What Types of Helmets Did the Germans Use in WWII??? | American Artifact Episode 37

Who doesn't love gear? The more that we learn about the gear that was used during the war, the more we can learn about the overall history. In this episode, we're at The Gettysburg Museum of History to take a look at the different varieties of helmets that were used by the German military in WWII. Much to learn here!
This episode was produced in partnership with The Gettysburg Museum of History. See how you can support history education & artifact preservation by visiting their website & store at www.gettysburgmuseumofhistory...
Get your History Underground MERCH at www.thehistoryundergroundstore.com
Set yourself up with a 10% DISCOUNT on all Origin gear and nutritional products by entering the code "history10" at www.originmaine.com!
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- CRAZY MUSEUM ARTIFACT UNBOXING!!! | American Artifact Episode 36: • CRAZY MUSEUM ARTIFACT ...
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[@TheHistoryUnderground]

If you've watched a few episodes and feel like I've earned it, be sure to subscribe so that you don't miss any new content when it comes out. Also be sure to check out The Gettysburg Museum of History and their store at www.gettysburgmuseumofhistory.com. Thanks!

[@1psychofan]

My goodness JD! Is there anything Erik isn’t expert on? He’s so knowledgeable!!! Every episode with him amazes me!

[@TheHistoryUnderground]

👍🏻

[@doccindy7545]

Watching this I realized that Mr Dorr is the narrator of the B-17 series. I knew that voice was familiar when I started watching those videos.

[@TheHistoryUnderground]

Hmmm.......might be somebody who sounds like Mr. Dorr.

[@JeffHokie]

The WW1 helmet is still my favorite German helmet.

[@arnegreve1019]

Which do you mean? The Pickelhaube/Spikehelmet or the Helmet from 1916?

[@JeffHokie]

@@arnegreve1019 spike

[@SketchyEggs]

I have an early luftwaffe helmet with the rolled edges. It still has the original markings and liner. My great uncle brought it back. I had countless hours of enjoyment playing with it when I was a kid.

[@TheHistoryUnderground]

Wow!

[@wolfenheimer1]

It's probably from my grandfather stolen. I want the helmet back !!

[@psbrayshaw]

Never thought I'd see a man get so excited over helmets Only joking... I love your channel. I particularly love your videos filmed in Europe

[@nonamesplease6288]

Great video! Starting in 1943 German vehicles, both armored and soft skin, were issued in dunkelgelb, or dark yellow. The crews were then issued red brown and dark green paint. The idea was that the vehicle crews or maintenance crews would camouflage the vehicles with the red brown and green to match local conditions. The landser would frequently use leftover vehicle paint to camouflage their helmets. A couple of your Helmets in this video have variations of these colors.

[@pigybak]

I have a German (WW II) style carbon fiber motorcycle helmet with a spike on top.

[@esdeekay4344]

I have a WW1 "Stahlhelm" helmet in my collection. It still has a a little bit of white decal on it. The person who dug it up during construction work in Passendaele sold it very cheap because he wasn't interested in this "old crappy stuff" It now stands peacefully aside the WW1 British Brodie helmet, surfaced during plowing in the Flanders Fields near Ypres. Looking at, or even holding those over a hundred year old relics, You realize they have witnessed moments we can not even imagine these days.

[@TheHistoryUnderground]

Wow!

[@dustinkennedy7055]

Thank you for making these videos I love learning History

[@garyrunnalls7714]

I always wanted a German helmet and now I have 3 originals with liners and 2 replicas, love em.

[@alirezamahmoodii8014]

my favorite helmet is American helmet and uniform in ww2 thanks jd and Eric

[@TheHistoryUnderground]

👍🏻

[@1psychofan]

Very good info-really getting an education today! Always learning!

[@davidking6172]

Great collection of helmets I brought one back from Afghanistan its a rusty m18 that the Germans contracted to the Country. No liner just crusty but intact. Great subject to study. Fascinating. Thanks guys

[@TheHistoryUnderground]

Wow!

[@jetsons101]

Erik, love your passion for history. You and JD are both “well-read” individuals.

