Original German WWII Battlefield Pickup M35 Single Decal SS Helmet with Liner – size 66 Shell Original Items

Original Item: One of a kind. This is what we all look for and can never find! This is an incredible ultra rare all original example Model 1935 M35 German WWII helmet, with a single SS decal on the left side of the helmet. It saw service during WWII, and was then left on the battlefield, and picked up some time after the battle, or possibly dug up by a souvenir seeker. It definitely suffered from exposure to the elements for a while. This gives it a lovely look that simply cannot be duplicated! It most likely was only a shell when recovered, and another “battlefield pickup” condition liner was installed, along with a replacement chinstrap, to complete the look.

This stamped sheet steel construction does still retain some of the original field grey paint, however the exterior is freckled and pitted throughout its entire surface. THe interior is in fact a bit worse, with more serious pitting throughout. The SS decal on the right side appears to be an “ET” type, in 15% condition, with parts missing and what is left quite worn. Other decal is not present. but we do not know if it wore away, or was simply never present.

The rusting to the interior of the helmet has unfortunately obliterated the original maker markings and heat log stamp. However the exterior measurement is about 67cm, indicating a size 66cm shell.  This is a nice large size that can accommodate liners from 58cm to 59cm or US 7 1/4 to 7 3/8. Size 66 shells are harder to find and are therefore more valuable to a collector.

All three liner retaining pins are intact, and look to be original, with much of the exterior paint missing. The interior of the helmet still has the original M31 leather liner, though it is almost certainly a replacement, or partly refurbished. It is not the correct size for the shell, which is why there is so much space between the band and the shell. IT does still have all 8 of the liner “fingers,” though it also shows some damage. The top tie strap is a replacement.

The early war issue aluminum steel liner band is marked on the left outer side with 64 nA / 56, indicating that the liner is a size 56, intended for a 64 shell.  The right side displays the full manufacture information inside a circle:

SCHUBERTH – WERK K.-G.
D.R.P.
1939
BRAUNSCHWEIG

This liner has the correct reinforced aluminum sides, which would soon be replaced by galvanized steel liner bands. The chinstrap is also present, though it looks to be a post war replacement made using the original aluminum fittings.

Overall this is a wonderful example of a “battlefield pickup” or “dug up” M35 Single Decal SS helmet shell, restored with a correct period liner and partial reproduction chin strap. 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.