com - The Online Reference Guide to World War II German Helmets 1933-1945 Copyright 2003
that they can have solid confi-
Collecting Relic Helmets dence in. What better way to have confidence in a helmet’s Over the past several years the less, people still want to authenticy than to have it there has been a slow but in- collect them. pulled directly from the creasing interest in WWII Perhaps their interest in ground of a former battle site? German “relic” helmets. The relic helmets has risen in part term “relic” best characterizes to the lack of available (and A Worthy Investment? helmets which include those affordable) original and un- found in abandoned bunkers, touched helmets within the With such growing interest excavated from old burial collectors’ market. The num- in these helmets, many collec- grounds and battlefields, com- ber and quality of original tors ask whether or not they bat damaged shells, and helmets that have avoided any are worth the monetary in- rusted hulks no longer bearing postwar tampering has been vestment. After all, no one is any paint or insignia. In most shrinking for many years. simply giving these rusty hel- mets away. Rusted and ground dug shells of elite units or military formations such as the Waffen-SS often bring high price tags. The fact that the Euro is stronger than the Dollar makes such helmets even more expensive since the majority come from Europe and Russia. Ground dug Luftwaffe paratrooper helmet shells are often equally as expensive if not more so. It is not uncommon to see relic paratrooper helmets sell for $400 to $750 at auction or simply from the gun show table! Common relic shells A ground dug helmet from Germany shows a splinter fragment such as a rust pitted and dam- concussion from an artillery round. (Private collection, Germany) aged M1942 helmet with less than 5% decal and only 10% cases, these relic helmets are Interest in relic helmets might remaining paint might sell for actually in far worse condition also be an after effect of the $50 to $75. Those in slightly than a helmet in average growing number of quality better condition may sell for standing. Relic helmets are “fakes” that continue to be $200 to $300. Are these hel- rusty, damaged, and incom- sold to unsuspecting buyers. mets worth it? Will they even plete at their very best. Many Rather than getting “stung” hold their value over time? of these helmets bear no re- for hundreds if not thousands This is an excellent question semblance to their former of dollars, many new collec- which often receives little or condition whatsoever! Never tors prefer to have a helmet no attention. Seller tactics
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usually do not disclose such Poland, Latvia, and Russia for crumble into pieces over a information and eager buy- “the find of the decade” collector’s lifetime, what is ers are generally happy to which may bring hundreds if the best method to preserve spend their money without not thousands of dollars from helmets of this kind? Is there asking questions of this the right buyer. From a col- anyway of saving these hel- kind. lecting standpoint, it would mets so that they retain their Without a doubt, it is very seem that a relic helmet that is value and historical interest? clear that demand for Ger- nothing more than a rusted The answer is yes of course man WWII helmets is very shell is going to continue to and it all has to do with how high. As one of the most be far less valuable than a the helmet is stored. Helmets sought after WWII collecti- complete helmet in average that are rusted inside and out bles, a German helmet in condition. At the present and those that have been any condition seems to be of time, it is unlikely an ad- ground dug are likely to be in interest to collectors. At vanced collector will pay top a very poor state of condition. present, there appears to be dollar for a rusted shell when The most basic preserva- no let down ahead. Helmet he might be able to acquire an tion technique is to ensure prices (and values) continue above average helmet for the that the helmet is clean of any to stay their course and most same or less price. After all, a mud, soil, or other contami- appear to be increasing well helmet that has been dug from nants that have surrounded it beyond their initial purchase the ground and that is already while in the ground. A simple price. Given that most col- in the advanced stages of de- and delicate cleaning using lectors prefer to invest their composition is not going to soap and warm water is likely money in helmets that are in last as long as a helmet that is to do the job. Since water is good condition, original, in average shape and has involved in this process, it is and also complete, it would never been exposed to the always best to use a hand held seem that a rusted helmet elements. Once advanced rust electric blow dryer to evapo- shell with holes and damage sets in, there is literally no rate excess moisture that will would be worth less than a method to halt the process remain in the deep pits of the helmet in good standing. without damaging the shell helmet. Remember, most rust Such appears to be the case itself. Coating a helmet with is formed as a result of expo- with relic helmets. rust protective paint, clear sure to water and moisture. While interest is growing coat acrylic, or rust inhibitors Once clear