for general wear particularly by officers.
't was made of field grey rubberi6ed cotton twill with all seams waterproofed. The
collar was faced with field grey wool although early e%amples were dark blue/green.
The doublebreasted design was generously cut and was intended to be worn over
e+uipment >contemporary photos tend to show otherwise?. An overlapping pleated
panel in back allowed some ventilation. The half belt in back could allow some
ad,ustment of the waist. With the back vent reaching almost to the waist$ the lower
panels could be wrapped around the legs and buttoned in place providing superior
weather protection. A pair of large pockets with buttoned flaps was located in front. 't
should be noted that not all coats had provision for attaching shoulder straps.
&otorcyclists were issued various types of goggles presumably whatever was available.
'n this case$ aviators= type is worn. The gauntlets are the standard pattern made from
heavy field grey cotton duck. Grey leather is used for the palm$ thumb and separate
fingers as well for the ad,ustment straps on the back.
4nly the maga6ine pouches for his slung &2#5 and a &!")* dispatch case are worn on
the belt. @eather marching boots are visible beneath the long coat.
SS&+eiter, SS #avalry 2ivision, 0astern 1ront 194!
This is the typical image of WaffenSS mounted personnel from !"#2 to !"#*. The
uniform is the same as that worn by dismounted troops with the e%ception of riding
breeches and high leather riding boots with spurs. The field grey breeches have leather
seat reinforcement in shades of grey or brown. @ate production e%amples had this
reinforcement made from field grey cloth.
4ver the &!"#5 field blouse is worn a camouflage smock &!"#5 in A2alm Tree=
pattern. 't was very much the fashion to wear the early style smock with both cuffs
and skirt tucked back under the elastic. 'ssue of the camouflage cap officially began in
the summer of !"#2 and it +uickly became a popular and functional item.
Typically there were variations with most having a central seam along the top panel
and ventilation holes were not always present. While fully reversible$ the Aautumn=
side had all the e%posed seams9 most notably around the lower edge. Subdued
insignia were authori6ed for a brief period in late !"#2 but this was +uickly rescinded.
Standard e+uipment for a rifleman was provided with the usual belt and cartridge
pouches. The bread bag and field flask were worn in the normal position$ however$ the
bayonet and shovel >if worn it was sometimes fastened to the saddle? were carried on
the right rather than the usual left side. The purpose was to prevent the ! /ar "7k
slung over the right shoulder from striking these items. Accordingly$ the gas mask
canister was slung over the left shoulder and positioned rather high on the right side.
-avalry pattern belt support straps were used since mounted personnel did not re+uire
the A0= rings and pack straps needed by dismounted troops. 'n fact$ the right
saddlebag &!")# had integral carrying straps and could be used as a pack when
necessary.
The saddle is the Army &odel !"2* >Armeesattel 2*?. The saddlebags &!")#
>2acktasche )#? are attached to a coupling device which is then fastened to the saddle.
Suspended from the left rear of the saddle is a carbine carrying device >a similar
scabbard was provided for the &G)#?. (owever$ the carbine Abucket= saw limited use
since the rifle could be ,ust as easily slung across the back. 4n the rear of the saddle$
the 6eltbahn$ overcoat and a blanket might be strapped. The mess tin was commonly
strapped to the right saddlebag. (is helmet was fre+uently strapped to the ring behind
the right skirt leather. The left saddlebag was for care of the horse while the right side
was for the cavalryman.
SS&Sturmann, 3.1relwllligen&Ge%irgs&2ivision 4(rin, 0ugen5, 6ugoslavia 1944
73th 8olunteer 'ountain 2ivision 4(rin, 0ugen9
This ABolunteer= wears the standard WaffenSS field grey uniform of the period. The
standard &#) field cap had by now replaced the mountain cap and from 4ctober
!"#)$ the ACdelweiss= flower could be applied to the left side.
The SS did wear army issue uniform and uniforms produced specifically for the
WaffenSS followed the design changes of the army version. (owever$ the &#) field
blouse of the SS had a front closure with five buttons the army tunic had si% buttons.
As the WaffenSS was not recogni6ed as part of the official German armed forces$ they
were not entitled to wear the national emblem on the right chest instead it was
displayed on the left sleeve. 4ut of view on his upper right arm was another=
Cdelweiss= embroidered on an oval patch. The right collar patch bears the 14dal1 rune
uni+ue to 12rin6 Cugen1 division. The cuff title as well is worn on the left sleeve. The left
collar patch along with the chevron indicates his rank. 'n his second buttonhole is the
ribbon of the 'ron -ross 2nd -lass. The 'nfantry Assault .adge is pinned to his left
pocket. The black shoulder straps bear only the light green piping of mountain troops.
.y !"##$ the 1/eilhose1 trousers had largely replaced the mountain trousers.
;ugged laceup mountain boots remained standard though. The heavy$ studded
construction provided support and protection in difficult terrain and the boots were
much favoured by other than mountain troops. The original elasticated puttees were
now commonly replaced by issue canvas gaiters.
The usual rifleman1s belt and /ar "7k pouches are worn with the bread bag and
bayonet in normal positions. The integral hooks of the field blouse provided support
assisted by internal cloth straps that helped to distribute the weight. The shoulder
straps of the &!")! rucksack had ad,ustable hooks that could be hooked into the A0=
rings of the pouches. The rucksack carried the soldier=s re+uirements on longer patrols.
:nderneath the flap of the pack is his Ablurred edge= smock with his helmet strapped to
the outside. The water bottle would normally be the larger ! litre type rather than the
standard .7 litre version.
SS&Schartuhrer, :.SS& (an,er&2ivision 4iking5, (oland 1944 7:th SS (an,er&
2ivision 4iking59
'n !"#! a lightweight$ reed green drill uniform had been made available for wear by
WaffenSS armoured fighting vehicle crewmen. 't had been recogni6ed that when
dismounted$ the black pan6er uniform offered little towards concealment. 'n <anuary
!"#) a one piece camouflage overall was authori6ed and well received by pan6er crew.
Still$ in early !"## a two piece camouflage drill uniform was produced to remedy the
shortcomings of the onepiece garment. Birtually identical to its reed green
predecessor$ it was first made in Aoak leaf= and Ablurred edge= patterns. The Adot=
pattern variants were the most common by far. All of these lightweight outfits were
intended for use during the warmer months.
This 3-4 has chosen to wear his black field ,acket with his camouflage trousers$ a
fairly common practice. The WaffenSS ,acket was shorter than the army pattern. The
collar and lapels were smaller and the front seam was vertical rather than slanted.
Standard SS insignia are worn on the collars and the shoulder straps were piped in
pink. The left sleeve displayed the national emblem and ABiking= cuff title. An
e%perienced veteran$ his awards include a -lose -ombat -lasp >perhaps earned prior
to his transfer to armour?$ 'ron -ross !st -lass >hidden by his arm?$ Tank .attle .adge
and a Wound .adge.
