Original Item: Only One Available. The SS (Schutzstaffel - 'Protection Squadron') was originally formed in 1925, ostensibly to act as a small, loyal bodyguard unit to protect the Führer, Adolf H. Under the direction of the Reichsführer-SS Heinrich Himmler, the SS grew to be the most ruthless and feared organization of the 20th century. They were the vanguard of NSDAP and eventually controlled nearly every function of German life and much of Occupied Europe.

When WWII began in earnest, the SS-Verfügungstruppe (SS-VT) (SS Dispositional Troops) became the Waffen-SS ("Armed SS"), an official military branch of the SS organization. Its formations included men from NSDAP ruled Germany, along with volunteers and conscripts from both occupied and unoccupied lands. They were issued the same type field gear as the regular Heer Army, however they were marked specifically for the SS.

This is an incredible ultra rare all original example of a Model 1940 M40 German WWII helmet, with a single ᛋᛋ Doppelte Siegrune (Double Sig/Victory Rune) decal on the right side of the helmet. This was the symbol used by the SS throughout their existence, and many of the SS units also utilized the old Germanic Runic alphabets as a source of insignia. Earlier in the war the Waffen SS used two decals, with an NSDAP party shield on the left side, however this was dropped as the war progressed. Unlike the other armed branches, the Waffen SS had their branch insignia on the right side of the helmet.

This stamped sheet steel construction helmet retains some of its original panzergrau (armored gray) paint, however it definitely shows a lot of wear from service, particularly on the top of the helmet and on the sides of the dome. There is a ring of rust around the top. so it may have been laying on the ground for short period of time. As we often see with old helmets such as this, it looks to have been sprayed with clear lacquer on the exterior to preserve it long ago. This type of treatment was first used in the 1920s to preserve items, and continued well into the late 20th century. Since then the lacquer has yellowed and started flaking off in many places. leaving some parts of the exterior shell bare steel. The interior does not show any of this, and just shows a worn and oxidized patina.

The SS decal is very nice, and about 75% intact, definitely one of the better examples we have seen. Part of the central portion and the edges are chipped away, particularly along the top edge. It has a lovely color from the yellowing of the enamel top coat. We have examined the decal closely and compared it with known period originals, and se see no reason to doubt the authenticity. It has the correct point at the bottom for a helmet made by Eisenhüttenwerk AG, and the sides of the shield are rounded where they start inward, also correct. This inward slope starts right at the bottom of the runes, clearly seen on the left side of the decal. It also has the correct thicker black border line, distinctive to ET / ckl marked helmets, and we can also see the layer of lacquer surrounding the edges of the decal. All of these are absolutely correct for this maker. This helmet looks to only have seen some real use in service, and would make an incredible addition to any German WWII collection.

The reverse, interior, neck guard apron is batch number stamped, 700 and the interior, left side, apron has a stamped manufacturer's code and size, ET66 indicating that it was manufactured by Eisenhüttenwerk of Thale, located in the Harz district in Saxony, Germany. Size 66 is a rather large size that can accommodate liners from 58cm to 59cm or US 7 1/4 to 7 5/8. Size 66 shells are harder to find and are therefore more valuable to a collector. We also noticed some painted letters under the batch number, which look to read "Duting" or "During", which could be part of a name!

Eisenhüttenwerk AG would later change manufacturer code from ET to CKL, which occurred during final production of the M40 and initial production of the M42 models. M42s can be found with ET stamps and M40s with ckl stamps. The change to an ordnance code (ckl) was to protect the identity and location of the manufacturer from the Allies. Notice the lot number 910. The lot number indicates the particular batch of sheet steel that was used when a quantity of helmet shells were produced. This was accomplished through several steps of press-forming or hot-stamping the shells. The lot number serves as a control number for the manufacturer and as an extra stamp of approval.

The front two liner retaining split pins are intact, and match the helmet perfectly, while the rear retaining pin is unfortunately missing. The interior of the helmet still has an original M31 leather liner with all eight "fingers" still present and intact, as well as an original top tie. The leather is a nice chestnut brown, and does show wear and age, making the leather a bit stiff, however we do not see any major cracking or tears, just some splitting over the rim. The outer side of the galvanized steel liner band over the left ear is marked 66 n.A / 58, indicating that this is a size 58 liner for a size 66 shell. The right side has the full maker information lightly stamped:

Metall-Lederverarbeitung W.Z.
1941
Bln.- Ch'burg 5

This indicates production by the metal and leather working company Werner Zahn, based in Berlin - Charlottenburg, in the year 1941, which fits right into the early war period. There is still an original chinstrap fitted to the liner, but it is actually only the longer section, which was stretched to the other side and then secured with the usual metal stud.

Overall this is a great example of a Rare M40 Single Decal SS helmet, complete with a liner and partial chinstrap! M40 helmets of this quality are always the hardest to find on the market. This is an item that will only continue to appreciate in value over time.

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.

The M1935 design was slightly modified in 1940 to simplify its construction, the manufacturing process now incorporating more automated stamping methods. The principal change was to stamp the ventilator hole mounts directly onto the shell, rather than utilizing separate fittings. In other respects, the M1940 helmet was identical to the M1935. The Germans still referred to the M1940 as the M1935, while the M1940 designation was given by collectors.

In 1942, Due to wartime demands, the M-42 design was put into production because it was significantly quicker to manufacture. The rolled edge of the M-35 shell was eliminated, creating an unfinished edge along the rim. This edge flared out slightly, along the base of the skirt. The elimination of the rolled edge expedited the manufacturing process and reduced the amount of metal used in each helmet, without sacrificing protection.