of any dirt or sand, in these helmets, values of any kind only negates the it is best to seal the helmet in seem to be dictated mainly value that the helmet holds in a clear plastic bag. This will on seller pricing. Sellers its “original found state.” prevent the shell from being who are personally involved From a metallurgical stand- exposed to moisture in the air in acquiring relic helmets point, a rusted shell dug from that will most certainly con- from foreign battlefields the earth is going to eventu- tinue to accelerate the decom- must recoup their expenses. ally crumble away far sooner position of the metal. Many consider themselves a than a helmet that is not dam- Seal the helmet in a plastic sort of modern “treasure aged in this fashion. bag? Many collectors balk at hunter”. With shovel, map, the notion that their new and former battle plan in Helmet Preservation found collectable must now hand, they scour the farm live within their collection as fields of countries such as If relic helmets are likely to a semi-permanent sealed-in-
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plastic relic. If this concept
is objectionable to you, then please read further. While cleaning and sealing your helmet in a plastic bag is the best preventive measure you can take, it is possible to leave your helmet exposed on a shelf if the environ- mental conditions in your home are in balance. Hel- mets that are likely to be exposed to moisture ridden air, humid conditions, and unstable temperatures are going to continue to deterio- rate rapidly. It is not un- common to see a relic hel- met have portions of its rim break away or crumble just a few months after being In 2001 this bullet shattered helmet was found along a foot path in Oosterbeek, Holland. The helmet was in shallow undergrowth cleaned and placed on a along the lines of the German assault which was leveraged against shelf. This kind of deterio- British airborne forces during the battle for Arnhem in September of ration will continue unless 1944. (Airborne Museum Hartenstein, Oosterbeek) the helmet is stored in a sta- ble environment. It is for this very reason that many only method to ensure the reason being that in most museums throughout the helmet’s continue existence cases their values have not world prefer to place their would be to coat the entire reached levels where faking most valuable articles in helmet with a rust inhibiting one is tempting to a fraud art- sealed containers within paint or finish. While this ist. temperature controlled envi- might be valid for some, the To the same effect, creating ronments. The best advice fact remains this simply will an artificially rusted shell re- one can take is to seal the negate or diminish any value quires an extensive amount of article in a long term storage the helmet has. time. If time is of the essence, container or place it in a then rust and corrosion can temperature controlled envi- Sources of Relic Helmets only be formed through the ronment of 70% (or less) use of acids and caustic humidity and no more than If you are collector inter- chemicals. Most fraud artists 70 degrees Fahrenheit. ested in obtaining a relic hel- are not interested in such Even so, this is really no met, where can you find one complex procedures unless guarantee that decomposi- and will it be authentic or just the pay-off is high. At pre- tion will cease. As stated another fake? The good news sent, it is not. Time, availabil- earlier, once it has begun it is that most relic helmets are ity of helmets, and collector can not be stopped. The in fact 100% original. The interest will impact this most.
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Today collectors can find countries. Before long, the trudge through the swamps of relic helmets for direct pur- first “ground dug” helmets northern Russia to seek hel- chase at most large gun and began to appear from sources mets lost in the mud and in military shows. In addition, in Poland, Czechoslovakia, areas that haven’t seen any most online military auc- Russia, Latvia, and any num- human visitor since 1944! tions carry a few helmets of ber of Eastern European na- Likewise, there are now this kind. Large Internet tions that bore the brunt of many US relic hunters that auctions where buyer to German military power be- travel these countries or seller transactions are done tween 1939 and 1945. whom have established strong in a competitive environ- With access to an active contacts for the export of bat- ment often attract many relic buyers market with money to tlefield relics. Relic helmets helmet sales. Potential buy- spend, relic hunters were soon can come from old bunkers, ers need only search such at their task of locating hel- trench lines, fields, junk yards auction sites to find a relic mets and related parts for di- and scrap heaps, forgotten helmet. At any given time rect sale or export. Many of storage facilities, farms or there is at least five to 10 these relic hunters were and barn yard buildings, old relic helmets for sale on are themselves collectors and homes, and war graves. Lo- auction sites of this kind. people generally interested in cating such relics is not easy Many relic helmets go un- WWII history. After all, who and it requires an extensive sold for reasons stated ear- else would be willing to amount of time “in the field”. lier.
Where do they all come
from?