[@TheHistoryUnderground]

Thanks 🙏🏼

[@Asincitygirl]

This reinforces my theory. Make more than one of anything and someone will collect it. My uncle brought back tons of stuff from his career in three branches of the military. But sadly because he let me and my brothers play with everything they are long gone.

[@TheHistoryUnderground]

Oh man. That's not an uncommon story.

[@jeffsmith2022]

I have a German helmet my Dad sent home to my Grandmother during WW ll. He got it off a German POW while fighting in Normandy on D. Day with the Big Red One. He was awarded a Bronze Star with a V for valor device that first day. As I remember, the helmet did not have the tri color decal you see on the helmet on the lower, left but had an actual metal shield with the tri color in it. Sadly, the chin strap has gone missing years ago, but the liner remains in good shape...I remember a decal with an eagle perched on a swastika on the reverse side...

[@TheHistoryUnderground]

Wow! That is amazing.

[@WWIIBuff]

Another amazing video by JD and Erik! Great job guys!

[@TheHistoryUnderground]

👊🏻

[@helenabiesma5560]

love show - brilliant explained very interesting

[@TheHistoryUnderground]

👊🏻

[@cleverusername9369]

The bullet struck one was extremely cool, I noticed some bumps around the exit hole that looked like they been caused by bullet fragments or pieces of helmet hitting the inside, which makes me think the helmet may have been empty when it was shot. A person's head inside would probably have stopped small metal fragments from leaving dents on the inside of the opposite side of the helmet.

[@pauldouglas3084]

Hey mate I got one of these helmet I got us m1 helmet British helmet double delcal

[@robertspeicher5047]

An uncle who was in the war in Korea finished his time in the army 1953, In w. Germany. Brought home a Luftwaffe model 42 helmet. I own a " 40" and a " 42" helmet. The "40" was found in Poland by two brothers who had a business selling German gear. I bought the 40 back during the 90s. No chin strap. Has the liner, original paint, eagle decal. The condition suggest this helmet was worn by a REAR DUTY soldier. The 40 was repainted an american military green

[@Chiller01]

Beautiful clean jazz guitar tones in the intro. I’ve always been confused by the single point attachment used by the Fallschirmjager. Seemed to set them up for a face plant on landing.

[@phyllishershkowitz3806]

Another great video. Prior to watching this I watched your stream with WW2 Channel, excellent JD!

[@TheHistoryUnderground]

Awesome! Thank you.

[@reloadncharge9907]

Enjoyed the episode! Thanks, Andrew

[@GhostofSicklesleg]

I loving the artifact videos, keep up the great work and the teaching. Erik Dorr should be our nations museum curator, his knowledge of so many things history related is off the charts! Keep up the great work gentlemen.

[@TheHistoryUnderground]

Thanks! Appreciate that. He does know his stuff.

[@tanker335]

Rural German fire departments where still using surplus helmets in the 80's. They painted them bright yellow and attached some leather to the back to protect their necks from embers and called it good.

[@michaeldouglas1243]

Wow. Neat info. Didn't know that

[@BigLisaFan]

Waste not, want not.

[@charliepc56]

While watching videos from the war in Ukraine, I saw at least two WWII German helmets (panted white) being used by emergency services in Ukraine.

[@historicmilitaria1944]

@@charliepc56 these wre postwar 1960s west german fire service helmets in alloy.

[@zackahmmann4251]

Working on getting info on a 82nd airborne vet bringback group from Italy. There’s a single decal Luftwaffe helmet included in the group.

[@Firekeeper61]

I love your work of preserving history. God bless .

[@TheHistoryUnderground]

👊🏻

[@pamelatraves6524]

What Gorgeous Helmuts. They are very Interesting. Thank you.

[@TheHistoryUnderground]

👍🏻

[@jimwiskus8862]

Always a walk through time.

[@TheHistoryUnderground]

Love telling the stories of these artifacts.

[@buzzchuck2048]

Fascinating As Always! Keep Up The Great Work JD. ✌️

[@TheHistoryUnderground]

Thanks!

[@thEannoyingE]

Fantastic collection of helmets, I have a few in my collection.

[@TheHistoryUnderground]

👍🏻

[@nicholasotto3282]

Great video. As always

[@justinweaver8787]

Very nice collection have a good weekend sir.

[@deaneverton8898]

Really enjoyed this video.