The black field cap was worn long after the introduction of the &#) field cap$ as the
ASchiffchen= was rather more practical within the confines of a tank. 't bears the usual
Aeagle= and Adeath=s head=. @aceup ankle boots without hobnails were preferred but
both are evident in contemporary photos. While the throat microphone remains
wrapped around his neck he carries the standard A8B headphones in his right hand.
The large rubber ear cups were necessary to dampen the substantial noise made by an
armoured vehicle. 3ote that the plug with three prongs is for the microphone$ the two
prong plug is for the head phones. The wires are covered in brown cloth. The switch
control for the microphone is suspended above the waistline and although it did have a
clip that could be fastened to the front seam of the ,acket$ it was seldom seen that
way.
(is personal e+uipment is limited to his belt and 2)7 holster. The D % )5 binoculars
are painted the same dark yellow as vehicles >but note that this colour had its
variations?.
German ;elmets orn 2uring //
;elmets 2isplaying "ational /nsignia
*uftwaffe helmet, "orth African campaign
The e%terior of this &!")* doubledecal helmet has been handpainted tan for use in
the African campaign the shade is presumably that termed Ayellowbrown= in the ;A@
listings. 4n the interior dome is an ink mark that identifies the helmet as having once
originated from the Aviation -ommand (ead+uarters at Geslingen. The name A@udwig
Schulte= has at some time been delicately applied in red paint on the inside skirt of the
helmet.
'19.< paratroop helmet
Carly paratroop helmets were painted in this smooth fieldgrey finish and bore both
decals. The liner of this e%ample is a midwar pattern employing the latestyle slotted
aluminium retaining bolts. The dome stamp inside is dated !")". &any early @uftwaffe
paratroop helmets were kept in storage and later issued after retrofitting with such
midwar features. This helmet was captured by :S Army serviceman 8red <. Gugliu66a
of 3ew Eork$ :SA.
'194! helmet with =elorussian national colours
The @uftwaffe airfield at 8rankfurtam4der was the operations base for .elorussian
volunteers serving in 8lakartillerie$ security and supply roles. Appro%imately *$555 men
were trained in antiaircraft artillery duties and were later deployed in the defence of
.erlin. These men wore standard singledecal @uftwaffe helmets modified by the
addition of the .elorussian national colours. This helmet bears handpainted spots of
camouflage over the standard @uftwaffe bluegrey factory finish.
Army #amouflage (aint
"ormandy pattern camouflage
'nfantry helmets worn after the 00ay invasion were often camouflaged in order to
blend with the 8rench terrain. This &!"#5 singledecal Army helmet bears a hand
applied finish typical of what is commonly >though erroneously? called by collectors the
A3ormandy pattern=. The paints are the type applied using canisters of paste that could
be mi%ed to a wide variety of shades using either water or petrol >gasoline? as a
thinning agent.
Slate&grey finish
This &!")* doubledecal Army helmet e%hibits a handapplied coat of matt slategrey
paint over the smooth fieldgrey factory finish. 't has been refinished both inside and
out$ leaving both decals e%posed. Although a single colour$ this paint finish is properly
termed Acamouflage=$ since the Army established this new paint scheme for field
combat helmets in !"#5 in response to reports that the factory finish was too
reflective.
Two&colour camouflage
This &!"#5 helmet e%hibits a spraypainted camouflage finish consisting of Adark
yellow= and green. (elmets bearing spraypainted finishes were less common than
those done with a paint brush. This camouflage pattern was common during the
fighting in 8rance in the summer of !"##. The helmet was ac+uired from the estate of
a 2ennsylvania$ :SA$ veteran.
-ni>ue #amouflage (atterns
?immerit and three&colour camouflage
This &!"#5 Army helmet bears an even coat of Fimmerit plaster which appears to
have been thinned to the point where it could be applied with a spray gun. A three
colour camouflage pattern of dark yellow$ dark green and redbrown has been spray
painted on top of the Fimmerit. The interior of the helmet retains its factoryapplied
fieldgrey paint. 0iscovered in the 3etherlands in !""7$ this helmet was found inside
the rafters of an abandoned barn along the retreat routes of the German Army during
the autumn of !"##.
Two&colour camouflage
This &!"#5 @uftwaffe helmet e%hibits a handbrushed camouflage finish of redbrown
and dark yellow over the factory bluegrey paint. &any units in the field did not have
access to materials that could easily be used for masking decals9 many @uftwaffe
helmets were overpainted in such a way that the comple% shape of the decal was left
e%posed with a wide triangular border.
/talian campaign camouflage
This &!")* helmet has both redbrown and green paint applied in broad brush strokes
over the handapplied dark yellow finish$ and has an attached Ahalf basket= of chicken
wire mesh anchored with a length of baling wire and wire hooks. Wirecovered helmets
were most usually seen in 'taly and 3W Curope$ where such materials were commonly
available in the field. The name AWilting= appears in thick white letters under the rear
skirt of this helmet$ which was ac+uired in !"7" from the estate of a :S veteran who
served in 'taly.
Special insignia@ ;itlerAugend 1lak AuBiliaries
Within the organi6ational ,urisdiction of the @uftwaffe fell elements of the (itler Eouth
>(itler,ugend? whose primary role was to assist local antiaircraft units >8lakartillerie?
in home defence. .oth young men and women were drawn into active service to assist
the crews of the antiaircraft weapons and supporting searchlight and detection
e+uipment positioned around cities$ towns$ and airfields. The tasks performed by these
volunteer A(elpers= included bringing up ammunition$ loading and unloading weapons$
keeping watch against air raids$ and in some cases actually assisting in the firing of
weapons. Such activities re+uired steel helmets for protection$ which were supplied by
the 8lak units.
This *uftwaffe '194) helmet captured %y a -S serviceman /n 194: has the
additional red, white and %lack diamond&shaped decal used %y some ;itler
6outh Anti&Aircraft AuBiliaries C1lakhelferD.
'n order to distinguish (itler Eouth volunteers from @uftwaffe servicemen$ a limited
number of helmets were marked with an additional small (< insignia a red and white
diamond with a central black swastika. When applied$ the diamond was placed directly
below the eagle decal on the left side of the helmet. 3o regulation governing the use of
this decal has surfaced$ and it seems to have been a matter of local choice among area
authorities. Surviving e%amples typically display a diamond decal of somewhat newer
appearance compared with the helmet=s overall condition$ a logical result of its
application to helmets which had already seen use before their reissue to (<(elfer.
&ost surviving e%amples are &!"#5 and &!"#2 helmets$ perhaps dating the decision
to incorporate the additional decal after !"#5.
A Waffen SS field cap.
The polish campaign
!G Generalleutnant$ !#.'nfanteriedivision$ field uniform$ @ublin$ 2oland$ September
!")"