If they are not being faked
why are there so many for sale? The answer is quite simple. Following the emer- gence of a free market econ- omy in Eastern Europe, many enterprising relic hunters determined that peo- ple in the West were inter- ested in articles of historic value. Given the fact that people living in established countries with strong econo- mies generally have more disposable income for col- lecting, it only took a short Many German helmets were converted into utilitarian kitchen im- time for these relic hunters plementations after the war. This M1942 model helmet has been to determine that there was factory reengineered into a household colander for washing vege- an active buyers market in tables. (National Liberation Museum, Groesbeek) the US and other Western
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Does grave robbing they did, it was in a shallow helmets with the remains of really happen? or remote grave in a field, skin tissue and hair still stuck forest, or hill far away from to the rusted interior. As ob- The actual competition be- any town or city. Few dead scene as this is, there are tween relic hunters for such were fortunate to be buried in many collectors who take an artifacts is far more aggres- an actual cemetery. Likewise, active fascination with the sive than what most North very few fallen soldiers were thought of owning something American collectors realize. repatriated to their homeland dug from a grave. After all, In fact, competition is so in- for burial. As a result, many they often make the claim, tense and the desire for profit- war graves can still be found “Who can argue that the hel- able sales so high it is not un- today in uninhabited areas of met is not authentic?” While common for some relic hunt- Eastern Europe and Russia. obviously true, we must all ers to rob the graves of long These areas are much sought draw the line somewhere. buried soldiers. While this is after by the few brazen relic At the present time, few not always the case, it has hunters who feel it necessary sellers of relic helmets are been firmly established that to plunder the earth for relics likely to come clean with many battlefield relic hunters where the dead have fallen. where they have obtained all are willing and quite able to The plundering of German of their artifacts. Clearly locate and excavate the graves war graves has been well speaking, not every person of fallen soldiers without any documented by the German selling a relic helmet or arti- risk of legal action or criminal media and is a solidly estab- fact has found it in a grave. investigation. Such is the lished fact. The treasure hunt- There are relics that are found case in some Eastern Euro- ers seeking these relics are simply sitting in shallow soil pean countries, and in particu- commonly referred to as the or hiding beneath overgrown lar those in former Soviet Re- “black diggers”. foliage. But potential buyers publics. In these territories, While this all provides in- of these artifacts should be the war graves of fallen Ger- triguing questions as to the armed with the factual infor- man soldiers are not entirely source of most relic helmets, mation presented here. Ask- protected. While some clearly collectors must ask them- ing questions of the seller be- are protected, there are many selves if they are comfortable forehand is required before war graves and cemeteries with obtaining a relic that has buying any relic helmet unless that have been abandoned or potentially been unearthed one feels it unimportant that have had their markers re- from a grave. This author has they are directly contributing moved. In fact, it was general handled and seen articles for to the continued robbing of government policy within the sale that have included the war graves for the sole sake of former Soviet Union to de- skeletal foot and leg shank of someone’s profit. molish the grave markers of a German soldier with rotted In the United States and fallen Germans following boot.; photographs of “black almost all Western European (and during) WWII. In addi- diggers’ removing gold fill- nations, the deliberate robbing tion, such was the extent of ings from the skulls of Ger- of war graves is a criminal death on the battlefield that it man soldiers unearthed from offense punishable by fine is estimated that more than their graves; and skulls still and imprisonment. Individu- 50% of all fallen soldiers sitting inside their rusted hel- als who seek relics from un- (including Russians) never met shells. In addition, it is protected graves, such as received a proper burial. If not uncommon to find relic those associated with U-Boat
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men lost off the Eastern
Coast of the United States, are in jeopardy of $10,000 fines, a fel- ony offense, and years of imprisonment. This is not the case in all parts of the world. Despite the active robbing of graves for WWII battle- field relics, it is surpris- ing that most buyers are completely embarrassed by the thought of asking the seller a few ques- tions at the time of pur- chase. In fact, most buyers just prefer to buy German helmet shells dug from battlefields in Russia. Many of the shells the artifact they desire retain their original wartime paint finishes as well as combat damage. under the guise of a “don’t ask—don’t tell” policy. For this reason, all collectors of relic helmets are encouraged to ask the right ques- tions prior to purchasing any ground dug or bat- tlefield found helmet. If the seller becomes skit- tish or seems to dodge the question, be aware of the fact you may be dealing with someone who is willing to rob the dead for profit. The photographs at right show a number of items dug in the soil of Russia. Many of the artifacts came from bun- kers and trench lines, yet at the same time some of the other in a hasty fashion. of the relic items purchased items shown came from mass The old adage that pro- today. GH graves where the soldiers claims “Let the buyer be- were buried one on top of the ware!” remains true for many
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