[@TheHistoryUnderground]

👊🏻

[@gaylewilliamson9183]

Very enteresting.I watched Combat a t.v. movie years ago and waste always looking at the differences in the helmets .Thank you👍❤️🇺🇸

[@huntinfishingdad6905]

This is a awesome channel I love history and you cover a lot of great things my great great granpa served in ww1 for the Germans and my great grandpa was a American soldier for ww2

[@TheHistoryUnderground]

Thanks! Appreciate that!

[@ae9980]

Another great video, please keep it up!

[@TheHistoryUnderground]

👊🏻

[@nev707]

Artillery threw large clods of dirt into the air and would land on the tops of troops, hence all sides developing steel helmets as well as the reasons you gave. Love these episodes.

[@benred5818]

Yes more of this please! Love the vid!

[@TheHistoryUnderground]

More to come! Thanks!

[@terryeustice5399]

I had a Luftwaffe helmet. That was gift. And thes German helmet’s were very distinct. Thank you for sharing this. I enjoy history so very much.

[@TheHistoryUnderground]

👊🏻

[@Wreckdiver59]

I have a few German helmets and I think they are authentic given the source. I should have brought one or two for Eric to look at back in June. It's always good to hear a basic overview of the different types. I passed on a Luftschutz helmet last year and I could kick myself for not buying it when I had the chance. I have a friend who has dozens of them and he can really get going about them once he gets started. I'm not quite at that point yet 😂 but I do find it interesting.

[@TheHistoryUnderground]

😅

[@staxmarshall]

Great content as always. What is the bluesy guitar music at the beginning? Thanks

[@michaeldouglas1243]

Great episode. Next time I am near gettysburg I plan on stopping with my deceased grandpa's nazi souvenirs he brought home, and showing Erik. His home was burglarized in 1983 and the s.o.b. stole his German luger and nazi SS medals and they were never recovered.

[@TheHistoryUnderground]

Oh no!

[@thinghammer]

There's the model "Glans '35", named for its obvious similarities.

[@wrangler70jkujeep74]

Very interesting got insight of model's thanks for information and history lesson.

[@fredv7487]

Awesome job as always y'all. Always wonder what type of helmets they actually used. Always interesting how even the Americans adopted the German ideas. Thanks y'all for taking the time. 👍👍👍👍👍

[@larryburwell8550]

Very nice informative video. I've been collecting german and us ww2 helmets since 1977 some 45 years now and I have an extensive collection all original. These are nice examples you show and thanks for the video. I enjoyed it. Right up my wheel house

[@TheHistoryUnderground]

Nice! So glad that you enjoyed it.

[@eugenegarrett78]

Great video you guys I watch all your stuff great job

[@TheHistoryUnderground]

Thanks 👍

[@markdraskovics5274]

HEY JD & ERIC Well You guys always have Something really cool On the videos and I Enjoy watching every Episode there all informative and interesting so keep up the awesome job take care stay safe God bless and will see you on the next awesome video

[@TheHistoryUnderground]

Thank you!

[@josephseaton283]

Good info !!!

[@TheHistoryUnderground]

Thanks!

[@jimrutherford2773]

I really enjoyed this episode as a German helmet collector. The M40 with the chicken wire to collectors is called Normandy camo because of those specific tri colors were commonly used by the German units in this French region in 1944. In fact the other non chicken wire helmet with the same color camo is also a Normandy. Many of these were sent home as war souvenirs by GIs as their first weeks and months on the European continent.

[@TheHistoryUnderground]

👍🏻

[@donfoley1590]

Excellent

[@benitagrattan193]

Very interesting ♥️

[@benjaminrush4443]

Cool. Thanks.

[@TheHistoryUnderground]

Thanks for watching!

[@kennethward3354]

Thank you

[@TheHistoryUnderground]

You're welcome. Thanks for watching!

[@jefferyfowler7860]

Great lesson JD. Erik is the history man 😆

[@TheHistoryUnderground]

Absolutely!

[@cindyrussell7017]

Amazing

[@BigLisaFan]

Interesting. I wonder, apart from the one with the bullet hole, what happened to the user and how he came to be parted with his helmet? What could the helmets say if they could speak?