2G (auptmann i.G.$ !#.!nfanteriedivision$ field uniform$ @ublin$ 2oland$ September
!")"
)G Stabsgefreiter$ ;eiterregiment 2$ field uniform$ ;o6an$ 2oland$ September !")"
!G Generalleutnant$ !# lnfanteriedivision$ field uniform$ @ublin$ 2oland$ September
!")" The commander of !#th 'nfantry 0ivision$ which fought in southern 2oland with
the !5th Army$ and later in .elgium with the Dth Army$ wears the leather greatcoat
popular with generalofficers over his field tunic. (e wears the &!")7 officers field cap$
carries the Walther 22/ H.D*mm pistol on his belt$ and has powerful !5 % *5 Feiss
binoculars.
2G (auptmann i.G.$ !# lnfanteriedivision$ field uniform$ @ublin$ 2oland$ September
!")" General Staff officers were ranked Generaloberst$ (auptmann im Generalstab
>-aptain?. This officer$ the third divisional staff officer$ the A! c= >'ntelligence 4fficer?$
wears field +uality staff /olben collarpatches and breech stripes$ and the &!")# Aold
style= field cap. (e carries a 257 @uger pistol in a hard shell holster and wears the
crossbelt$ which was abolished after the 2olish campaign.
)G Stabsgefreiter$ ;eiterregiment 2$ field uniform$ ;o6an$ 2oland$ September !")" This
cavalryman$ a ;eichswehr veteran promoted to Stabsgefreiter before the rank was
abolished on ! 4ctober !")#$ wears the cavalry field uniform with reinforced breeches
and riding boots. The Alightning= arm badge indicates that he is a signalman in the
regimental signals platoon. (e carries the &!")# saddlebags for mounted personnel
introduced H &ay !")#$ and the &!")# /arabiner "7k$ the standard German rifle. (is
regiment fought in 2oland and 8rance with !st -avalry 0ivision.
3igel Thomas/Stephen Andrew
/nfantry 0>uipment
@ight belt orderG the standard enlisted man1s belt with &)D buckle$ two triple sets of
&odel !"!! rifle ammunition pouches in pebbledfinish black leather$ the *7#/"7
bayonet in its black leather frog9 and the &)7 gasmask in its canister.
The Army belt buckle introduced in <anuary !")D was to remain the standard issue for
all enlisted men throughout the war. &aterials used vary between steel and aluminium$
with several manufacturer=s variations.
I0iceshakersI the standard Army marching boots which were worn throughout the
war by those who could get them$ though replaced as official issue from !"#5 onwards
by laced ankle boots$ in order to save on leather.
$fficer5s (eaked Service #ap
This Schirmmut6e was the standard officer=s peaked service cap of the war years. The
piping of the band and crown was coloured according to the branch of service. The
Totenkopf tradition badge worn on this e%ample was a privilege of the !Hth 'nfantry
;egiment$ recalling the old "2nd .runswick 'nfantry ;egiment of 'mperial days$ which
itself traced its lineage and the death=s head badge to the J.lack .runswickersK of
the 3apoleonic Wars.
affenrock
The enlisted ranks dress tunic$ Waffenrock$ its traditional cut and style recalling the
2russian military heritage.
(aratroop ;elmets
'19.3 Army paratroop helmet
This volunteer in the Army=s e%perimental 8allschirm lnfanterie /ompanie wears the
&!")H paratroop helmet developed by the firm of Cisenhuttenwerke at Thale. The
second helmet to be produced$ this model featured chinstraps with four sets of metal
clips that secured to the helmet=s liner band ring. The oblong slots in the sides of the
helmet were used to attach the chinstrap when the helmet was not being worn during
a parachute ,ump. &embers of the 8allschirm lnfanterie /ompanie were issued &!")H
helmets bearing Army insignia. These helmets were subse+uently recalled from service
and replaced with the more widely known &!")7. 3ot a single &!")H with Army
insignia is known to have survived World War ''.
'19.< medical orderly5s helmet
This @uftwaffe medical orderly wears the &!")7 paratroop helmet thickly camouflage
painted and marked for use during the invasion of -rete in &ay !"#!. The coarse
mi%ture of sand and paint was a fre+uent addition to paratroop helmets worn in all
theatres of operations. After the very heavy losses suffered on -rete$ a wider variety
of camouflage techni+ues and e+uipment were developed for German paratroopers.
&arkings such as these were later dropped to avoid drawing the undue attention of the
enemy.
Second model paratroop helmet cover
This @uftwaffe paratrooper wears the second model$ camouflageprinted helmet cover9
like the first type in plain green$ it attached to the sides of the helmet by means of
small metal hooks. The splinter pattern camouflage cloth was printed in brown and
green. The cloth band sewn around the midline provided loops for the insertion of
foliage camouflage. &ost e%amples were factoryproduced$ although many were made
up in the field by unit tailors. 4riginal e%amples are very scarce today.
>2aintings by /evin @yles?
ehrmacht ;elmets
+emanufactured Army '191< 4ear cut&out5 helmet
The &! "! 7 Aear cutout= helmets put back into very limited production to fill a
shortfall of helmets during the e%pansion of the Wehrmacht in the mid!")5s were
modelled e%actly on the World War ' pattern. The si6e range was increased$ howeverG
the World War ' helmet was only ever made in D#cm shell si6e$ but the !")5s model
was produced in the DDcm shell. This e%ample e%hibits a smooth$ handpainted
medium green finish over a lighter green ;eichswehr paint$ and has the internal
characteristics common to helmets converted for Wehrmacht use in early !")#.
'194) *uftwaffe helmet
This unissued &!"#5 helmet demonstrates the colour and te%tured paint finish
common to @uftwaffe helmets beginning in !"#5. The single second pattern eagle
decal was applied to this helmet without protective lac+uer9 conse+uently it still retains
its overall white appearance.
'19.: Eriegsmarine helmet
@ike their Army counterparts$ naval helmets were produced in various shades of light
to medium fieldgrey. Carly e%amples such as this were finished in smooth paint with
double decals. The variant chinstrap is manufactured from utility straps used on
tropical combat e+uipment. /riegsmarine helmets are often encountered with variant
or fieldmodified chinstraps.
;elmet /nsignia
.eginning as early as !H 8ebruary !")#$ the -hief of Army Administration issued
orders for the creation and application of helmet insignia >Stahlhelmab6eichm? to
denote the wearer=s armof' service. The creation of these insignia coincided with the
overall reorgani6ation and e%pansion of the military following the electoral success of
the 3ational Socialists on )5 <anuary !")).
2rior to this date ;eichsheer helmets had borne handpainted crests in the colours of
the province in which they were garrisoned.
