2018.002.050 [Helmet, Military]

This is a German painted Stahlhelm steel helmet. Mild weight, 13x9". Two metal tubes protrude at angles around the equator of the helmet's dome. There are five bolts/screws inserted into the sides and back of the helmet to secure the interior leather head straps. Leather and metal neck strap remains intact, as well as the leather and cloth head cushions. The exterior of the helmet has been painted or stained in a variety of green, tan, and white pigments to provide camouflage for its wearer. There is considerable patina on the exterior of the helmet and some signs of corrosion around the screws and folded rim. The Stahlhelm helmet was developed as a replacement for the boiled-leather Pickelhaube, also known as the "spike-helmet." As the realities of industrial-scale warfare set in, all the major European powers transitioned to steel helmets to provide their soldiers with better protection than had been afforded them by more traditional designs. The design of the Stahlhelm proved incredibly efficient for use in the field and was kept (although in modified form) in service by German armed forces until it was officially phased out near the end of the Cold War. This content can be used with the following resources: SS.4.25: Technological Change This content can be used to educate students on the evolution of military technology during the First World War and how that evolution affected Iowa soldiers. For any use other than instructional resources, please check with the organization that owns this item for any copyright restrictions.