Original Item: Only One Available. This is a very attractive service used Austro-Hungarian M17 steel helmet that was subsequently refurbished and reissued for German Heer Army use during the prewar and early WWII period. The shell retains approximately 75% of its early Apfelgrün, or apple green, German finish together with both the Heer eagle and National Colors decals. It also retains a later M31 liner assembly in relic condition, remnants of the chinstrap, its original Austrian chinstrap bales, and a large shell measuring consistent with approximately size 66.

The Austrian M17 was closely related to the German M16 Stahlhelm but incorporated several distinctive Austro-Hungarian features, including the higher mounted chinstrap rivets and Austrian style chinstrap fittings. Austrian manufactured examples were originally finished in the characteristic brown often referred to as Isonzo-braun.

This example was later reworked for German use. The original brown finish was largely removed or covered and the exterior refinished in an early German Apfelgrün apple green paint. Approximately 75% of this finish remains, with scattered chipping and oxidation, particularly along the upper sides of the shell. Despite the wear, the helmet has a very attractive transitional appearance.

The original Austrian chinstrap bales remain present. Inside the helmet, their loops have been turned downward and pressed flat around the later M31 liner band, a modification encountered on Austrian shells that were adapted to accept German liner systems.

The helmet was additionally fitted with the early double decal arrangement consisting of the Heer eagle and National Colors shield. Both remain clearly visible and have not been painted over.

The Heer eagle decal remains approximately 90% intact and is still quite bright. The National Colors shield shows somewhat greater wear and is approximately 75% present, with several scratched areas. Both decals display attractive age toning, and portions of their original clear protective lacquer remain visible.

The National Colors decal was discontinued during the war, making the survival of both decals a particularly appealing feature on an early transitional helmet such as this.

No conventional maker or shell size stamp is visible. This is not unusual on Austro-Hungarian helmets, as some manufacturers relied on inked markings that could easily disappear beneath later paint.

The inside of the dome is stamped:

9 1 0 1

The exact significance of this number is presently unknown.

There is also a small hole punched or drilled through the center of the lower rear skirt. We do not know its original purpose and have therefore left it uninterpreted.

Exterior measurements of the shell are approximately 67cm, which is consistent with a large shell of approximately size 66. The helmet also retains the short, unstepped vent lugs associated with larger WWI pattern shells.

The two forward liner retaining split pins remain present and retain their apple green paint very well. The rear liner pin is missing.

The interior retains a third pattern M31 liner assembly with galvanized steel bands. The leather itself is now in relic condition and is almost completely missing, exposing much of the felt padding beneath. What leather survives is heavily dry rotted and should be handled carefully.

Short remnants of the chinstrap are also still present together with their attachment studs. Because the liner is fitted very tightly within the shell, we are unable to inspect the liner band closely enough to read any maker or size markings.

Overall, this is a highly appealing transitional helmet that clearly shows two distinct periods of military service. The large Austro-Hungarian M17 shell, surviving apple green German repaint, approximately 90% Heer eagle, approximately 75% National Colors decal, original Austrian chinstrap hardware, later M31 liner installation, and relic interior all contribute to its strong collector character. The missing rear liner pin, heavily deteriorated liner leather, chinstrap remnants, oxidation, and unexplained rear hole are fully disclosed, while the surviving double decals and attractive early finish make this an especially interesting example for a WWI-to-WWII transitional helmet collection.

History of Austrian Steel Helmets
"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, in the spring of 1916. These first modern M16 helmets evolved into the M18 helmets by the end of WWI. At the end of WWI it is estimated that Germany had produced about 8,500,000 steel helmets. As a result of the restrictions placed on the German’s by the Treaty of Versailles, which dictated a standing army of only 100,000 personnel, there was an abundant surplus of these helmets, and though they saw widespread use by Freikorps personnel, there was still a stockpile controlled by the Reichswehr.

These excess helmets underwent minor modifications in 1923 with the addition of provincial identifying shield decals and in 1931 with the development of a new chinstrap and liner system. Although helmet development was ongoing when AH came to power in 1933, the M16 and M18 helmets were still the main headgear worn by the Reichswehr. The helmets remained the same until March 1933 when the provincial shields were discontinued in favor of the national tri-color shield. In 1934 the national eagle shield was introduced, and both the tri-color and eagle shields were applied to the helmets. After the development of the new M35 helmet, the WWI helmets were still issued to second line and training troops well into WWII. The Austrian M16 was almost identical to the German version with the positioning of the chinstrap liner rivets being the most readily identifiable difference.

Austro-Hungarian Helmets

The Central Powers of Austria-Hungary used, manufactured and commissioned, variations of the World War One German Stahlhelm M16 design. The Austrian M1917 helmet was similar to the German M1916, but had a few variations including the chinstrap, chinstrap rivets located higher up on the steel shell and variations in locations of markings among others.

Early Austrian helmets were supplied by Germany, the first shells supplied as the chinstrap rivets were mounted in a lower position. The Austrians fitted their own chinstrap bales, chinstraps and liner and painted them in Austrian Isonzo braun. These modifications were carried out with German machinery at the "Adolf Westen di Cilli factory, which is now Celije, in Slovenia.

Later Austria-Hungary made their own helmets, and eventually developed a model similar to the German M18, but it did not see wide use before the end of the war, just as with German's M18. Both were an an important stepping stone towards the German helmets of WWII, which moved to chin straps attached to the liner, not the shell.

Austro-Hungarian WWI Helmets Makers-

There are only 9 known factories that produced helmets during WWI for the KUK. Unlike the Germans the Austrian pattern helmet are often found without factory stamps and heating lot codes. When the heating lot codes are present it is often on the outer top dome of the helmet instead of the inside. The following is a table of Manufactures codes of helmets produced by the Austrians. Several of these makers did not stamp the code into the shell of the helmet but rather marked them with an ink stamp. Therefore many Austrian shells will be encountered today that seem to have no maker mark as the ink stamp has worn off, but most will have rolling mill codes.

Maker Name Factory Location Maker code Sizes Model

A. Westen Cilli Celie, Slovenia AW 64 M17

Brüder Gottlieb u. Brauchbar Brunn BGB 66 M17

C. A. Scholtz,Mateocz Sloeakei CAS 66 M17

Berndorfer Metal-Warenfabrik Berndorf, Austria "Bear" logo 66,64

Bruder Lapp, Rottenman u. Warcholowsky Unknown ? M17

Nadrag,Transilvania Transylvania Unknown ? M17

Resicka, Transylvania Transylvania Unknown ? M17

Bleckmann & Poldihutte Klando Boemia Unknown x Stirnpanzer

Gebruder Bohler & Co., Kapfen Austria, Stiria GB "Star" 66 M17

Rolling Mills Marker Code

Ludwikow L

Bleckmann B

Poldi P