'nstituted in appro%imately !"2)$ this shield shaped insignia >Wappenschild? was
painted on the left side of the World War ' helmets used during this period. 8rom 2D
<anuary !"2# the ;eichsmarine adopted a gold and white shield with anchor devices
on the left side of the helmet. These crests were discontinued by both the ;eichsheer
and ;eichsmarine on !# &arch !"))$ and replaced with a new shield in the national
colours >black$ white and red? of the newly instituted ;eich battle flag. The service
emblem for the German Army and 3avy instituted in April !")# superseded all
previous insignia$ including those for the predecessor and constituent organi6ations of
the @uftwaffe. The service emblem for the @uftwaffe began to appear on World War '
model transitional helmets in appro%imately !")D.
A petty officer C=ootsmannsmaatD of the "avyFs coastal artillery wears the
'194) helmet with single gold&coloured decal. "aval helmets used %y land&
%ased units were factory&finished in the same field&grey paint used %y the
Army
2ecal manufacture and application
2rior to !")# ;eichswehr helmet insignia were typically handpainted. 8or the sake of
uniformity$ the clothing office within a unit often painted the insignia. 3evertheless$ the
application of emblems hand painted by individuals naturally resulted in a wide range
of variations dependent on artistic skill. 8ollowing the introduction of the new national
shield in &arch !")) there was a brief attempt at using a pressed metal shield on
&!")) helmets$ and in addition some decal transfers were printed in the three colour
design9 but before April !")# neither type of emblem was used e%tensively$ and hand
painted shields were still the norm. With the coming of the Third ;eich$ various firms
with e%pertise in print media and lithography were contracted by the ;eich=s &inistry to
produce helmet insignia in the form of high +uality decal transfers >see Ta%le <A?.
Specifications called for printing in faderesistant colours using fla% oil varnish. Army
decals utili6ed a layer of aluminium foil to create a metallic appearance like that found
on uniform insignia. 0ecal dimensions were consistent from one firm to the ne%t$ with
little variation in the final design >see Ta%le <=?.
0ecal transfers were printed in both lac+uerbased and waterslide formats. @ac+uer
based decals were printed face down on a thin layer of transfer paper with the metallic
side e%posed. Application re+uired painting the underside with a thin layer of 0ucolu%$
/opal$ or 0amar lac+uer prior to placement on the helmet. 4nce the decal was bonded
to the helmet a thin laver of varnish or lac+uer was brushed onto the surface to
increase durability although in practice many decals never received this final
protective coat. 0ifficulties e%perienced with the lac+uerbased transfers were no
doubt the reason for a change to waterslide decals. These differed from lac+uer based
transfers in being printed face up on a specially treated paper9 between the decal and
the transfer sheet was a thin layer of glue. The decals were dipped in water to soften
the glue$ and then slid onto the surface of the helmet. 4nce the lac+uer or glue had
bonded$ decals of both formats were permanent and often difficult to remove$ even
standard of manufacture$ with hard pressure or by scraping. The fact that original
specimens still retain their bright metallic appearance is testimony to their high
standard of manufacture.
(lacement of helmet insignia
The national tricolour shield introduced in &arch !")) remained on the left side of the
helmet until !H 8ebruary !")#. 4n this date it was moved to the right side of the
helmet to accommodate the newly introduced service insignia of the Army and 3avy
on the left. :nits participating in the newly instituted A(ero=s &emorial 0ay= and related
parades held in .erlin were re+uired to display the new insignia. 'nstructions re+uired
that decals be placed no less than ).)cm below the ventilation lug of the helmet. 't is
important to note that up until this time all helmet insignia were applied at unit level9
following the introduction of the &!")* helmet$ factories began to apply decals as part
of the finishing process$ as the earlier model helmets were slowly phased out of
service.
Army insignia
The first detailed description of Army insignia appeared in an order issued by the
;eichswehr &inister on * April !")#. At this time the helmets in service included
various World War ' models9 the &!")* was still in the prototype stage and had not
yet been issued. The order re+uested that all military supply centres distribute the new
Army insignia and coloured national shield decals. The tricolour shield introduced
nearly !2 months earlier was to be removed in favour of the new decals. The cost for a
single set of decals was estimated at !.) ;eichpfennig. The national shield was moved
to the right side of the helmet$ and the Army=s new eagle insignia replaced it on the
left side. 0uring this transition it was not uncommon for helmets to have misaligned or
poorly placed insignia$ since they were applied at unit level by individual soldiers or by
the staff of Army clothing offices$ who often failed to interpret the orders properly.
The service insignia of the (eer took the form of a silver coloured eagle with down
folded wings$ its talons clutching a swastika$ on a black shieldshaped ground.
Although intended primarily for the Army$ variations of this emblem could be found in
a variety of symbolic uses throughout the Third ;eich. Several makers were contracted
to produce the decals$ which accounts for slight variations in the design of the eagle.
The Army service emblem was placed on helmets until discontinued on 27 August
!"#).
The tricolour national decal was applied until 2! &arch !"#5 >preceding the invasion of
8rance on !5 &ay?. The Army (igh -ommand directive of 2! &arch ordered that all
such decals be removed from helmets$ particular emphasis being placed on helmets
designated for field or combat use. 0espite the directive$ many helmets in fact
retained both insignia$ particularly those used in rear areas and those in the
possession of officers and highranking officials.
This '194) single&decal Eriegsmarine helmet, showing virtually no service
wear, was 4li%erated5 %y a #anadian solder serving with the Al%erta&raised
1<th 1ield +egiment +#A in 'arch 194:. ;e found it lying discarded on the
kitchen ta%le of a small home in ;olland.
"avy insignia
All units under the direction of the ;eichsmarine were re+uired to comply with the
orders issued by the ;eich=s &inister on * April !")#$ predating the decree that
changed the ;eichsmarine into the /riegsmarine in &ay !")*. 8or the /riegsmarine
this called for the removal of previous ;eichswehr insignia and the application of a gold
coloured service insignia and tricolour national shield to all helmets. The /riegsmarine
used the same foldedwing eagle design as the (eer$ and decals were manufactured to
the same specifications as those used by the Army. The gold colour was chosen
because it was the traditional Alace and button= colour historically used by the 'mperial
German 3avy$ as silver had been by the Army. (elmet transfers were manufactured in
both lac+uer and waterslide formats.
As noted above$ the number of helmets in active use by the 3avy was considerably
smaller than by the Army and Air 8orce$ particularly in the early years preceding World
War !!. 8ollowing induction$ naval personnel passed through basic military ceremonial
and ground combat training similar to that of the Army. A small number of helmets
were retained for this purpose and were stored at training and technical schools$ and
personnel used these on a temporary basis as they passed through this phase of their
training. A larger number of helmets were issued to shorebased naval units including
artillery$ engineer$ infantry$ signals$ and security troops9 these units were employed in
administration$ supporting services$ and in the defence of coastlines$ shipyards and
naval bases including coastal fortifications in occupied territories. (elmets were also
issued to personnel designated as gunnery and antiaircraft crews serving aboard a
variety of surface warships. Although there are some photos showing deck gun crews
wearing them$ helmets were not issued e%tensively aboard :boats$ due to the severe
limitations of space and their marginal usefulness on a submarine. The /riegsmarine
retained the national decal on the right side of the helmet until 2! &arch !"#59
following that date the &!"#5 and &!"#2 helmets were issued both with or without
single decals. 't appears that the 3avy was successful in removing all World War '
transitional helmets from active use when the &!")* came into service9 unlike the
Army$ few photographs show older models in use after !"#5.
