The East German Military Helmet has origins that can be traced all
the way back to 1939, and to the Wehrmacht invasion of Poland. The Iron
and Steel Specialty Division of the Third Reich Research Council
undertook a study at that time, of the ballistic characteristics
inherent to various military helmets of armies of several different
countries. The Reich Institute For Defense Technology was tasked with
this study, and two Professors, Dr. Fry and Dr. Hänsel were instrumental
in securing examples of different helmets from different countries for
the test. These helmets, along with the Wehrmacht's own M35 Stahlhelm,
were tested with small arms ammunition fired from a multitude of angles
and distances, for research purposes relevant penetration
characteristics.
The British "Tommy" helmet fared the worst. However, the Wehrmacht's
own M35 also was found to have serious shortcomings. Finding none of the
helmets in current use by the different armies of the world to be
satisfactory, the Reich Institute undertook steps to design an all
together new helmet with the ballistic characteristics sought after.
Several prototype helmets for testing were produced by the Völkingen
Stahlwerke. Upon completion of the tests in 1942, the results were
provided to the Army Weapons Office.
Despite objections by Hitler, this
office, under the auspices of a memoranda generated by the Army Medical
Inspectorate, went ahead and authorized production of a new pattern
combat helmet. The passing of the memorandum was due in part to
increasing pressure on the Army Weapons Office to find a solution to the
ever increasing number of serious head wounds received by wearers of
the M35 and the M42; and to encompass design changes that would address
the increasingly scarce supply of necessary materials and labor required
for production of the current M35/42 helmet. The M35/42 models were
both very expensive to produce, and labor intensive.
Subsequently, a
total of four prototypes were designed, which were designated A, B, BII,
and C. The latter 3 represented major departures from the M35/42
design. After preliminary testing, models B and BII were approved for
further testing. Orders were then placed with the Eisen und Hüttenwerke
for production of no less than 50 examples of each type.
They were
referred to as the Thale/Harz helmets after their designers. The Helmets
were then sent to the Doeblitz Infantry School outside of Berlin, where
they were then put through rigorous 'Hands-on' testing in a true field
environment with Infantry Units at the school. The helmets subsequently
proved to be of sound design for wear and use, and were far superior in
ballistics to any helmet then made. It was only then that Hitler was
approached with the final results of the research program that had gone
on for several years without his knowledge. Both helmet designs, B and
BII were presented to him in the autumn of 1944 for his approval of one
or the other. The new helmet was to be designated the M45. Remarkably,
Hitler took no action against anyone for the tests that had gone on
behind his back. He did however reject both helmets, doing so on the
principle that the current M35/42, in his eyes, best exemplified the
German Soldier. His decision was based entirely on his own perception of
how countries with whom the Wehrmacht was at war viewed the German
Soldier in Uniform. He felt the M35/42 best exemplified that look.
Not surprisingly, memoirs recorded in diaries of some Soviet soldiers
suggest the new helmets given to the Infantry School on the outskirts of
Berlin for testing, received their baptism of fire when Soviet Forces
first entered the Berlin Capital in the Spring of 1945. Reportedly,
Russian Troops encountered two Infantry Companies from the Doeblitz
Infantry School. The Dresden Museum has, in its NVA Display, an example
of a model BII Stahlhelm, believed to be a survivor of the last ditch
effort by the Wehrmacht against the Russians, as they unsuccessfully
strove to fend off the invaders as they entered Berlin.
After the division of the two German states, and the designation of
East Germany as a separate country in 1949, a seemingly new type helmet
already had appeared, which was worn in limited numbers by the Barracks
Police, or KVP. It actually was based upon the model A Stahlhelm and
therefore resembled the M35/42. It, together with the Khaki type uniform
then worn by the KVP, proved to be problematic with the East German
Populace, who found it too closely resembled the uniform of the hated
Soviet Military.
Consequently in 1956, with the transformation of the
KVP into the new Nationale Volksarmee (NVA), the newly established NVA
Rear-Services Administration and Office of Technology was ordered to
develop a new helmet deemed suitable for the East German 'Socialist'
Armed Forces. It could not have physical characteristics associated with
either the Wehrmacht M35/42 or the Russian helmet. Consequently, the
Model A helmet then being worn by the KVP was rejected. Yet the helmet
still needed to project the 'National' character of East Germany.
