Item 522 WW1 German M18 helmet
This is a fairly rare example of the German M1918 helmet; produced during the last year of the war. ( “how rare?” you might ask. It’s been my experience that less than 10% of WW1 German steel helmets are model 18s. Of these, less than 10% have their original liner. And of those that do have an original liner, less than 10% have even a portion of the original chinstrap. so yes; this is a rare example. The shell is a “bell-L” 64 and it’s exterior shows a good amount of patina to the paint. The liner pads are made from white chrome-tanned leather. The rear-side pads have the horse-hair pillow but the front pillow was removed due to the original owner customizing the size of his helmet. The chinstrap is present but not completely intact as can be seen in the photos. $1500.00
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Item 521 WW1 German M16 helmet
The original factory finish of this ET 64 helmet remains in excellent condition with a moderate of patina. The matte quality is very good, not much effected by collector handling. The paint shows a couple of runs which is very often found on M16 helmets. (It seems apparent that the quality control in the paint department was nothing like would be seen on German helmets a generation later.) The post-1917 liner has all three of it’s chrome-tanned white leather pads firmly affixed to the metal band. The leather remains in excellent condition; due both to the resilience of this early synthetic tanning method as well as proper storage over the last hundred years. Some of the “fingers” of the pads have pulled through at the drawstring holes. The drawstring itself is a rare example of the actual issue type; composed of a two strand cord of white linen. Each of the pads has it’s original horse-hair pillow set in a pocket at the rear. The helmet bis complete with it’s steel hardware chinstrap which remains intact and reasonably sound. Overall, this is one of the better examples that I have seen being well balanced in the condition of it’s components. It makes a killer display. $1400.00
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Item 520 WW1 German M16 helmet
A very good example of a helmet from the first year of production at ET, this size 64 M16 has a good amount of brown patina on the exterior of the shell but the paint itself is nearly completely intact. The liner is a rare example of the early all-leather type; the vast majority of which did not survive the post-war years. The pads are all intact and remain soundly affixed to the leather frame. The original drawstring is a good example of the type used in early production. As is quite usual with helmets of the 1916-1918 period, the original owner has penned his name inside the rear rim. Overall, a helmet in uncommonly good condition. $800.00
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Item 519 WW1 German M16 helmet
This M16 helmet bears the maker marking of the Gnuchtel brothers of Lauter, Saxony. (this same factory changed hands in during the interwar years and emerged in 1936 as the Sachsische emaillerwerke which made helmets stamped “SE”. The helmet shell retains 95% of it’s original factory finish. The shell size is 62. The liner is the post-1917 steel framed type with white chrome-tanned pads. The pads lack the small pillows but the shape of the leather hints that they were removed during the period. The shell size 62 is found stenciled at the rear inner skirt. The drawstring is not an original. $750.00
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Item 518 M17 Austrian helmet
This M17 Austrian helmet has a fairly rare maker mark; being produced in Budapest by the steel works of the nation’s leading industrialist, Manfred Weiss. (Note the interlocking “M” and “W” which make’s up the stamped logo at wearer’s left) The helmet is in early pristine condition with 98% of it’s matte finish brown paint. The liner is completely intact with sound stitching and pliable leather. Each pad has a pillow inserted into the rear pocket. One of the pads bears the maker mark of the leather sub-contractor. The chinstrap is the long 12-hole version that appeared later in the war ( From what I understand, the chinstrap was made longer to accommodate the wearing of a gas mask). This helmet has a significant flaw. The air-vent lug at wearer’s left was broken off at some point. It was replaced onto the helmet; being firmly attached by a new steel washer on the interior. A portion of the vent-lugs hollow shaft was missing which required it being peened over the opening of the washer. Although it is tightly affixed to the helmet, I can offer no warrantee that it will be as durable as one which was factory set with the correct tooling. Otherwise, this helmet makes and outstanding display in every regard. $1800.00
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Item 517 M42 single decal army helmet
This is an ET66 M42 single decal army helmet with a steel lot number is in the 2500 range dating it to a likely production period of late 1942/early 1943. The textured feldgrau paint remains 95% intact and displays an even patina all the way around. The decal is a textbook ET style eagle that retains excellent detail and rates at 90%+. The liner is a size 58 which is housed in a schuberthwerke 1940 dated steel frame. As you may be aware, Schuberthwerke did not change the date markings in their liner frames in 1941 or 1942, with all produced liners bearing a 1940 date until 1943. As a result, 1940 dated liners are found in helmets well into the middle of 1943. The leather of the liner is constructed of two separate pieces which is generally found later in production so the liner assembly altogether can likely be dated closer to 1943. The full-length chinstrap was made by C.Korn, Alzey and is in matching condition; bearing a 1943 date. Overall the helmet is well-balanced as far as condition and patina and it makes an excellent example of an M42 single decal army; what I like to refer to as the Quintessential German combat helmet. $1800.00