;elmet insignia were manufactured %y a variety of printers in lac>uered and
water slide formats. Several unapplied decals are shown here for comparison,
including the cover sheets of two manufacturers, 0d.Strache and #.A.(ocher.
Air 1orce insignia
@uftwaffe helmet insignia followed a pattern of constant change reflecting an era of
rapid growth and e%pansion. The foundation of the German Air 8orce began in !"))
following the creation and integration of the 0eutscher @uftschut6Berband >0@B?$ the
2russian 2olit6ieabteilung Wecke battalion$ and the 8lieger,ugend youth organi6ation.
.etween mid!")# and early !")* these organi6ations were combined with the
;eichsluftaufsicht$ the SAStandarte A8eldherrnhalle= and the @andespoli6ei ;egiment
AGeneral Goring= >which grew out of 2olit6ieabteilung Wecke?. The consolidated service
was officially designated the @uftwaffe on !D &arch !")*. Throughout its e%pansion
the @uftwaffe would embrace a number of other constituent groups and distinct
branches9 the largest of these included the 3ationalso6ialistiches 8lieger /orps >3S8/?$
;eichsluftschut6ebund >;@.?$ (itler,ugend @uftsportscharen$ (itler,ugend 8lakhelfer$
@uftschut6wahrendienst$ the combat aircrew and troops of the @egion -ondor$ the
8lakartillerie$ the 8allschirm,ager and the Air 8orce 8ield 0ivisions.
Two su%dued green *uftwaffe decals. Although war time produced, these
were seldom used on *uftwaffe helmets. The eBamples shown are printed in
water transfer format. The Air 1orce5s helmet national em%lem was reversed
from its direction in all other insignia, so that it was seen to 4fly forwards5
when placed on the left side of the helmet.
The first use of uni+ue helmet insignia denoting the @uftwaffe appeared two months
after the official decree of its e%istence. The new Air 8orce was obliged to mirror orders
issued by official state and military authorities$ including those of 8ebruary !")# by the
-hief of Army Administration governing the use of helmet insignia. 4n !D &ay !")*
orders were introduced describing various regulation insignia for use on @uftwaffe
uniform items$ for implementation from 2H &ay. As in the older services$ the national
decal was to be placed on the right side of the helmet and a service emblem on the
left. The @uftwaffe emblem differed radically from the others$ howeverG it depicted a
white coloured eagle with spread wings$ Aflying= from right to left and clutching a
swastika$ but without a shieldshaped backing.
At least three variations of the early eagle insignia were created during !")*$ the
differences between them being attributed to manufacturer=s variations. -ollectively$
all three versions are often referred to as Afirst pattern= decals$ since a second decal of
similar but distinct appearance was adopted by the @uftwaffe. While no reason for the
change has ever been documented$ period photographs indicate that this more
aggressive looking Asecond pattern= eagle with an upswept rather than a Adrooping=
tail$ made its first appearance in !")H. 't superseded the previous versions$ although
both types were used on &!")* helmets9 the newer style decal was applied to @ u f &
e helmets until discontinued at factory level on 27 August !"#). A special gold
coloured version of the Afirst pattern= decal was introduced on a limited basis for
general officers$ and for officials and technical personnel$ in <une !")* >@uftwaffe
0irective #22?. 2rior to !"#5 this gold version was also used in the Asecond pattern=
style on @ u f & e fire protection service helmets9 one might conclude that @uftwaffe
firefighting personnel were seen as technical troops$ as noted in @ u f & e 0irective
#22. The gold decal was most often found on &!")* and &!"#5 helmets used by
senior staff officers. 4ne final variation of the Asecond pattern= eagle also deserves
mention. Although scarce$ a subdued green version of the decal was produced for use
on all combat helmets. The e%act date of introduction is unknown9 however$ original
specimens are sometimes encountered on decal sheets captured by Allied servicemen.
Subdued decals of this kind were used on a limited basis$ and are seldom seen in
period photographs.
This *uftwaffe '194) helmet captured %y a -S serviceman /n l94: has the
additional red, white and %lack diamond shaped decal used %y some ;itler
6outh Anti&Aircraft AuBiliaries C1lakhelferD
Special /nsignia@ ;itlerAugend 1lak AuBiliaries
Within the organi6ational ,urisdiction of the @uftwaffe fell elements of the (itler Eouth
>(itler,ugend? whose primary role was to assist local antiaircraft units >8lakartillerie? in
home defence. .oth young men and women were drawn into active service to assist
the crews of the antiaircraft weapons and supporting searchlight and detection
e+uipment positioned around cities$ towns$ and airfields. The tasks performed by these
volunteer A(elpers= included bringing up ammunition$ loading and unloading weapons$
keeping watch against air raids$ and in some cases actually assisting in the firing of
weapons. Such activities re+uired steel helmets for protection$ which were supplied by
the 8lak units. 'n order to distinguish (itler Eouth volunteers from @uftwaffe
servicemen$ a limited number of helmets were marked with an additional small (<
insignia a red and white diamond with a central black swastika. When applied$ the
diamond was placed directly below the eagle decal on the left side of the helmet. 3o
regulation governing the use of this decal has surfaced$ and it seems to have been a
matter of local choice among area authorities. Surviving e%amples typically display a
diamond decal of somewhat newer appearance compared with the helmet=s overall
condition a logical result of its application to helmets which had already seen use
before their reissue to (<(elfer. &ost surviving e%amples are &!"#5 and &!"#2
helmets$ perhaps dating the decision to incorporate the additional decal after !"#5.
2eutsches Afrikakorps
Aside from the insignia generally found on Wehrmacht helmets$ no special service
insignia was created for use on steel helmets worn by the 0eutsches Afrikakorps >0A/?
during the 3orth African campaign. (elmets used in that theatre were initially issued in
standard continental colour and decal configurations. When terrain dictated$ men of all
service branches were allowed to paint their helmets with tan paint in the colour
shades found on vehicles$ with an admi%ture of sand to produce a nonreflective
surface. The sand and paint combination was generally handapplied using a brush or
rag$ though if e+uipment was available some helmets were spraypainted in smooth
desert tan finish. The +uality of the paint finish and any camouflage scheme applied
naturally varied greatly from one helmet to the ne%t.
