Original Item: Only One Available. This is a very appealing original German WWII Heer Army M40 steel helmet with substantial original finish, an exceptionally well preserved single Heer decal, and its original 1940 dated M31 liner assembly in relic condition. The shell is stamped SE64 for manufacture by Sächsische Emaillier und Stanzwerke A.G. of Lauter, with lot number 869 at the rear. Although the leather portion of the liner is heavily deteriorated and the chinstrap is a post war replica, the helmet retains strong period character, approximately 80% of its original textured finish, and over 90% of its Heer eagle decal.

The M40 was the simplified successor to the earlier M35 helmet and retained the familiar German Stahlhelm profile while incorporating stamped ventilation openings directly into the shell. This example is finished in a lightly textured Panzergrau (amor gray) blue gray paint, much of which remains intact despite obvious service wear, age, chipping, and oxidation.

The exterior retains approximately 80% of its original blue gray paint. Wear is distributed naturally across the shell, with chipped areas and oxidation contributing to a strong service worn appearance. The interior retains the finish to a similar degree, although paint is missing from the top of the dome.

The left side carries the original Heer eagle decal, which is retained at over 90%. It shows some surface scratches and slight yellowing from age, but there is no major loss of the design and the eagle remains exceptionally strong visually.

The rear interior neck guard is stamped:

869

The left interior apron is stamped:

SE64

The SE manufacturer code identifies Sächsische Emaillier und Stanzwerke A.G. of Lauter, Germany, while 64 indicates the shell size. This size shell was intended to accept M31 liner assemblies in approximately the 56cm to 57cm range. Size 64 shells are harder to find and are therefore more valuable to a collector.

All three original liner retaining pins remain present and in good condition. The steel pins appear originally to have had plated surfaces, and oxidation beneath the finish has resulted in substantial paint flaking on two of the three heads.

The helmet still contains its original style M31 galvanized steel liner assembly, although the leather and padding are now in relic condition. Almost all of the leather liner is missing, and a large portion of the felt underpadding has torn away from more than half of the circumference and now hangs from the inner liner band.

The outer galvanized steel liner band is marked:

64 n.A / 56

This indicates a 56cm liner assembly intended for a size 64 helmet shell. The opposite side retains the full maker and date marking:

B. & C.
BERLIN
1940

This identifies the liner manufacturer as Biedermann & Czarnikow of Berlin and dates the assembly to 1940. Biedermann & Czarnikow later moved liner production to Litzmannstadt in occupied Poland, where wartime production made use of forced labor. NSDAP authorities renamed Łódź to Litzmannstadt in honor of the German General Karl Litzmann who had captured the city in the previous World War. The BERLIN / 1940 marking on this example therefore represents the firm's earlier production period before that relocation.

The 1940 date and 64 n.A / 56 size are entirely consistent with this M40 shell. We see no obvious evidence from the supplied information that the liner assembly was replaced, although the present relic condition of the leather limits how much can be determined from the surviving components alone.

The currently fitted chinstrap is a post war reproduction constructed from thick leather with a steel buckle and attachment studs. It carries the replicated marking:

R. LARSEN
BERLIN
1935

This marking is commonly encountered on European reproduction chinstraps and should not be mistaken for an original wartime maker stamp. The replica strap now shows its own oxidation and age and may have been installed on the helmet many years ago.

Condition overall is very good as a service worn shell with a relic liner. The helmet retains approximately 80% of its original textured finish and more than 90% of the Heer decal, while the shell itself displays attractive wear, chipping, and oxidation. The principal condition issue is the heavily deteriorated M31 liner, with most of the leather absent and extensive loss to the felt padding. The replica chinstrap is fully disclosed.

For the German WWII helmet collector, this example has several particularly desirable surviving features: an original SE64 M40 shell, lot number 869, a strong single Heer decal, approximately 80% original textured finish, all three liner retaining pins, and a correctly sized B. & C. / BERLIN / 1940 M31 liner band. The relic liner and reproduction chinstrap are clear condition considerations, but the shell, decal, markings, and untouched service wear give the helmet excellent visual character for a Heer headgear or German WWII field equipment collection.

The German Stahlhelm
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.

More than 1 million M1935 helmets were manufactured in the first two years after its introduction, and millions more were produced until 1940 when the basic design and production methods were changed, replacing the multi-piece riveted vent with one stamped directly into the steel. Later, in 1942 the rolled steel rim was removed from the pattern to further expedite production.