Original German WWII 2nd Pattern NSKK Crash Helmet marked RZM L6/1938 – Size 58 Original Items

Original Item: Only One Available. Genuine 2nd Pattern NSKK Crash Helmet – Molded, smooth, blackened leather helmet with raised, padded, protective bars running horizontally around the helmets bottom edge, and another one running from front to back over the crown top. Helmet has a ventilation grommets with screen to each side of crown.

The Front center of helmet features a second pattern NSKK stylized national eagle. The eagle is still held in its correct position. Helmet has a short blackened leather visor stitched to front and stitched on, extended, blackened, grained, leather, protective side and rear panels. Side panels each have a vertical half-moon shaped, ear cut-out with stitched on closure flaps with functional snaps. Flaps were designed to protect the ears while still allowing for hearing. The side panels also have extended straps to bottoms which act as the chinstrap. Interior of helmet has a tan leather, nine finger liner. Liner is fully intact with all fingers and original tie string. The foam rubber pad under the forehead area of the liner has unfortunately deteriorated over time. Rear neck flap is in great shape, and still supple.

The liner is ink stamped 58 towards the rear. The helmet also still has the original NSKK RZM tag stitched to the underside of the liner, stating that it is a Sturzhelm nach Vorschrift des NSKK (Crash Helmet according to NSKK regulations). It gives further information regarding the specifications it is made under, and has the German RZM Logo, and Contractor identifier L6 / 1938.

The Reichszeugmeisterei, or RZM, was was based at the Brown house in Munich and NSDAP party headquarters in Berlin. The RZM ensured that the manufacturers of military items were consistent in design, quality of materials and other characteristics of the items. It also defined standards of design, manufacturing and quality and published an authoritative color chart for textiles.

 In the RZM code system, prefix L was for Leder (Leather), and L6 specifically was for Sturzhelmfabriken, or Crash Helmet factories. 1938 would most likely be the contractor number, but it is also possibly a date. The tag with this information is in great shape, and definitely has research potential.

Very nice example of a hard to find helmet.