(elmets with decals were often handpainted in such a way as to leave the service
insignia visible9 in other cases the decals were completely painted over. 8or men who
possessed artistic talent$ an unofficial practice was the application of a handpainted
palm tree and swastika emblem resembling that officially applied to some 0A/
vehicles$ on one or both sides of the helmet. Similarly$ @uftwaffe ground crews
occasionally handpainted their s+uadron crest on one or both sides of the helmet after
it had been painted desert tan. 0espite these e%ceptions$ photographic evidence
suggests that such unofficial insignia were seldom seen in 3orth Africa.
Army and "avy 2ecals
1@ 0arly Grey *ined Army 2ecal
'nsignia produced during the transition from the ;eichswehr to the Wehrmacht were
slightly different from those that came later. This Army decal appears on a World War '
Austrian helmet converted to Wehrmacht use. The decal features a silver coloured
image with greylined interior details$ on the standard black shieldshaped ground.
!@ Standard Army 2ecal
A decal commonly used on Army helmets was that produced by the firm of Cd Strache
of Warnsdorf$ established in !7H2 as a newspaper and publishing company with
operations primarily in Bienna. The firm produced waterslide and lac+uerbased
helmet decals. This e%ample e%hibits silvergrey highlights on a metallic silver coloured
image. The helmet is an &!")* that was fieldrepainted in !"#5.
.@ G*arge 1ootedG Army 2ecal
Several firms produced helmet insignia for the Wehrmacht$ which resulted in a number
of minor variations. 4ften described as the Abigfoot= decal by modern collectors$ this
e%ample was produced by the firm of -.A.2ocher in 3urnberg.
4@ Standard "avy 2ecal
2rinted by the firm of Cd.Strache in Warnsdorf$ this naval decal is identical to that used
by the Army apart from the metallic goldcoloured image. This decal appears on an
early &!")* doubledecal helmet.
:@ "aval 2ecal 8ariation
This goldcoloured /riegsmarine decal appears on an &!")* helmet that was field
repainted by hand with thick battleship grey paint.
H@ =lack *ined "aval 2ecal
This /riegsmarine e%ample differs from others in that the interior lines are solid black.
The metallic backing layer is particularly evident in this image. The finely te%tured
surface of the paint protrudes through the decal.
Air 1orce And "ational /nsignia
Second pattern *uftwaffe decal on camouflage&painted helmet.
This second pattern @uftwaffe decal appears on an &!"#5 helmet camouflagepainted
in three colours. The camouflage paint was applied to leave a triangular patch of blue
grey factory paint e%posed around the decal$ a common techni+ue for saving time and
difficulty.
*uftwaffe decal on helmet camouflaged with ?immerit
When Fimmerit was applied to a helmet it was generally done using a rag or an old
paintbrush. A thick coat has been carefully applied right up to the edges of this age
worn second pattern @uftwaffe insignia$ giving it a countersunk appearance.
Second pattern *uftwaffe decal on '19.< paratroop helmet
This early e%ample of the &!")7 paratroop helmet displays the smooth fieldgrey paint
finish typically found on such pieces.
Standard *uftwaffe decal
'ntroduced for general use in !")H$ the standard decal applied to all @uftwaffe helmets
measured )Dmm L DHmm.'t was printed in both waterslide and lac+uerapplied
varieties. This clean e%ample appears on an &! ")* double decal helmet.
"ational colours decal
The national colours insignia was introduced in &arch !")). After 8ebruary !")# the
tricolour shield appeared on the right side of all combat helmets$ until ordered
removed from general use in !"#5. 0ecals of this kind were printed in both water and
lac+uer formats. The thin dark shadow around the borders of the insignia indicate that
a protective coat of lac+uer has been applied at the factory before delivery.
"ational colours decal on repainted helmet
This e%ample appears on an &!")* doubledecal Army helmet that was reconditioned
in !"#5. The dull paint has been handapplied by brush and has slightly covered the
edges of the decal$ giving the bottom a more pointed appearance.
(aint 1inish on the German ;elmet
The type of paint used on German helmets varied greatly in colour and te%ture. &any
collectors have noted that no two German helmets ever appear to have e%actly the
same paint finish. The evolution in paint finish even over a relatively short period$ and
the ability to standardi6e colour$ were complicated by several factors. @ike other
features$ paint used on helmets was modified as a result of practical e%perience of
simulated combat manoeuvres and field situations. &any helmets underwent factory or
supply depot refurbishment prior to reissue$ and received different paint schemes.
When paint was available in the field many helmets were repainted by the men who
wore them$ using whatever was to hand. The !"!" Treaty of Bersailles re+uired the
confiscation and destruction of vast amounts of military e+uipment. &uch that
remained continued to bear World War ' colour schemes. 'n !"22 the German
government allocated funds to upgrade the military$ which included new paint
standards and colour schemes for basic e+uipment$ vehicles$ and artillery pieces. &any
items including helmets were repainted a standard shade of light fieldgrey.
.eginning in that year$ ;eichswehr officers began to file reports complaining about the
painted surface of the helmet9 they particularly noted that the smooth finish often
gave off revealing reflections when wet$ or if e%posed to bright sunlight or moonlight.
The ;eichswehr &inister authori6ed an investigation into the problem$ and three paint
manufacturing companies were selected to compete for a new contract. After field
trials finished in 4ctober !")5$ the firm of .lume in &agdeburg was selected as the
new supplier of a matt finish helmet paint. 2aint was also provided to military supply
depots through re+uisitions placed by the central 2rocurement 4ffice of the
Wehrmacht. This paint was intended for touchingup and repainting of World War '
helmets still in service9 and in !")#)* many of these transitional helmets received a
second coat over their original ;eichswehr finish. 0uring these early years helmets
were often repainted by hand using a paintbrush.
This photo taken in 19.: shows the '191< helmet worn with 19.4 Anny
/nsignia. /n the pre&war years helmets like this were typically repainted light
field&grey /n a matt finish.
8ollowing the introduction of the &!")* helmet$ the firm of 0uco AG in .erlin
Spindlersfeld was chosen as the primary supplier of paint. Their product had a smooth
lac+uer base with a heavy concentration of 6inc to prevent rust9 and although a matt
finish continued to be thought important$ factoryfinished helmets often displayed a
semigloss or Aeggshell= appearance. The 0uco AG paint was produced in a light field
grey >8eldgrau? for the Army and 3avy$ and in a bluegrey >.laugrau? for the
@uftwaffe. 'nevitably$ colours often varied slightly from one production run to another.
'n addition$ other firms were contracted to supply paint to the helmet factories when
helmet production was e%panded$ resulting in yet more varied nuances of shade.
*arge num%ers of '191< helmets were refur%ished with rough&teBtured paint
and the single decal, and many of these were issued to German infantry prior
to the 194) invasion of 1rance. German veterans of that campaign have
commented that + was not uncommon to see the older helmets in use even
with front&line com%at units.
