Leather, Fabric

Stahlhelm (plural, Stahlhelme) is German for "steel helmet". The Imperial German Army began to replace the traditional leather Pickelhaube (spiked helmet) with the Stahlhelm during the First World War in 1916. more...

Home
Necklaces & Pendants
Other Wedding Jewelry
Body Jewelry
Bracelets
Bangle
Amethyst
Crystal
Diamond
Gold, Plate/Fill (w/o Stone)
Gold, White (w/o Stone)
Gold, Yellow (w/o Stone)
Jade
Onyx
Other Stones, Materials
Pearl
Pearl, Imitation
Rhinestone
Silver (w/o Stone)
Turquoise
Beaded, Strands
Amber
Amethyst
Crystal
Garnet
Glass
Hematite
Jade
Lapis
Moonstone
Mother-of-Pearl
Other Stones, Materials
Pearl
Pearl, Imitation
Peridot
Quartz
Silver (w/o Stone)
Topaz
Turquoise
Cuff
Crystal
Gold, Plate/Fill (w/o Stone)
Gold, Solid (w/o Stone)
Leather, Fabric
Other Stones, Materials
Silver (w/o Stone)
Turquoise
ID, Identification
Jelly, Glow
Link, Chain
Crystal
Cubic Zirconia
Diamond
Gold, Plate/Fill (w/o Stone)
Gold, White (w/o Stone)
Gold, Yellow (w/o Stone)
Jade
Marcasite
Moonstone
Mother-of-Pearl
Onyx
Opal
Other Stones, Materials
Pearl
Pearl, Imitation
Peridot
Quartz
Silver (w/o Stone)
Topaz
Turquoise
Magnetic
Medical, Alert
Other Styles
Tennis
Amethyst
Crystal
Cubic Zirconia
Diamond
Emerald
Opal
Other Stones, Materials
Peridot
Ruby
Sapphire
Tanzanite
Topaz
Charms & Charm Bracelets
Designer Brands
Earrings
Ethnic, Tribal Jewelry
Hair Jewelry
Handcrafted, Artisan Jewelry
Jewelry Boxes & Supplies
Loose Beads
Men's Jewelry
Vintage, Antique
Wedding Apparel
Wedding Rings
Wedding Sets
Wedding Supplies
Wholesale Lots

The term Stahlhelm refers both to a generic steel helmet, and more specifically to the distinctive (and symbolic) German design.

History

At the beginning of World War I, none of the combatants were issued with any form of protection for the head other than cloth and leather caps. 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 followed with the Brodie helmet, which was also worn by U.S. forces, and the Germans with the Stahlhelm. In the Second World War, a Stahlhelm variant without the visor and rim was issued to Fallschirmjäger (German paratrooper) units.

The Stahlhelm with its distinctive "coal scuttle" shape was an excellent symbol for military imagery. It was a common element of military propaganda on both sides, just like the Pickelhaube before. After the Second World War, West Germany abandoned the distinctive Stahlhelm, which had become a symbol of German military aggression, using a variant of the more harmless-looking United States Army "GI pot" helmet instead. In the 1990s, a Kevlar helmet was adopted which sported the distinct form once more. East Germany used a helmet modelled on a late Second World War German design with a more conical shape. After the war, the Bundesgrenzschutz border guards and some West German police units kept the Stahlhelm in their inventories, though it was seldom worn, and the Fallschirmjäger variant was used for some time by the GSG 9. German fire brigades today still use Stahlhelm-shaped helmets in a fluorescent color. The Chilean Army still uses the Stahlhelm design for ceremonial purposes.

The different Stahlhelm designs are named for their year of introduction. For example, Modell 1942 was introduced in 1942, but more commonly known as M1942 or simply M42. Here, they are referred to by their M19XX names.

First World War variants

M1916 and M1917

The M1916 was the first production model of the Stahlhelm design and was developed by Hauptmann Friedrich Schwerd, a professor of the Hanover Technical Institute. The helmet was first issued to the 1st Assault Battalion for evaluation, in December 1915. It was introduced in regular service during the Verdun campaign in early 1916.

Read more at Wikipedia.org