

Other examples of this type of helmet used brass fittings when available.

All fittings are 1895 model parts, but steel, painted field grey. Other examples of this type of helmet were painted field grey, with brass or steel fittings and plates, also painted field greyĮrsatz Prussian Artillery Kugelhelm (Ball Helmet), made in mid-1915. It does not have the same value as a complete helmet with all original fittings. Collectors refer to this as a ‘parts’ helmet, as it is an assembly of original parts. The kokades are from the 1914 era, but are not original to the helmet. The helmet plate is a pre-war type and not original to the helmet. All other fittings are standard 1895 model brass fittings. Although the helmet is steel, it offered no real protection in combat, nor did the leather helmet. Manufacturers of kitchen utensils were called on to turn out helmets of thin steel and tin. Leather for helmets was imported from Argentina, and the demand for helmets exhausted supplies almost immediately. The start of the war brought on the British blockade of Germany. King George V and Czar Nicholas II were both honorary commanders of a German Regiment.Įrsatz (Substitute) helmet, made of lacquered steel, made in early 1915. The Kaiser was an honorary commander of various British and Austrian regiments and an admiral of the British Navy, until 1914. This was a common practice of courtesy among the aristocracy in the pre-war German, Austrian and British armies and navies. The King of Sachsen (Saxony) was the honorary, commander of the regiment.

The title of the regiment was ‘ König Friedrich August von Sachsen‘. All fittings and kokades are original to the helmet. The inside of the rear visor is stamped ‘ 15 I.R.‘, indicating the 15th Bavarian infantry regiment, the regimental number is embossed, and not an ink stamp, indicating that this helmet was made prior to 1914. The gilded brass plate on the helmet bears the Bavarian State coat of arms supported by two lions, and the State motto, In Treue Fest ( In Loyalty Steadfast). Each German State had their own unique color scheme for the Land kokade, and unique helmet plate. White, blue, white, were the State colors of Bavaria. The kokade on the left is the Bavarian Land kokarde. Black, white, red, were the national colors of Germany. The kokade on the right side is the German Reich kokade. In 1886, Bavaria adopted the Pickelhaube, the last German State to do so. The drawing below, illustrates the basic details of the 1895 model line infantry helmet.īavarian Pickelhaube A standard Bavarian line infantry helmet, 1895 model, in rough condition. This discussion is limited to the basic ‘line’ infantry enlisted man’s helmet of 1895, and wartime changes up to 1916.
#THE HISTORY OF THE GERMAN STEEL HELMET PDF FULL#
A full description of all the different helmet plates would, and does, make a very thick book.
#THE HISTORY OF THE GERMAN STEEL HELMET PDF FREE#
Each German Kingdom, Dukedom, Earldom, Free City, etc., had it’s own unique helmet plate. Guard regiments, train battalion units, and Bavarian Pioneers, had silver plated helmet fittings and related trim to distinguish them from the ‘line’ regiments. The front of the helmet is covered with a large gilded brass helmet plate. The helmet had two brass renforcing trim pieces, at the front visor and a brass spine at the rear of the helmet. The helmet was then covered in many layers of black lacquer until it could be polished to a bright finish. The shell was formed by pressing a piece of steamed leather through a large mould. There are three main leather parts of the helmet a basic shell with a front and rear visor, that are sewn on. German Army were standard prior to 1914, but the basic construction of the infantry Pickelhaube was an exception. The early Russian type (known as “The Helmet of Yaroslav Mudry”) was also used by cavalry, which had used the spike as a holder for a horsehair plume in full dress, a practice also followed with some Prussian models Was Designed in 1842 By King Frederick Willian IV Of Prussia,It is not clear whether this was a case of imitation, parallel invention, or if both were based on the earlier Napoleonic cuirassier. Hello Everybadeh I Want Share History Of German Military Helmetįirst German Imperial Army Use Pickelhaube
