Kriegsmarine Helmets

INFO LINK : History of the Kriegsmarine

Observations :

  • Exist as double decal (M35’s) and single decal.
  • You’ll find a lot of M35’s with removed tricolors
  • Kriegsmarine decals pose a bigger challenge to collectors as they are identical to their Heer counterparts. The only difference being the golden color as opposed to the silver Heer decals. But unfortunately the lacquer on Heer decals can tone so hard that often Heer decals are mistaken for KM decals.
  • Only 2 confirmed Kriegsmarine decal types exist. ET decal and the Thin winged type. There are collectors that also want to include a Pocher KM decal but for me personally at this point it is not proven it exists.
  • Only 4 out of 5 Factories produced Kriegsmarine helmets. ET was the largest supplier and produced M35 , M40’s and M42’s. SE only produced single decal M35’s. EF produced M40’s and M42’s. Quist produced a small number of M40’s.
  • Factory paint colors are identical to those of the Heer , SS and Polizei helmets.
  • KM helmets were sometimes also painted “battleship grey” , it is always a good thing if the decal on such painted helmets can be authenticated as being Kriegsmarine. The Danes are also known to have painted Wehrmacht helmets in a similar grey right after the war.

Look in the Decals sub menu for details on Kriegsmarine decals.

SCROLL DOWN FOR EXAMPLES OF DIFFERENT HELMETS

Eisenhüttenwerke Thale (ET) size 66 – M35

  • Lot number 4084
  • Single band alu liner
  • Tricolor still present , with most ET KM M35 the tricolors were removed.
  • Note the lighter colored rivets.

Eisenhüttenwerke Thale (ET) size 64 – M35

  • Lot number 4003
  • Liner band dated 1938
  • Tricolor decal scratched off as often happened with ET M35 Kriegsmarine helmets
  • Name label sewed on the liner leather
  • This helmet was found in North Holland a few years ago.
  • Has the “ridged” ET decal
  • Note the lighter paint color of the rivets.
soldato KM.png
This soldier is clearly wearing an ET M35 Kriegsmarine helmet

Sächsische emaillier und stanzwerke (SE) size 62 – M35

  • Lot number 4789
  • 1939 dated liner band
  • ET KM decal

Sächsische emaillier und stanzwerke (SE) size 62 – M35

  • Lot number 4858
  • Liner band Werner Zahn 1940 , note the round corner chinstrap bales
  • Roller buckle chinstrap often associated with Kriegsmarine helmets
  • SE only produced a small batch of Kriegsmarine helmets all single decal with the same specs as this helmet.
  • ET KM decal

Photos courtesy of 808

Sächsische emaillier und stanzwerke (SE) size 64 – M35

  • Lot number 4794
  • Liner band date not readable
  • It’s a reinforced aluminium liner with round cornered D rings.
  • Black overpaint probably used by guards of a naval facility (similar black helmets have been found in Norway) , this helmet was found recently in Denmark

Eisenhüttenwerke Thale (ET) size 64 – M40

  • Lot number 1221
  • Has a grey overpaint what collectors term ‘Battleship grey’.
  • ET decal

Photos courtesy of 808

Eisenhüttenwerke Thale (ET) size 66 – M40

  • Lot number 571
  • 1941 Dated liner band
  • ET decal

Emaillierwerke A.G.Fulda (EF) size 64 M42

  • Lot number 2099
  • 1942 Dated Werner Zahn liner band with 1942 dated B&C rivets
  • Carries the Huber Jordan & Koerner Kriegsmarine decal also called the thin winged decal.

Photos courtesy of 808

Emaillierwerke A.G.Fulda (EF) size 66 M42

  • Lot number possibly 0357
  • Steel Liner band 1943 , B&C
  • Carries the Huber Jordan & Koerner Kriegsmarine decal also called the thin winged decal.