Stahlhelm Topics

• imperial german army
• bicycle helmets
• combat helmet
• kevlar helmet
• german helmet
• steel helmet
• head wounds
• chilean army
• ceremonial purposes
• first world war
• german design
• world armies
• traditional leather
• p 80
• trench warfare
• mdash
• brodie
• shrapnel
• tubbs

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Stahlhelm, Stahlhelm

The Imperial German Army began to replace the traditional leather Pickelhaube (spiked combat helmet) with the Stahlhelm during the First World War in 1916. The term Stahlhelm refers both to a generic steel helmet, and more specifically to the distinctive (and symbolic) German design.

As the war entered the trench warfare phase, the number of casualties on all sides suffering from severe head wounds (often caused by shrapnel) increased dramatically. The French were the first to see a real need for more effective protection — in late 1915 they began to issue Adrian helmets to their troops. The British and Canadians followed with the Brodie helmet, which was also later worn by US forces, and the Germans with the Stahlhelm.

The design was never progressed and was unused until the requirement for a new German helmet for the Volkspolizei and the National People's Army arose, it being realized that the reintroduction of the Stahlhelm would not have been tolerated by the Soviet Union. Tubbs, p. 80-81 It came in three basic versions, Mod 1 or I/56, Mod 2 or I/57 and Mod 3 or I/71, and was widely sold (or given) to Third World armies.

German firefighters today still use Stahlhelm-shaped helmets in a fluorescent color. In the 1990s, a Kevlar helmet was adopted by the Army which sported the distinct form once more.

Tubbs, p. 80-81 The Chilean Army still uses the Stahlhelm design for ceremonial purposes. There are also some Japanese bicycle helmets (with accompanying goggles) that resemble the Stahlhelm.

Source: Wikipedia > Stahlhelm