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Item 516 M35 single decal army helmet
This size 68 M35 helmet is a true “Re-issue” having been stripped of its factory applied finish and repainted in textured feldgrau both inside and outside. The manufacture marking is obscured by this overpaint but it appears to be either an ET or SE. Although no collector term has been coined to describe it, this helmet is a known variant; that is one of a number that have been observed with several common features. The variant is always found to be M35 shells which are stripped before repainting. The paint is always a deeper “forest green” shade of feldgrau with thick texture applied both inside and out with a slight sheen to the finish. The decal is always a Methner & Berger type. It has been theorized that a particular contractor in occupied Poland did the rebuilding, however none is specifically identified. Now; concerning the liner: it is my opinion that the leather has been replaced with a reproduction newly cut, formed and sewn before being chemically aged to replicate an original before being installed into an original 1939 dated aluminum reinforced liner frame. The split-pins are original; matching to each other with original finish. I see no evidence that the prongs have been molested and it is quite possible that the leather was installed without the liner frame being removed from the shell. Each of the former owners of this helmet believed that the liner was completely original and in fact it took me some time to come to the conclusion that I have. (the quality of the reproduction being quite convincing.) But in fact, I do not believe the leather is original and offer no warranty to the effect that it is anything other. In spite of this, the helmet is an excellent, large sized example which would grace any collection shelf. It is offered at about half the price it would be if I could guarantee the leather. $800.00
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Item 515 “2nd model” tropical sun helmet
This is an excellent example of what collectors have named the “2nd pattern” tropical sun helmet. However in actuality, there is no 1st and 2nd pattern; the felt version as well as the canvas version having been produced almost completely in conjunction with one another. Both are seen with dates ranging from 1941 to 1943. However it is true that there is no photographic evidence to show that this felt version was ever used in Africa, so it cannot rightfully be called an AfrikaKorps pith helmet. It’s use seems; for some reason to have been restricted to the Balkans and Greece. In any case, this example appears to be in nearly un-issued condition. Manufactured by JHS in occupied Czechoslovakia, the body is in perfect form with no dents or mis-shapen areas. The leather sweatband shows no wear and all leather is soundly stitched with no dry-rot. The insignias appear to be original to the helmet. $500.00
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One of the nicest/cleanest examples of this helmet type which I have ever seen. This is an Austrian M16 style helmet which among several hundred thousand others, fell into German hands after the 1938 Anschluss. (At that time, Germany quickly took over every bit of Austrian army equipment in order to help supply their own rapidly expanding Wehrmacht.) These captured Austrian helmets were stripped and repainted in German M35 style smooth texture paint and had Huber-Jordan & Koerner decals applied. However, by 1939 the production of the M35 finally caught up with the needs of the expanding Wehrmacht and a large number of these half-finished M16 transition helmets were set aside; the M35 being the preferred model. In late 1942 a gap in helmet supply appears to have opened up with new production lagging behind the wartime needs of the army so these half-finished M16 helmets were revisited. At that time, they were completed with new M31 liner assemblies/chinstraps and issued out to Wehrmacht units as the last Double decal helmets. These last issue Double decal transition helmets are immediately noticeable by the presence of 1942-1943 dated liners and split-pins which are finished with M1940 spec textured paint. This particular helmet has a 1943 dated liner and textured split-pins. The paint and decals rate at 95%+. The Chinstrap is undated but of the correct period and may well be original to the helmet. The dome of the helmet is stamped with the size 57; same as the size marking found on the leather. The rear skirt of the helmet is sink-stamped with the shell size 66. Overall, this wartime transition helmet has all the little bells and whistles that we want to see. It is also in wonderful condition. $2250.00
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Item 509 M16 Imperial German helmet
