Original Item: Only One Available. This is a very nice all original example of a German WWII M35 helmet, issued to the Heer (Army) during the early war period. This stamped sheet steel construction helmet looks to have been in service for some time, and had the shell entirely repainted at some point, and a new liner and chinstrap fitted. At this time, the shell was entirely overpainted with later war panzergrau (armored gray), which covered the original Heer Silver Eagle Decal. After that it saw additional service, and is now shows quite a bit of wear, possibly having been picked up from the battlefield.
Most of the repaint is still retained, showing wear through around the bottom edge, and also in various places on the top. There is some light oxidation in places as well where the paint has chipped, giving this helmet a fantastic service worn patina that cannot be duplicated!
The reverse, interior, neck guard apron is batch number stamped 359, and the interior, left side, apron has a stamped manufacturer's code and size, Q62. This indicates it was manufactured by F.W. Quist G.m.b.H. in the German city of Esslingen, Germany. The maker / size marking is a bit faint due to the repainting. Size 62 is a nice smaller size that can accommodate liners from 54cm to 55cm or US 6 3/4 to 6 5/8.
All three liner retaining pins are intact, and still have much of the original paint still present. The interior of the helmet still has the original M31 leather liner with 8 fingers, however it is definitely in damaged "relic" condition. There are some areas of the leather torn out, and the front half of the liner is split over the liner band, showing the underlying felt padding. The original top tie is completely missing, and the galvanized steel liner band is oxidized, so we cannot see any of the original markings. There are just some small remnants left of the chinstrap still around the loops.
Overall a very nice 100% genuine M35 Heer Army helmet, that definitely saw long service during the war. M35 helmets of this quality are always the hard to find on the market. This is an item that will only continue to appreciate in value over time.
The first "modern" steel helmets were introduced by the French army in early 1915 and were shortly followed by the British army later that year. With plans on the drawing board, experimental helmets in the field, ("Gaede" helmet), and some captured French and British helmets the German army began tests for their own steel helmet at the Kummersdorf Proving Grounds in November, and in the field in December 1915. An acceptable pattern was developed and approved and production began at Eisen-und Hüttenwerke, AG Thale/Harz, (Iron and Foundry Works), in the spring of 1916.
These first modern M16 helmets evolved into the M18 helmets by the end of WWI. The M16 and M18 helmets remained in usage through-out the Weimar Reichswehr, (National Defence Force, Circa 1919-1933), era and on into the early years of the Third Reich until the development of the smaller, lighter M35 style helmet in June 1935.
In 1934 tests began on an improved Stahlhelm, whose design was a development of World War I models. The Eisenhüttenwerke company of Thale carried out prototype design and testing, with Dr. Friedrich Schwerd once again taking a hand.
The new helmet was pressed from sheets of molybdenum steel in several stages. The size of the flared visor and skirt was reduced, and the large projecting lugs for the obsolete armor shield were eliminated. The ventilator holes were retained, but were set in smaller hollow rivets mounted to the helmet's shell. The edges of the shell were rolled over, creating a smooth edge along the helmet. Finally, a completely new leather suspension, or liner, was incorporated that greatly improved the helmet's safety, adjustability, and comfort for each wearer. These improvements made the new M1935 helmet lighter, more compact, and more comfortable to wear than the previous designs.
The Army's Supreme Command officially accepted the new helmet on June 25, 1935 and it was intended to replace all other helmets in service.
More than 1 million M1935 helmets were manufactured in the first two years after its introduction, and millions more were produced until 1940 when the basic design and production methods were changed, replacing the multi-piece riveted vent with one stamped directly into the steel. Later, in 1942 the rolled steel rim was removed from the pattern to further expedite production.
