Original Item: Only One Available. This is a scarce original Imperial German WWI Prussian infantry Ersatz Filzhelm, or felt Pickelhaube, produced in the general M1895 enlisted configuration during the material shortages of the First World War. The helmet retains an early combination of brass fittings, Prussian enlisted eagle wappen, fixed infantry spike, and original nine-tongue leather liner, although the felt body has suffered substantial deformation and damage and has received numerous modern repairs for stabilization and display.

When Germany mobilized in 1914, the enormous demand for helmets and other field equipment rapidly exceeded the supply of traditional leather Pickelhauben. Manufacturers therefore turned to a wide range of Ersatz, or substitute, materials in an effort to maintain production.

Pressed felt was particularly suitable because Germany already possessed a large and well-established felt-hat industry. Felt Pickelhauben, commonly called Filzhelme, could be blocked from relatively few pieces of material and required less leather and labor than the traditional lacquered-leather helmet.

These wartime felt helmets were produced in numerous variations depending on the manufacturer, date, and availability of metal fittings. Early production commonly utilized remaining stocks of M1895-style brass fittings, while oxidized or gray-painted steel fittings became increasingly common during 1915 as nonferrous metals were conserved for other wartime requirements.

This example retains brass fittings throughout, making it more consistent with the earlier phase of Ersatz felt-helmet production.

The helmet is a simplified Prussian line-infantry enlisted man’s, or Mannschaften, configuration. Simplified Filzhelm patterns frequently omitted some of the reinforcement fittings found on conventional leather Pickelhauben, particularly the metal visor trim. This example retains a brass rear spine.

As the felt hat manufacturing industry was well established in Germany for hundreds of years, the hat industry stepped in to fill the void by producing Pickelhaube out of pressed and blocked felt, manufactured from rabbit fur or shredded wool. One advantage to the Filzhelme (felt helmets) was that they were normally pressed from one-piece of felt which significantly reduced production time. There were many variations produced, depending on when they were made and what materials for fittings were available at the time. First the brass M1895 fittings were used up, and then in 1915 the Filzhelm switched to the oxide coated steel, like this one. There are many examples of Ersatz helmet with both brass and steel fittings though this one is all brass.

This is a fair condition simplified pattern Imperial Prussian line Infantry enlisted man's Mannschaften (other ranks) Ersatz (replacement) felt pickelhaube. The body shows heavy deformation and damage which has been repaired in recent years, to include leather patches under the body, glue repairs to the front and back visors, and new leather backings for the wappen.

This helmet features a lovely gold-colored alloy frontplate (wappen) with the Prussian state eagle clutching a scepter and crown, over the King's motto, MIT GOTT FÜR KOENIG UND VATERLAND (With God for King and Country, i.e. Prussia). The Preußen issued Wappen in 1895 were intended to be made out of Tombak (an alloy made from a combination of copper and zinc) but it seems that the copper-color was unpopular and they were soon replaced with Aluminiumbronze which has a very bright brass appearance.

The crown of this helmet displays a vented enlisted spike mount on a baseplate. The spike is in good condition, and as per the pattern, it is unable to be removed. It is missing the Prussian (black and white) and German National Colors (red white and black) kokarden (cockades) around the chin strap lugs. The chinstrap is also absent, and the mounts are a bit dented and loose.

The interior retains a leather liner that is partially detached but retains all nine tongues. There is some paper residue on the interior bottom of the spike base. As shown there are multiple leather and glue repairs to the body.

The combination of the early brass furniture, simplified felt construction, surviving Prussian wappen, original liner, and extensive modern stabilization work makes this an informative representative example of the material expedients adopted by the Imperial German Army during WWI. The missing cockades and chinstrap, loose side mounts, shell deformation, glue repairs, leather reinforcement patches, and partially detached liner are substantial condition considerations, but they also illustrate why these lightly constructed Ersatz felt helmets survive far less frequently than conventional leather Pickelhauben.