This is a size 66 M16 helmet manufactured by F.W. Quist at Esslingen. The helmet has a significant amount of it’s original factory finish and is of relatively early production and retains it’s leather framed liner. (By 1917 the steel-framed “M17” liner became the norm) Each of the three leather pads is soundly stitched and complete with the rear pillows in each pocket. The chinstrap has steel hardware which likely indicates it not being original to the helmet but is; itself a fairly rare example of a completely original M16 chinstrap. The helmet has “66” (shell size) stenciled onto the rear inside skirt.There is also written a message by the US soldier who picked this up just after armistice day. “Zimmerman, Nov. 18, 1918, Germany and France, World’s war”. Overall, this is a very good example of a complete M16 helmet. $1400.00
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Item 508 M16 Imperial German helmet
This is a size 64 “Bell – L” Made by R. Lindenberg AG of Remscheid-Hasten. The helmet is complete with it’s original steel-framed liner which made it’s first appearance in 1917. All three of the Chrome-tanned leather liner pads are intact and soundly affixed. Each pad retains it’s small pillow inside the pouch at rear. The liner actually retains it’s original drawstring (A white two strand linen cord which was adopted in 1917) the original drawstring is the rarest of all M16 helmet components. The helmet shell is clean and without damage; retaining 90%+ of the original feldgrau color which in this case is a shade typical of the Lindenberg Company; being a bit more grey than green. The chinstrap has steel hardware (which was the norm after the later part of 1916; brass hardware being used only during the first few months of helmet production). The stitches have come loose at one end of the strap just under the buckle but the strap is original and complete. Overall very good example of a complete M16 helmet. $1500.00
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Item 507 M helmet
This is an Italian M.V.S.N (Fascist Militia) General’s M1933 helmet. It has the large frontal decal comprising a gold Roman eagle holding a fasces on the smooth black finish. The painted finish is black both inside and out andhas minor scratches. The correct leather liner shows almost no wear. It has not even been much discolored by age/patina. The chinstrap is a standard green dyed type as found on all M33s. $1200.00
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Item 506 WW2 British Mk III helmet; Royal Artillery
This is a late war example of the Britih MK III “Turtle shell”helmet; first issued to British/Canadian troops in the first quarter of 1944, the first pattern of these helmets were very prominently used during the D-Day landings. This is the later version (the difference being the lowered position of the chinstrap bale rivet at each side of the helmet. The liner is dated 1945. The helmet has a hand-painted red-blue insignia of the Royal artillery applied to one side. I did not remove the net to get a better photo because the drawstring/cord is tightly knotted and I didn’t want to cut it. $225.00
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Item 502 M35 Double decal Luftwaffe helmet
Here is a decent example of a late produced Quist M35 double decal Luftwaffe helmet. By “late”, I mean late during 1940, which wa the last year of the production run of M35s overall. The lot number is in the upper 4000 range which during this period, ran similar to steel lot numbers used by both ET and SE. #4730 roughly dates the shell to early 1940. The paint is a very grey-ish shade which was used by Quist at this stage of production. Also typical of Later Quist M35s (of all service branches), the subcontracted split-pins show a rather different and more blue paint color. The nickel alloy of the split-pin heads has caused paint loss, which is another common feature of helmets assembled during this period. There is no acceptance stamp inside the dome which is typical because for reasons unknown, Quist only occasionally applied such stamps during the period of 1939 to around 1941-42. The chinstrap is a bit earlier, being dated 1937 and could possibly have been added by a collector in modern times. Aside from this, the helmet displays matching patina on all components and has a very honest appearance. $2400.00
Item 501 A pre-war M95 Imperial spike helmet
Füsilier-Regiment “von Gersdorff” (Kurhessisches) No. 80
It’s not a commonly known fact but the vast majority of enlisted Imperial spike helmets have come to us via the US government. Although a number were brought home by returning veterans, those veterans much preferred the more durable steel helmets which were most prevalent in forward areas occupied by the Doughboys. (remembering that the spike helmets had not been used by enemy combat troops for at least a year before Americans found themselves in the trenches.) Enlisted spike helmets were mainly brought to the US from the area of the Rhine bridgehead which was occupied by the US third army for 6 months after the end of the war. Tens of thousands were shipped home and distributed to Red Cross workers and just about anybody who was on a list of workers in the defense industries. This explains why the vast majority of enlisted spike helmets found today are the steel mounted M15 type. Taken from unused stocks in the Rhineland, they generally lack unit acceptance stamps or signs of wartime service wear. Another reason why brass mounted pre-war enlisted spike helmets are rare is because the Germans actually retro-fitted most of their prewar helmets with steel hardware during 1915-1916 period due to a critical lack of brass alloy metals which were desperately needed for the artillery (both light and heavy) industry.