[@TheHistoryUnderground]

Would be nice to know, for sure.

[@johnellis9352]

You are very interesting your character very refreshing..Therefore I will watch all of your videos.👍

[@TheHistoryUnderground]

👍🏻

[@robertdacquisto6871]

We have heard a little bit about fake German items in some of your videos, you should do a video with Erik on some of the most common fake items and fake characteristics. I think many of us are absolutely fascinated with collecting memorabilia but are horrified of fakes, I think it's a big deal for young collectors especially. It would be so cool to see Erik spotting fakes, because he is the real deal! It's so awesome that Gettysburg Museum of History sells authentic items vetted by Erik, we need more people like him. Keep up the good videos! We love them!

[@TheHistoryUnderground]

That’s a good idea. We’ll have to do that.

[@associatedblacksheepandmisfits]

Found one in a cargo of scrap picked up in the Netherlands by ship.I pulled it out and showed it to one of the dutch dockworkers who just shrugged and said it was in the best place in his opinion. After a little thought I had to agree and just chucked it back in the cargo, now probably turned into a fork or some such.. so it goes

[@johnhudak3829]

On the bullet holes. . .my great uncle was in the engineers during WWII (9th AF, they built runways). He ended the war in Berlin, and was helping to build/rebuild what became Tempelhof Airport. One day they were taking a break, and they noticed the sound of a .45 going off at regular intervals. When they investigated, they found two G.I.s with a stack of German helmets. One would put a helmet on a fence post, and the other would blast it with the 1911. When Uncle Ace asked them what they were doing, one of them grinned and said: "Adds ten bucks to the price" That story always makes me grin when I see a "genuine" helmet with a bullet hole in it. LOL

[@arnegreve1019]

The US Army had the Spikehelmet too. They wear it at the end of the 19th Century on Parade, I guess.

[@davegoodridge8352]

When I was a kid I played with a WW1 german steel helmet. Know idea where it came from. One day it was gone. I left it out in yard and someone stole it.

[@TheHistoryUnderground]

Oh no!

[@thomascrowley9122]

I would atleast want to bring back an helmet after fighting in a war

[@marycahill546]

Interesting. I would like to know how the late German combat helmets compare to US and Commonwealth helmets. Which ones were better.? IE provided more protection.

[@thurin84]

the german stahlhelm. thought the american m1 was a close second. but theres a reason modern pasgt helmets somewhat resemble the shape of a stahlhelm. it better covers the vital brain area of the head.

[@kurtbaker4078]

Awesome video. Who knew?

[@jeffsquires6620]

I have eleven German hats. One ww1 and the rest ww2. Two are same as in the video. Also American, Canadian, English and Japanese. I see the authentic hats are becoming rare and less available. As you stated, do your research, buy from reputable companies. Just seen a crap load of reproduction SS. Very easy to pass of a $50 hat for 5k. I would have to say, it takes a different kind of collector for this understanding of history.

[@jeremydiamond8824]

Very CQQL thanks for the education 😎👍🏻🇺🇸🇩🇪

[@TheHistoryUnderground]

👍🏻

[@phantomtitan9792]

Vary interesting

[@anthonydm2947]

Seems like the helmets evolved through trial and error. Learning through tragedy what was tactically better and safer.

[@thurin84]

an interesting aside, after the brits 1st introduced helmets they thought it might be a failure because they noticed a marked increase in head wounds showing up at aid stations. after a bit of study it was shown that the increase was due to more soldiers initially surviving the head wound to make it to aid stations as opposed to being a kia.

[@jamesbodnarchuk3322]

I have a Spanish civil war stalhiem

[@gregsayre4700]

all my Grandpa sent back was a Nambu pistol and an Arisaka rifle

[@TheHistoryUnderground]

Wow! Very cool.

[@piratepete842]

I've heard mention that certain parties have the original helmet presses and they stamp out new helmets replete with manufacture stamps..what are y'alls take on this and considering so many of these helmets were produced are"fakes"more in the line of repainting and installing the chicken wire as mentioned here..or do some,indeed,stamp out new helmets?

[@bootsperformance]

I have a German paratrooper helmet found in Normandy just weeks before the 75th anniversary.

[@TheHistoryUnderground]

Wow!