#olour standardisation
The Supreme -ommander of the Army established the standard colour for all helmets
used by the Army and 3avy in <une !")*. This early paint scheme is often referred to
as Aapple green= due to its uni+ue shade of fieldgrey. The 3avy often repainted
helmets at unit level with light or dark grey colours if shipboard service was e%pected$
but otherwise they continued to use the Army fieldgrey colour as their primary paint
scheme.
This '19.: helmet eBhi%its field repainting. *arge %locks of teBtured paint
have chipped away, revealing the smooth pre&war finish underneath. This
type of appearance was common to helmets that saw eBtended use in the
field.
4n # 3ovember !")* nearly si% months after the introduction of a standard field
grey by the Army and 3avy the @uftwaffe selected bluegrey as their standard helmet
colour. A darker shade bluegrey was also applied to some helmets9 there has been
speculation that the darker helmets were intended for wear by antiaircraft and ground
combat units$ though it is possible that variations were due simply to different sub
contracted paint suppliers. To create a uniform standard for the manufacture of paint$
the firm of 0uco AG and others registered their colours with the German government.
These industrial colour standards were administered by the ;A@ 'nstitute >;eichs
Ausschu,l fur @iefebedingungen und Giitesicherung?$ established in !"2H through a
government commission that set out to ensure that standard colours would be used on
various industrial products. This included items manufactured for the military as well
as other government organi6ations$ such as the railway and postal services. The paint
standards were not very rigorously enforced$ and individual manufacturers could adopt
a registered colour or create their own without difficulty. .y the end of !"2H
appro%imately #5 military colours had been registered with the ;A@$ including many
used by the ;eichswehr.
.y &ay !"#* more than !25 individual registrations had been created to cover the
entire scope of military paints used by the Wehrmacht. 0ue to the number of possible
paint schemes as well as the variety of manufacturers supplying e+uipment$ it is
difficult to establish which registered colours were specifically designated for helmets.
Table H provides a selection of A;A- numbers registered for use in the production of
military e+uipment prior to &ay !"#*9 these are a representative sample of some of
the colours most likely used in the production of helmet paints.
This '194) helmet displays a non&reflective teBtured finish common to
helmets delivered after !1 'arch 194). The decal insignia has chipped off as
a result of the rough painted surface.
(aint modifications
.etween !")* and !")" helmets supplied to the Wehrmacht were painted in a smooth
finish both inside and out. 8inish types ranged from semigloss to near matt depending
on the paint lot and application method. Specific orders were drafted by the German
Army and @uftwaffe to prohibit men from polishing or greasing the helmet for parade
purposes. 0espite this$ period photos clearly show that some helmets use in
ceremonies were often painted with a clear gloss varnish9 however$ these helmets may
have been reserved for parade use only. When World War '' began with the invasion of
2oland on ! September !")"$ the &!")* helmets were painted a smooth finish$ and
had double decals on the right side the national colours of Germany$ and on the left
side the respective insignia denoting armofservice.
;ecently formed @uftwaffe paratroop units >which also incorporated Army parachute
infantry on ! <anuary !")"? used a fieldgrey smooth finish like that of the Army on
&!")7 8allschirm,ager helmets$ which bore double decals as prescribed for the regular
@uftwaffe &!")* helmet. 8ollowing the end of the 2olish campaign that 4ctober$ the
Wehrmacht began to evaluate a wide range of combat e%periences$ which led to
several changes in helmet colouring and decals. The first took place on 2H <anuary
!"#5$ when the Army (igh -ommand ordered all helmets both in service and in
production to be painted a smooth$ matt grey colour. A few days later the Army (igh
-ommand also re+uested that steel combat helmets be issued to all armoured vehicle
crews. To comply with this order$ many helmets were repainted matt grey over their
previous field grey colour. A second change cam on 2! &arch !"#5$ when the Army
(igh -ommand ordered all helmets to be painted a roughte%tured$ slate grey colour.
The same order called for the removal of the national shield decal from the right side
of the helmet. .ecause this order was issued less than eight weeks after the previous
one$ it is unlikely that many factories were able to comply with that of 2H <anuary.
&any helmets in service as well as those in storage were factoryrefinished in te%tured
paint to comply with the new standards$ and were then reissued with a single decal.
The German 3avy followed suit$ and all helmets supplied directly from the factory were
now configured with the new te%tured paint and a single decal. The nonreflective
te%tured paint was applied on the e%terior of the helmet only.
The order to remove the national tricolour shield and the change to te%tured paint was$
obviously$ an attempt to improve the concealment of infantry in combat situations.
;eports from commanders who saw action during the 2olish campaign stated that
opposing forces could easily see the white part of the national decal$ thus needlessly
e%posing troops to small arms fire and easing the task of enemy reconnaissance units
in locating them. Beterans of these early campaigns recall that soldiers were ordered
to scrape off the national decal9 others were simply over painted when the order
arrived for repainting with a te%tured finish. 't was not until the height of the invasion
of 8rance that the @uftwaffe adopted these regulations. 4n !2 <une !"#5$ more than a
month after the attack on 8rance$ the @uftwaffe abolished the national tricolour shield
while adopting a roughte%tured$ bluegrey paint finish for the e%terior of all helmets.
'n addition to slategrey$ many 8allschirm,ager helmets received coats of fieldgrey
te%tured paint identical to that used on Army helmets. This was a logical conse+uence
of the increasing part that paratroop units played in prolonged ground combat$ no
different from the e%perience of regular infantry$ during the middle and latter years of
the war. :nder direct supervision$ the central 2rocurement 4ffice of the Wehrmacht
was able to enforce paint standards on helmet manufacturers9 but despite the changes
ordered by Army (igh -ommand many helmets were left unchanged. (elmets in
continuous use by the Wehrmacht often escaped repainting$ and some helmets with
2re!"#5 configurations saw continuous use until &ay !"#*. These included helmets
placed in storage and later reissued$ as well as those used in rear areas.
Two soldiers wear '194) com%at helmets with single decals
characteristicallyI the paint has worn off one rivet CleftD to reveal the %right
metal surface underneath. =oth men wear regimental coloured identification
loops on their shoulder straps.
The 1allschirmAager ;elmet
4n 2" <anuary !")D the commanderinchief of the German Air 8orce$
;eichsmarchall (ermann Goring established Germany=s first paratroop training school
at the @uftwaffe base at Stendal. Trainees consisted of volunteers from the ;egiment
A(ermann Goring=$ which had evolved from a paramilitary police unit in !")) before
being incorporated into the @uftwaffe. The men were reorgani6ed into the !..ataillon
and !*. >2ioneer? /ompanie of what was to become 8allschirm,ager ;egiment!.
@ikewise$ on ! April !")H$ the Army formed a parachute company which also trained at
StendalM At this early date$ when ,umping from an aircraft was considered more of an
athletic stunt than a serious military task$ no suitable e+uipment e%isted for parachute
training. -onse+uently a new protective helmet was designed for this purpose by
Cisenhuttenwerke9 with the appearance of a cut down standard &!")* helmet$ it was
soon introduced for general use in !")D.