Anyway… I am digressing. Lets get to the subject of this helmet. It is an M95 helmet with a nearly flawless leather body which retains excellent form. No signs of leather shrinkage, no loose stitch lines, both visors are soundly attached with no re-enforcement or repairs. The prongs of the spike base are intact and show no signs of prior removal. The leather thongs that are inserted through the front plate loops appear to be original. The liner shows service wear but remains completely intact with what appears to be it’s original drawstring. The chinstrap hardware has patina which matches exactly with other brass components of the helmet (even the state and national color cockades are matching in appearance and patina; no doubt having been with this helmet for 120 years). Best of all, the helmet is marked on the rear visor with the acceptance markings of Fusilier regiment 80 (Regiment “von Gersdorff”); a unit from the northern portion of what would become the state of Hesse. The regiment had a long history from it’s creation in 1866, through the Franco-Prussian war, the boxer rebellion, service in German southwest Africa and of course throughout World War one on both east and western fronts. Although the helmet is not named, it was recently sourced in a small village not far from Kassel, Germany. In every regard, this example is so much more than your average enlisted spike helmet, it is simply a must-have if you are looking for just one example. And if you are specifically a pickelhaube collector, well then, you already know why you should own this one. $1250.00
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As of April 14, 2026 I am taking a break from this website in order to finish my latest book
“Germany’s Combat helmets; Volume 2 – A new look”
The book will be approximately 400 pages, profusely illustrated with over 1000 photos; about 80% new material, new findings and re-organized by service-branch. I expect the book to go to print by June and available by the end of summer, 2026. I am NOT taking advanced orders at this time but will update this message when the availability draws near.
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Item 614 M35 camouflage Luftwaffe helmet
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Item 613 M42 No-decal army helmet
This is a great example of an Hkp M42 helmet. Shell size is 66. At this later stage of the war, Hkp used a unique and slightly lighter shade of feldgrau paint. The finish on this example remains 98% intact. The liner is in basically un-issued condition with no darkening or damage/wear. The acceptance stamp is clear and visible. The chinstrap is a high-quality reproduction. The previous owner put it on the helmet because he thought it was original and I decided to leave it there. But it is very likely that this helmet never had a chinstrap because it was not issued. This is a great M42. SOLD
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Item 612 M35 Reissue army helmet
This M35 helmet is an SE64. It started life as a double decal army helmet. Later, after 1940, it was painted over the exterior, covering both decals and a single army decal was applied. Later still, the army decal was neatly removed to conform with 1943 specifications. The inside of the helmet remains in it’s original factory condition with original paint and the originally installed aluminum-framed liner. The drawstring has flown the coop long ago and the chinstrap was broken. But it remains a very worthy helmet that definitely saw a good amount of service. $750.00
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Item 611 US M1 helmet (2nd Lieutenant )
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Item 607 M40 Single decal army helmet
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Item 606 M42 Single decal army helmet
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Item 968 M16 camouflaged Helmet
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Item 915 M18 style “droop-bill” SS parade helmet
This is an M18 “style” commercially produced helmet which was used almost exclusively by the SS for their early parade helmets. By that, I mean that although the manufacturer is not known; nearly each and every helmet of this specific shell type has been found to be associated with the SS, either by added insignia or by a name/unit marking somewhere on the helmet. Although significantly less than half of the known examples bear any insignia, I have personally never seen a helmet of this type used by another service branch. The last two photos show this helmet in comparison with one which has been adorned with 1935 era C.A.Pocher decals. As t the helmets condition, the paint remains 90% intact. The liner has been patterned after the military M27 style and is permanently riveted to the shell at three points. The chinstrap is permanently riveted to the leather liner frame at each side. Overall the leather is fragile but reasonably intact. This particular helmet is not named or identified by unit. The below image shows the SD man at left wearing a helmet of this exact type with SS insignia. $1850.00
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Item 617 M42 “Organization Todt” helmet
There are no original photographs of Organization Todt workers wearing helmets with insignias (Neither the stenciled version nor the decal version) but I have seen enough evidence overt the years to convince me that there are original examples which fit into a specific period of time. For instance; in 2010 a friend of mine in Normandy received a response to his advertisement from a woman in Brittany who had about a dozen M42s bearing the stenciled “OT”. I had the occasion to examine a good portion of this find. The helmets were in various stages of decomposition but were each made by Ckl with lot numbers in the 4500 range. I believe that a large number of helmets were dispatched from the ET/Ckl plant to workers preparing the coastal defenses in France during the spring of 1944. In addition to this lot found in Brittany, I have; between 1995 and 2015 examined a total of 4 helmets in collections in the US which bear this stenciled OT insignia. 3 of them had veteran provenance and each of those came from Normandy in the summer of 1944.
