WW1 GERMAN IMPERIAL ARMY M1917 STAHLHELM / STEEL HELMET - Si 66

WORLD WAR 1 GERMAN IMPERIAL ARMY M1917STAHLHELM / STEEL HELMET.AsWW1 drew on, it was obvious to the German army that the leather 'Picklehaube', or spike helmet, offered inadequate protection for trench warfare. The Germanarmy's first official first issue steel combat helmet was the M16. TheM16 Stahlhelm can be differentiated from the M18 helmet by the M91 chin-strapposts on the inner helmet (see pictures 6 & 7). The M17 helmet did away with these posts and used a"D" ring arrangemen...t instead. The M1916 design had side-mountedhorn-like ventilator lugs which were intended to be support for an additionalsteel brow plate or Stirnpanzer, which only ever saw limited use bysnipers and trench raiding parties, as it was too heavy for general use. Thesteps on the lugs (or lack of steps) also confirms the helmet size in case themaker’s mark has become unreadable. The shell came in different sizes, from 60to 68, with some size 70s reported. Helmet weight varied from 0.98 kg to 1.4kg, depending on shell size. The suspension, or liner, consisted of a headbandwith three segmented leather pouches, each holding padding materials, andleather or fabric cords could be adjusted to provide a comfortable fit. Theone-piece leather chin strap was attached to the shell by M1891 chinstrap lugs, the same kind used in the leather Pickelhaube helmet.The M1916 design provided excellentprotection: Reserve Lieutenant Walter Schulze of 8th Company Reserve InfantryRegiment 76 described his combat introduction to the helmet on the Somme, 29July 1916:"... suddenly, with a great clangingthud, I was hit on the forehead and knocked flying onto the floor of thetrench... a shrapnel bullet had hit my helmet with great violence, withoutpiercing it, but sufficiently hard to dent it. If I had, as had been usual upuntil a few days previously, been wearing a cap, then the Regiment would have hadone more man killed." After the effectiveness of the M1916design was validated during the 1916 campaigns, incremental improvements weresubsequently made. The M1917 version saw improvements to the liner, but wasotherwise identical to the original design.I found this helmet in Afghanistan bazaar backin 2005. You might ask, “Well, how did a WW1 German Stahlhelm end up inAfghanistan?” Good question. I asked myself the same thing.Following WW1, there was a lot of surplusmilitary equipment on the market. The Afghan king, Zahir Shah, took theopportunity to modernize his forces. He bought equipment from the UK, France, Germany and even Russia. The liner of this helmet has been modified by theAfghan forces and an Afghan National Army metal badge has been attached on theright side of the helmet through a small hole (it is easily removable).  Some examples of this helmet have a bronzebadge with a Katyusha rocket truck; obviously belonging to rocket a rocketartillery unit. However, most do not. I was told that the last service of thesehelmets were by the Afghan Royal Guard up to the 1970s.Thesehelmets were used throughout WW1 by German and Austro-Hungarian forces and evensaw use in WW2. Thishelmet is in good overall shape and still retains much of its originalgreen/loam paint scheme. There are no dents or cracks and only a lightsuperficial rust flaking on the inside. Should the buyer wish to restore thishelmet, many replacement part sources can be found within WW1re-enactors web sites.
This particular helmet has a manufacturer's code on the inner right ear "flap" of "Si 66". This indicates that the make, Si, Eisenhüttenwerk Schlesien, Paruschowitz/ Oberschlesie and the 66 indicates the size (smallest was 62 and largest was 68). In the absence of a code, one could discerne the size by the helmet lug style.   Eisenhüttenwerk Schlesien only made M17 model helmets in size 62, 64 & 66.The helmet has the metal badge of the Afghan army (which can be easily removed). The last picture shows Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev (black hat)review an Afghan honour guard wearing old German uniforms, on their arrival in Kabul, Afghanistan, on December 15, 1955. At left is the Afghan Prime Minister Sardar Mohammed Daud Khan, and behind, in cap, the foreign minister, Prince Naim.

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