The 'odel 19.H paratroop helmet
The &odel !")D paratroop helmet was made of steel$ the domed skull being of the
general shape of the &!")* helmet but without the e%tended frontal brim and flared
side and rear. 't employed a threerivet &!")! liner retaining system like the &!")*$
but with a modified eightAfinger= leather liner and a heavy foam pad in the crown. The
helmet used the same hollow rivets as the &!")* for air vents. The uni+ue chinstrap
system had two AEshaped elements$ designed to cross behind the back of the neck
and unite below the ears before passing under the chin. A carbine hook secured each
of the four strap ends to A0=rings on the helmet=s liner ring. The straps were then
made tight around the chin by pronged rollerbuckles. 8our reinforced oblong slots
above the edges of the helmet shell allowed the wearer to engage the carbine hooks
when it was not used for parachute ,umping.
This photo illustrates the paratroop helmet in its early smooth, light field&
grey finish with dou%le insignia decals. The 1allschirmAager wears the second
pattern Aump smock in olive green, with the parade version of the parachute
harness straps. ;e is a recipient of %oth the 2+* Sports =adge and the ;itler
6outh Sports *eader Award, worn %elow his parachute >ualification %adge.
The 'odel 19.3 paratroop helmet
'n !")H an improved helmet shell was introduced that utili6ed the same components
as the &!")D. The &!")H was nearly identical to the &!")D with the e%ception that it
now had two$ rather than four$ nonreinforced oblong slots in the helmet shell. 'n
sustained use the liner system proved faulty$ as the three split rivets combined with
the aluminium &!")! liner band ring tended to warp or shear. Subse+uently the
helmet underwent modifications that resulted in the introduction of the improved
&!")7 paratroop helmet. 8ollowing the introduction of the latter many of the
prototype &!")H helmet shells were stored9 and a few of these were eventually
reissued with new liners$ chinstraps and paint finish to meet general shortages during
the later war years.
The 'odel 19.< paratroop helmet
8ollowing the e%perience gained from field trials of the &!")H helmet$ designers soon
modified the shell$ liner system and chinstrap in order to ensure a more stable and
protective ,ump helmet. To better secure the liner$ the &!")7 incorporated four hollow
bore spanner bolts >with screws and he%agonal washers? in place of the three split
tailed rivets found on the &!")H. The first of these spanner bolts were made of 6inc
plated brass and were attached by a single he%agonal washer. This was changed on !D
<une !")7 by the introduction of steel bolts with two steel he%agonal lock washers$
between which sat the ends of the chinstrap$ the two rear ends being secured by a
single central bolt. The liner system was completely redesigned$ with heavy rubber
padding on the sides and crown and an improved aluminium liner band ring9 later
production models incorporated a 6incplated steel ring instead of aluminium. (elmet
si6ing was achieved by varying the thickness of the rubber padding in the appropriate
si6ed helmet shell. The support lining was now constructed out of two pieces of leather
sewn together in the centre$ in which !2 holes were cut for ventilation. Sheepskin
leather was initially used for the liner$ but was supplemented by the addition of pigskin
from !" &arch !"#5. The spongelike padding in the earliest helmets was crafted out
of natural orange rubber9 this was later changed to synthetic rubber with a black or
dark grey colour. The chinstrap was modified by the removal of the carbine clips in
favour of a sliding buckle that could lock under the chin when the two ends met. The
chinstrap also incorporated a +uickrelease tab so that the tension could be loosened
and the helmet removed +uickly. The oblong side slots in the shell edges formerly
provided for the carbine clips were no longer needed$ and were omitted. Several
different types of buckles were used on the chinstrap$ all of which served the same
basic purpose. The most common was a friction clip arrangement$ followed by a
gripper clip$ gripper buckle$ or pronged buckle arrangement. The gripper clip types
used a fine serrated edge that held the leather strap in place against a bar.
This 1941 studio portrait of a young 1allschirmAager illustrates the '19.<
paratroop helmet with single decal. "ote the uni>ue chinstrap arrangement,
held %y snaps and a friction clip
The &!")7 helmet was constructed in four different centimetre shell si6es >D#$DD$D7$
H!?$ in which four holes were struck to attach the lining using the spannerbolt
configuration described above. Cisenhuttenwerke undertook the design and production
of these helmets$ and was the sole manufacturer throughout the war. 4riginal
e%amples are stamped with ACT= or Ackl=$ representing both trademarks used by the
Thale manufacturing facility. 3o other revisions to the basic design were introduced
since the &!")7 proved satisfactory for its intended purpose. (owever$ there
continued to be persistent problems with attaching the liner to the shell.
The spanner bolts underwent several design revisions during the war in efforts to
resolve this problem. The original manner bolt re+uired the use of a specialised two
pronged tool for ad,ustment$ which led to difficulties under field conditions. As a result
the overall design was changed some time in !"#2. This new design introduced a
hollowbore style with a standard slot that was easily removed or tightened by a
regular screwdriver. .y !"#) the bolts were once again changed for the sake of
economy$ and were now manufactured without the central air vent. .oth of the
improved retaining bolts were produced from aluminium$ which was later changed to
steel for increased durability. 'nterestingly$ many 8allschirm,ager veterans have
commented on their general dislike of the overall paratroop helmet design. While the
chinstrap arrangement was well liked because of its ability to hold the helmet
completely secure$ many veterans have complained that the helmet was not properly
ventilated and became very hot in warm climates. 'n addition$ there was a general
feeling that the lack of a flared brim gave little protection against artillery fragments
and direct fire from all sides. Beterans of 8allschirm,ager units have often e%pressed
the view that the standard &!")* pattern helmet would have sufficed$ and would not
in practice have presented a serious risk by getting caught up in the shroud lines when
,umping from aircraft. &any have also recalled that the retaining bolts were in need of
constant ad,ustment$ since the screws would become loose from their retaining
washers during heavy use. 'f the bolts were lost$ ad hoc ad,ustments were made in an
attempt to keep the liner inside the helmet shell9 the most common was wire inserted
through the empty bolt hole and then wrapped around the liner band ring and helmet
shell. 'n other cases$ twopronged rivets of the type used on standard &!")* helmets
were inserted through the bolt holes.
The '1 9.< paratroop helmet with teBtured slate grey finish. Just visi%le is
one of the hollow spanner %olts to retain the liner to the shell and to provide
some ventilationI the central air vent is flanked %y two small holes for the
adAustment tool.
The factories that produced the metal %ands for the '19.1 liner marked each
side with a trademark and a si,e designation. $ne of the first to produce the
liner was the firm of 'aB 2ensowK=erlin Eofferfa%rik, whose marking
appears here in a 19.H&dated eBample of the aluminium liner %and. This firm
discontinued production of helmet components %efore the out%reak of war.