This example is a 1944 produced Ckl64 with a 4500 lot number. The original factory paint remains 95% The liner and strap show moderate and even wear. The stenciled insignia is; in my opinion, 100% original and of textbook design; matching every example I have ever seen which I took as an original. Overall, this is an exceptional specimen of an extremely rare helmet.
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Item 616 M35 single decal army helmet
This is an SE66 which was produced in the spring of 1940; during the transitional period between M35 production specifications and the new regulations instituted in March. The helmet is an M35 shell finished to M40 specs; being painted with the new M40 feldgrau with very light texture. The single army decal is a textbook ET pattern as found on SE helmets. The paint rates at 95% with the decal remaining 98% intact. All components are in “matching” condition. Overall the helmet is a well-balanced and excellent condition example of a rare transitory model.
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Item 989 M35 Double decal SS-VT Helmet
Identified as having been worn by Irmfried Eberl; 1st commandant of Treblinka
This helmet comes from my own collection. It is a very good example of a double decal SS helmet from the first batch of SS VT helmets produced by Quist in 1938. It has a 1938 dated liner frame. The chinstrap; which is certainly original to the helmet, bears the “V.A. SS 1938” marking that was stamped into chinstraps issued with the first Quist contract. (The markings show considerable age/wear but I have made a comparison with an excellent example for those of you who may not be familiar with this extremely rare SS chinstrap marking). The helmet originally left the factory with the standard feldgrau finish applied by Quist to helmets of their Heer and SS contracts. It was subsequently painted black on the exterior as well as the interior skirt and a set of C.A. Pocher after-market decals were applied. The helmet was issued to an SS man as his “second helmet” for the purposes of parade use. Prior to 1939, every member of the SS Verfungungstruppe was issued two helmets; one for field use and one for dress. The helmet was later repainted in a particular shade of feldgrau which has been seen on other SS re-issues. A third set of decals; another pair of C.A.Pocher after-market types were applied over this third coat of paint. It is important to note that I refer to C.A. Pocher decals as “after-market” because at this period of time, Pocher decals were just that; decals intended for after-market application rather than application at a factory. Pocher decals were generally not applied at any of the helmet factories until later when supply issues caused them to be used for a short time by both the ET and the Quist factories. So; in short, this helmet is in it’s third incarnation and in that sense is one of many such early SS-VT helmets which were re-utilized during the war years. You can see in the decal close-up that there are three layers of decals. It remains in a sound and attractive condition with 90% paint and a striking runic shield. The leather shows wear but is overall intact with no damage. As to it’s attribution to Irmfried Eberl. The helmet bears Eberl’s name twice imprinted on the leather and the dome of the helmet shell. Why is it assumed to be the helmet of this specific Eberl? Note that there are two other names “Albert” and “Messmer”. On the Auschwitz rolls available at the Holocaust memorial website, there is a messmer and several men with the surname Albert. This is the link. After his short but disastrous tenure as commandant of Treblinka, Eberl was transfered to the Auschwitz death camp. It was there after some months that he left the SS altogether (serving the rest of the war with the medical department of the Wehrmacht). He would have turned in his gear, leaving the helmet as garrison property; to be re-issued to later personnel. The fact that the other names are those of men identified in the Auschwitz rolls leaves the attribution of this helmet beyond any reasonable doubt. The appearance of the helmet and it’s multiple re-issues to at least 4 different men is an aspect which is common to most known “camp helmets”.
