Original German WWII Army Heer M35 Former Double Decal Helmet with 56cm Liner & Chinstrap – Stamped ET64 Original Items

Original Item: Only One Available. This is a rare all original example of a German WWII Model 1935 “Double Decal” helmet, as issued to the Heer (Army). As an early war helmet, it was originally painted with early Apfelgrün (apple green) paint, which is the early war color with more green in the mix. It then saw long service, and now has a lovely period worn look that is impossible to duplicate.

The use of the second decal was discontinued in 1940, and in 1943 it was ordered that helmets with the national colors have them removed. This helmet did not have the decal removed at that time, however the exterior did receive a period field repaint with another layer of Apfelgrün, which was left off the Eagle decal, but mostly covered the National colors. Only the exterior was repainted, and the interior shows wear and also a name at the rear, which looks to read Zobrys, with a rank we cannot read.

The repaint is well retained, though definitely worn, with areas that are chipped down to the original steel. The left side of the helmet features a Heer eagle decal, which is retained about 90%, still bright and reflective, showing light overall wear. The right side of the helmet features a national colors decal, which is mostly covered by the repaint, but looks to be mostly intact under the paint. This is a really nice example of a service worn helmet with lots of patina!

The reverse, interior, neck guard apron is heat lot number stamped 4207 and the interior, left side, apron has the stamped manufacturer’s code and size, ET64 indicating that it was manufactured by Eisenhüttenwerk of Thale, located in the Harz district in Saxony, Germany. Size 64 is a nice medium size that can accommodate liners from 56cm to 57cm or US 7 to 7 1/8. Size 64 shells are harder to find and are therefore more valuable to a collector.

All three liner retaining pins are intact, with exterior paint retained to a varying degree. One has lost almost all the paint, while one has all of it, and all look to have nickel alloy top caps, which are more prone to losing paint. The helmet still has its correct very good condition M31 liner with all of the 8 fingers present and supple, showing only light wear. The top tie string is present, but it does show some degradation and fraying, and is broken at one point, with both ends put through a finger eyelet. The liner band is aluminum, with square aluminum chin strap loops attached to reinforced sides. This is the last pattern before the move to galvanized steel bands. The left exterior of the liner band is marked 64 n. A. / 56, indicating that it is a size 56 liner for a size 64 shell. It is also stamped 56 on the leather itself near the rear. The right side has the full maker information clearly stamped:

Metall-Lederverarbeitung W.Z.
1939
Bln.- Ch’burg 5

This indicates production by the metal and leather working company Werner Zahn, based in Berlin – Charlottenburg, in the year 1939, which fits right into the early war period.

The chinstrap is present and intact, with no major damage or tears, though it is stretched out a bit due to age and use. It has the correct early war aluminum buckle, and one of the attachment studs is aluminum, while the other is galvanized steel. It is marked on the end with dla / 41, indicating 1941 production by Karl Barth, Military Effekten-Fabrik, Waldbroel, Rheinland, a known maker of leather goods during the war.

Overall a very nice 100% genuine M35 Former Double Decal Heer Army helmet, with no signs of being messed with! The period service wear on this gives it an absolutely unique look! This is an item that will only continue to appreciate in value over time!

The first “modern” steel helmets were introduced by the French army in early 1915 and were shortly followed by the British army later that year. With plans on the drawing board, experimental helmets in the field, (“Gaede” helmet), and some captured French and British helmets the German army began tests for their own steel helmet at the Kummersdorf Proving Grounds in November, and in the field in December 1915. An acceptable pattern was developed and approved and production began at Eisen-und Hüttenwerke, AG Thale/Harz, (Iron and Foundry Works), in the spring of 1916.

These first modern M16 helmets evolved into the M18 helmets by the end of WWI. The M16 and M18 helmets remained in usage through-out the Weimar Reichswehr, (National Defence Force, Circa 1919-1933), era and on into the early years of the Third Reich until the development of the smaller, lighter M35 style helmet in June 1935.

In 1934 tests began on an improved Stahlhelm, whose design was a development of World War I models. The Eisenhüttenwerke company of Thale carried out prototype design and testing, with Dr. Friedrich Schwerd once again taking a hand.

The new helmet was pressed from sheets of molybdenum steel in several stages. The size of the flared visor and skirt was reduced, and the large projecting lugs for the obsolete armor shield were eliminated. The ventilator holes were retained, but were set in smaller hollow rivets mounted to the helmet’s shell. The edges of the shell were rolled over, creating a smooth edge along the helmet. Finally, a completely new leather suspension, or liner, was incorporated that greatly improved the helmet’s safety, adjustability, and comfort for each wearer. These improvements made the new M1935 helmet lighter, more compact, and more comfortable to wear than the previous designs.

The Army’s Supreme Command officially accepted the new helmet on June 25, 1935 and it was intended to replace all other helmets in service.

The M1935 design was slightly modified in 1940 to simplify its construction, the manufacturing process now incorporating more automated stamping methods. The principal change was to stamp the ventilator hole mounts directly onto the shell, rather than utilizing separate fittings. In other respects, the M1940 helmet was identical to the M1935. The Germans still referred to the M1940 as the M1935, while the M1940 designation were given by collectors.

The last wartime upgrade to the standard helmet took place on 6 July 1942 at the request of the Army High Command. The rolled edge found on M1935 and M1940 helmets was discontinued as a measure of economy. On 1 August 1942 the first M1942 helmets were placed into production, and this was the model produced until late in the war, when most factories were captured or stood idle due to material shortages.