It
suddenly dawned on all that the helmet in question had already been
designed, and tested. And, the factory for producing the helmet already
existed, with all the necessary tools and dies. It just so happened that
the Head Engineer appointed to and tasked with the development of the
new NVA helmet was Erich Kiesen. Ironically, he had been affiliated with
Eisen und Hüttenwerke, which had produced the model B and BII helmets
formerly approved by the Wehrmacht Army Weapons Office, but rejected by
Hitler.
Hitler's rejection now proved paramount and profound, because it
paved the way for acceptance of that helmet without connotations of it
being associated with the 'Fascist' Wehrmacht army. Better yet, no
monies were necessary for research, design and/or testing. The helmet
had already been designed, researched and tested thoroughly, and had
passed with flying colors on all accounts. Even better was the fact that
Ingenieur Kiesen was the holder of former patents for an improved
helmet liner with a new 'Y'-type chin-strap and ventilation bushings
meant for the M35/42, but never implemented.
With modifications, the
Model B and BII could be quickly fitted with that liner. But most
prophetic of all, was the good fortune that the factory in question was
completely intact and located on East German soil. The BII subsequently
was selected for production over the model B. So it was that production
of the model BII was resumed in January 1956. The new helmet was
introduced to the East German Public via photographs published that
February in a magazine for the German Youth, or FDJ. The new helmet was
officially introduced at the introduction ceremony of the NVA on May
1st, in Berlin. It was painted in a 'Stone Grey' matte and bore a
Tri-color Shield on one side in Black, Red and Gold.
Eventually, under the direction of Gen. Willi Stoph, the helmet went
through more rigorous testing, resulting in superficial design
modifications over the passing years - the removal of the 'Rivets' being
one of the later design modification improvements. In principle,
however, the helmet was found to be superior to anything then being
fielded by any army anywhere. Not until the advent of the Kevlar Helmet
by the U.S. Military, did a helmet surpass the ballistic qualities
endowed to the NVA Stahlhelm, officially designated the M-1956. In 1957
the helmet entered production in earnest in three sizes (60m, 64m and
68m). By September of that same year, 50,000 helmets had been produced
and issued to NVA Troops. By years end, all NVA Troops had the helmet.
The entire process, development to production and issue, was
accomplished in a single year. Also in 1957, the first 'Resin' or
plastic NVA helmets were produced for issue to and wear by special elite
or honor guard troops.
It should be noted that the first production helmets had a liner
similar to the M-42, but were configured with a double-'Y' chin-strap.
Consequently, any NVA Stahlhelm found to be configured with an M-42 type
liner and the single type adjustable chinstrap, could very well be an
example of a model B or BII produced during the era of the Wehrmacht.
The 'Rivets', of course, should be found to be positioned lower on the
helmet than on subsequent 1956 production models.
M-56 NVA
This is the Reichspatentamt for the New Helmet, Notice the Date7, December 1943 12, January 1944
Early in WW1, The Germans like other countries, went into battle as soldiers did from other War's with no helmet, but a cap or nothing at all. In 1914 German Soldiers used their Pickelhaube, This was not a Seel Helmet, But an All Leather Helmet, which look good in the field, But did nothing to stop head injury'.
The Germans as the Allied Army's experienced without proper head protection had many deaths or serious head injury's caused by bullet, Artillery fragments / Bomb fragments. So In 1916 the Germans produced a modern Combat helmet that offered excellent head protection, This was the M16 of ww1 fame.
M-35 Wehrmacht
M-42 Wehrmacht
Actual Field Test conducted on new helmet in trial tests in 1943-44.
Notice marked areas with an X or Circled area, shows how Bullet was deflected by position of helmet.
This was the most modern helmet design up to the creation of Kevlar Helmets. Again Germany was ahead of the rest of the world, In 1916 they had the most modern helmet that offered best head protection, changed it to the M-35, M-40, M-42. After the War created the Wartime helmet we know as the DDR/NVA M-56.
