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World War II German Helmet manufacturing plants

World War II German helmets will typically have a marking that will identify the plant in which the helmet was manufactured.  Most original World War II German helmets will have the stamp either on the inside, back area, or on the left inside close to the chin strap.  If a helmet lacks the manufacturer stamp, it may be a Post War German helmet or a reproduction.  The Post War guard helmets are fairly easy to identify.  The Air Vent stamp is somewhat bigger than those found on the M1940 or M1942.  Also, the liner will have perforated holes in the front.   Note that some M1942 German helmets received very weak stamps due to what appears to have been a manufacturing issue.   Here are the correct factory markings to look for when evaluating a German helmet.

Marking Manufacturing Firm City

(FS or EF)-Emaillierwerke AG, Fulda, Germany

(ET or ckl)-Eisenhuttenwerke, Thale, Germany

(Q)-Quist, Esslingen, Germany

(NS)-Vereinigte Deutsche Nikelwerke, Schwerte, Germany

(SE or hkp)-Sachsische Emaillier u. Stanzwerke, Lauter, Germany

(Source: Baer, 1995)

In virtually all WWII German helmets you will also see the size stamp after the Manufacturing mark, such as Q66.   In this case, you have a helmet manufactured by the Quist firm, size 66 cm.   The sizes ran from very small of 60 cm, up to 70 cm.   The majority of the WWII German helmets were manufactured in size 62, 64, and 66.   Size 60 helmets as well as size 70 helmets are tough to find.   There have German helmets that have surfaced that are in a rare size 72cm.   

As new or beginning collectors of German helmets you will find a World of Terms being thrown around that you will be afraid to ask what they mean.   The more advanced WW2 German Helmet collectors will assume you know what they are talking about.   I thought a glossary of

Terms may come in handy.

SD - (Single Decal)-quite simply put, it's a German helmet with only a decal on one side.  Typically the Single Decal SS German helmets will have the single Runic decal on the right side, with the Heer, Kriegsmarine, and Luftwaffe single decal German helmets having the decal on the left side. 

DD - (Double Decal) - again, maybe stating the obvious but the DD German helmet is one with a decal on each side of the helmet.   Typically the DD German helmets are M1935s as in Mid 1940 the German high command ordered a cessation of the Tricolor on the right side of the

helmets.   You will find a few German helmets that were early M1940s in a DD configuration during the transition but I can assure you that those are fairly scarce.   You will also find the occasional SS German helmet that is an M1940 with Double Decals.  That is also rare and you will note that these normally come from the Quist Firm.  As a side note, the Combat Field Police German helmets were Double Decal through the entire WWII period.  So you will find M35s, M40s, & M42s in DD configuration on Combat Police German helmets. 

Reissue - you will often hear of a German helmet being referred to as a  reissue.   These most often are M1935s that were brought back in from the field to either the depot or the factory, and were repainted with a dull rough texture field gray paint. Most M1935s German helmets issued

before the War had a factory parade paint, which in many cases was polished to a shine, for parade use.  In combat, the parade finish was reflective creating a dangerous situation for the wearer of the helmet.   In virtually all reissue German helmets the National Colors decal (Tricolor) was completely painted over.  Some reissued German helmets retained their original branch decal on the left side and the decal is painted around, some received a new branch decal on the left side, and some were just completely painted over.  Quite simply put, a reissue helmet normally is an M1935 German helmet with an overpaint, and often times, a 1940 type configuration with regard to liner which would typically be a 1940 dated Steel banded liner.   

ND- (No Decal) - this one is fairly self explanatory.  These are for the most part, the later War M1942 German helmets that never received a factory branch insignia. You will typically find these with a 1943 or 44 dated liner band, with a higher lot number. 

Camo - Camouflaged helmet - German helmets referred to as a Camo are those that have been painted in the field, most often by the German soldier himself.   It should be noted that below are the most popular camouflaged styles but there are numerous variations of colors and types of applications.  

The most popular are as follows:

DAK-Africa Corps/aka Tropical - these are German helmets that were worn in the fighting in North Africa and are characterized by a single coat of Tan paint.   The Germans often used the same paint that the ME109 fighters were painted with, called Tan 79.  This is a Tan paint with a

slight pink hue to it, and is most often found on Luftwaffe German helmets.   The German helmets worn by the Afrika Korps have been found in a number of shades of tan.  

Normandy (Three Color) - during the Normandy campaign (1944), a good number of German soldiers, Heer & Luftwaffe were applying a three color camouflage paint scheme to their German helmets.  Normally it consists of a tan base, either spray or brushed on, with green

spray camo in spots, as well as a dark red.  It is worth noting that sometimes the red was more of a brown color.   A common misconception is that all three color (tan, green, & red) camos are Normandy camouflage.  It is most correct to refer to these types of camouflaged German helmets as Three Color camos, unless you know that the German helmet can be directly attributed to the Normandy campaign.   

Winter Camouflage - this one is simple.  During the winter campaigns, the German soldiers often painted their helmets with a white over-paint.   These normally are brush applied paints and often were what was called a white wash or milk paint which they would scrub off in the spring.   There are also examples of Winter camouflaged German helmets in which lead based white paint was used.  The German helmets found with Winter Camouflage are very scarce and are highly desirable in the collecting community.

Italian Campaign Camouflage - the German helmets used in the Mediterranean or in Italy were often painted tan, and many would also have some lightly sprayed areas of green or brown.  They could also just one base coat of Tan.     

Regiment 6 FJ Camo - this is a unique camouflage paint scheme that was pretty much limited to use by the German Paratroopers with the Regiment 6 Fallschrimjagers, based in Normandy, France.   These German helmets are characterized by a tan base with sawdust and/or wood chips with a green paint in spots.  Typically they were larger areas of green paint and not real spotty.   The green can be spray camo or brushed on.   These are very distinctive and for the most part only found on the Reg 6 M1938 Paratrooper German helmets.  These are some of the most sought after WWII German helmets.

Half Basket Chicken Wire - these are German helmets that have had a period chicken wire cut out and affixed to the helmet by one larger gauge wire going around the middle of the helmet.  The larger wire normally attaches to the German helmet by a larger piece of wire in three places, the right side, left side, and back.  You will almost always find the correct wire helmets with the European chicken wire.   The wire should be zinc galvanized and should show some oxidation and marriage with the surface of the helmet.  The German soldiers would stick branches and foliage down into the chicken wire.   

Full Basket Chicken Wire - These are also German helmets with Chicken Wire attached, but in this case, the Chicken wire covers the entire helmet, and simply folds around the edges.  In some cases the wire is attached to the inner liner band.    

Wood Chip Camouflage - These are German helmets with a camouflaged overpaint in which sawdust/wood chips are mixed into the paint.   These can be found in various colors of paint, from standard field gray to three color Normandy pattern.  They do make for a really nice

texture and patina.

In summary, this section is somewhat simplified just to provide a brief overview of German helmets.  To learn more about the finer details of German helmets, I recommend picking up a copy of the book, Germany's Combat Helmets 1933-1945 by Ken Niewiarowicz.  It is out of print, however you may be able to find a copy in a resale setting.  I believe the Ruptured Duck (Bill & Patrick Shea) currently has one on their website.