[@marthastubbs8321]

Would helmets get replaced or would a soldier keep wearing an older model through the war, like the decal models, if the soldier survived of course (and because of manufacturing limitations)

[@493913507]

Better to be safe than sorry, Josh, strap that load down !!!!!

[@steveshipkie1624]

Would the spike on top act like a bullseye

[@historicmilitaria1944]

Yep,in 1915 they made the spike removeable by giving it the ability to be simply pulled from its mount

[@jasonmacdonald1892]

I have 4 German army helmets all different years they do look pretty sweet

[@chillis28]

👍👍

[@TheHistoryUnderground]

👊🏻

[@christianmeland303]

The first m35 helmet is a kriegsmarine one, not army. You can tell by the color of the eagle on the decal. Army is silver eagle, kriegsmarine is gold.

[@theclown2393]

From what I was told Kriegsmarine helmets are worth a fortune. Hold onto it as long as you can until retirement bud

[@historicmilitaria1944]

@@theclown2393 most kriegsmarine helmets are land based coastal artillery,and have never seen service on board a ship,only certain km decalled helmets are rare

[@theclown2393]

@@historicmilitaria1944 I thought coastal artillery were mostly luftwaffe?

[@historicmilitaria1944]

@@theclown2393 coastal artillery came under naval command,very few,if any existing naval decalled helmets would have come from ships,most would be taken as a trophy from abandoned coastal defence positions..

[@theclown2393]

@@historicmilitaria1944 what about the u-boats?

[@raydash1424]

What was done with the many German helmets after the war?

[@thurin84]

many were destroyed. there was a whole cottage industry turning helmets into colanders and the like. many other countries (afganistan, argentina, columbia, finnland, egypt, norway, yugoslavia) reused german helmets in some way, shape or form. there are collectors who specialize in all the different post ww2 used stahlhalms.

[@thEannoyingE]

a lot of them were destroyed or in most cases repurposed into pots pans, and other enamel ware. We’re talking in the hundreds of thousands.

[@elwin38]

I loved the German paratrooper helmets.

[@SeanJohnson-qm4pu]

They deleted the skirt so that the parachute risers didn't catch after you jump out of the plane and your chute starts to deploy.

[@1psychofan]

That chicken wire helmet looks like a turtle shell

[@Platinumdose420]

my sisters husband has a helmet from ww2 with 2 vent hols near the back of the head no logos or anything on it no other information leather straps and stuff its black none of these helmets ONLY have velt holes in the back

[@loler1086]

I am the fourth person in the comments

[@TheHistoryUnderground]

👊🏻

[@aleks2194]

Steel helmets

[@johnvoorhees7881]

Best helmets ever, but you know, except for the current ones, that look a lot like the old ones....lol 😆

[@ludo9234]

I have a M16 Austrian helmet used by the police. Double decal.

[@merlijnveijk855]

I am not so fond of the pickelhauben the eagle is the wrong colour for the helmet

[@Fogel505]

А к чему черные перчатки)). Похож на повара суши-бара

[@12345678927164]

The pillagers and profiteers of my ancestors’ corpses should be ashamed of themselves.

[@steves1112000]

I have a strange question. I have a postcard sent by a young girl to her boyfriend(?) On the eve of her vacation. I translated most of it. It is legit. It is such a beautiful sentiment. I have it safely stored and am taking good care of it. If there is surviving family of either party, I would love to see them have it. Any roughs as to where I can start looking for surviving family?

[@TheHistoryUnderground]

That would be tough.

[@matthewbyam3248]

Funny how he shows youn all but the 1935 ss . It because the other side doesn't have the ss on it . That 1935 ss like that so very rarely seen . And over 50k or way more.

[@MatthiasvonTrebitsch]

Do you really need all of them?

[@TheHistoryUnderground]

Yes

[@MatthiasvonTrebitsch]

@@TheHistoryUnderground oh... 😣😂

[@axelfunke6527]

Der Stahlhelm ist ja auch eine Deutsche Erfindung und perfekt durchdacht. Wie alles was aus Deutschland kommt.

[@puppy4500]

The Germans wore the best helmets in the world

[@TheHistoryUnderground]

They certainly have an iconic look.