Original German WWII 1936 dated 1st Pattern NSKK Crash Helmet with RZM Label – size 57 Original Items

Original Item: Only One Available. This is a very rare 1st Pattern NSKK Crash Helmet, complete with an original RZM Label. The helmet is made of 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. It looks to have been made towards the end of the 1st Pattern run, as it has some second pattern features, like the mesh vents on either side.

The Front center of helmet features a first pattern nickel alloy Reichsadler national eagle, with no NSKK marking. 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. The side panels do have the “ear flaps” added in the 2nd pattern, another transitional feature. 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. Rear neck flap is i good shape, still supple, though there is some tearing due to wear.

The liner is ink stamped 57 towards the rear, and there is also some faded depot stamps on the leather portions as well. 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 Herstellerfirma (Manufacturing Company) identifier L 6/1. as well as a 1936 date. There is also tax number 015580. The tag with this information is in very good lightly worn condition, and definitely has research potential.

Overall condition does show wear, and this is definitely not an example that spent its life in a depot. Some of the snaps are broken or missing, particularly on the left ear flap. The leather flaps also show some tearing due to repeated folding during service.

A very nice example of a very hard to find helmet with some great honest period wear. Ready to display!

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.