Eberl had quite a career if you care to look him up. First was his participation with the T4 euthanasia program at Brandenberg followed by his assignment as the first commandant of Treblinka from July/August 1942, where he presided over one of the bloodiest two month periods of a single facility during the entire history of the Holocaust. Some 160,000 people were liquidated under Eberl’s watch, however he apparently was as wretched as an administrator as he was as a person. Upon the first inspection of the camp by head of Operation Reinhard; Christian Wirth, the state of the camp with it’s piles of unburied corpses caused Eberl to be immediately replaced with Franz Stangl. Eberl later served at Auschwitz and returned for a time to the newly reconsituted T4 program at Brandenberg; ending the war with the Wehrmacht medical department. After May, 1945, Eberl returned to his medical practice in Blaubeuren near Ulm. He was apprehended in January 1948 by the American authorities. When he became aware that the Americans had no doubt as to his identity, he hanged himself in his jail cell. Eberl’s helmet was brought to the US by a veteran from Illinois ( who presumably captured it at some location where Auschwwitz personnel were relocated in the west after the camp was abandoned in the face of the Russian advance in January 1945) The veteran died and his family sold the helmet at their garage sale. It ended up in a collection for many years and only recently was researched by Kelly hicks.
A helmet of this nature is not for everyone. It has born witness to depravity unequaled in all of the human experience. But as a historical artifact, it has few equals.
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An M38 paratrooper helmet with camouflage net
This is one of the few that I have ever seen which I believe the net to be original to the helmet.
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Mark: I have also added photos here of my own Luftwaffe badge which has been deemed a fake. It’s as beautiful as yours.
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Item 857 M35 texture painted combat helmet.
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NEW! M38 Fallschirmjaeger helmets
I have been working on this for a long time. I started with the idea that there is not a reasonable quality reproduction of the M38 paratrooper helmet offered anywhere for a reasonable price. All there has been so far are the mega cheap Chinese crappy reproductions on eBay for under a hundred dollars. OR you can spring for one of the ultra high quality ones offered from various sellers for $600 to $1000. I set out to see if a reasonable quality M38 could be offered for a reasonable price.
The shells – Back in the 1990s Rollin Curtis from “At the front” had a run of very tolerable-quality size 71 cm shells made in Asia. These helmet shells were the first attempt at decent copies and they compare favorably to originals; having the correct visor shape and height of the shell vs circumference. Rollin never ended up having the rest of the components produced so the shells sat around. I decided to get a supply of these.
The liners – I found a guy in California who could make the aluminum frames. I bought them from him and sent them to a leather-worker in New Jersey to have the leather and rubber padding installed into them.
The bolts – I found a supply of the first quality steel vented spanners which had been made in Czechoslovakia back in the early 90s.
The straps – Very good reproductions made in Asia.
The paint – My own mixture of 1940 spec feldgrau which is applied with 220 grit aluminum oxide powder
So we’ve got shells and straps made in Asia, Liners made in the USA and bolts made in Europe. The resulting helmets are assembled and painted here in my shop. They are intended to replicate a mid-war helmet with slotted spanners and RB numbered liners. I think I have done a fairly good job of putting together a helmet of reasonable quality and offered at a reasonable price. The helmets are sold WITHOUT decals until such a time as I can find a supply of suitable quality Eagle decals. As you can see, the leather liners vary according to color but each is on the correct grade and weight of leather.
The Helmets are a shell size 71 and I can supply them with liner Size 60. No other sizes are possible at this point. I am sold out of the liners in sizes 59 and 61. No way to restock unless I start the whole project over again.
Price $395.00
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Worn by Dr. Irmfried Eberl at Auschwitz
This helmet bears the names of three different wearers; each of them found on the personnel roles of the Auschwitz death camp. The most noteworthy among them being Dr Irmfried Eberl; former head of the T4 euthanasia office at Brandenburg and a major figure in operation Reinhard. Eberl was the first commandant of the Treblinka Death camp in July of 1942 but was recalled after 5 weeks due to administrative incompetence regarding disposal of the 90,000 corpses accumulated during his short tenure. He was later assigned to the death camp at Auschwitz. After leaving Auschwitz; he was assigned to an Army medical unit. The most likely scenario is that as Eberl was being transferred from the SS, this helmet was relegated to the property room of the SS T-stuba Auschwitz where it was later issued to as many as three other persons (a common practice found in the case of other “Camp helmets”). The helmet was taken by an American GI from the midwest; most likely from either Dachau or Natzweiler; places where the Auschwitz garrison was relocated after the evacuation of the camp in front of the advancing red army. The helmet is a 1938 vintage Quist and shows evidence of being reissued multiple times (again commonly found among identified “camp helmets”) at one point, early in it’s career the helmet was painted black in order to serve as a parade helmet. It bears it’s original chinstrap which has the SS VA markings; dated 1938.
P.S. Eberl went home to Austria after the war and evaded capture until 1947. Shortly after his arrest, he hung himself in his jail cell.
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M40 Single decal SS helmet (1942)
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