Original Item: Only One Available. Between 1916 and 1918 the Germans produced three types of helmets. They are known today by collectors as the M16, M18, and M18 cut-out. M16 shells are often called M17s. The M17 designation is actually referring to the liner, not the shell. In 1917 the Germans changed from using a liner band made from leather to steel. The newer design also called for liner pads made from chromed leather instead of vegetable tanned leather, which held up better in the constant moister of the trenches.

Extensive redesigns were made for the M1918 model. A new two-piece chin strap was introduced, and was attached directly to the helmet liner rather than the shell. The M1918 Stahlhelm can be distinguished from the M1916, as the M1918 shell lacks the chinstrap rivet on the lower side of the helmet skirt found on earlier models.

Certain examples of the M1918 had cutouts in the rim along the sides of the helmet. It has incorrectly been said that these cutouts were to accommodate using headphones while wearing the helmet. These cutouts were actually done to improve hearing and to reduce echo created by the large, flared skirt.

The so called M18-cut out helmet is one of the rarest of German helmets produced in both WWI and WWII. In August of 1918 close to 100,000 of these helmets were produced by the Eisenhuttenwerke factory for field trial. These helmets are highly desired by collections, and unfortunately most on the market today are fakes. If you are considering the purchase of one of these rare helmets there are a few things you should be aware of.

All M18 cut-out helmets are marked ET64. The E.T.6.4. stamp must be in gothic script. If the helmet lacks this stamp or is in any other script, the helmet is not genuine. It is true that sometimes the stamp gets filled in with paint, or if the helmet was ground dug or exposed to lots of moisture the markings can be lost. The ET64 on this example is still visible but it is faint. We made several attempts to get a good photograph, and have posted the best that we were able to capture. Due to the presence of the liner and wear to the interior of the shell, we cannot see what the rolling mill marking is. 

This is a transitional example which was reused during the Inter-War era by the early Heer Army in the 1930s. The Heer Army Silver Eagle is still partially visible but it is heavily obfuscated by the splotched brown paint.

During the process it looks like it was repainted, possibly several times, and had a Heer Army Silver Eagle decal applied on the left side. It was fitted with an M31 liner, which is still well-retained, and a chinstrap which has broken off of one bale but is still entirely retained. The current color on the helmet is the mid war textured Panzergrau (armored gray) color with what appears to be a crude attempt at camouflage with brown splotches across the exterior, and with the single decal and galvanized steel liner, this helmet may have in fact not been refurbished until wartime, or possibly it was refit again. We are unsure if the splotched paint was added during the period or later.

This is overall a tremendous example of what has become one of the scarcest German helmets to find, an honest M18 Ear Cut Out Transitional. Comes ready for further research and display.

History of the M16 Helmet
The Stahlhelm was introduced into regular service during the Verdun campaign in early 1916.

The M1916 design had side-mounted horn-like ventilator lugs which were intended to be support for an additional steel brow plate or Stirnpanzer, which only ever saw limited use by snipers and trench raiding parties, as it was too heavy for general use.

The shell came in different sizes, from 60 to 68, with some size 70s reported. The suspension, or liner, consisted of a headband with three segmented leather pouches, each holding padding materials, and leather or fabric cords could be adjusted to provide a comfortable fit. The one-piece leather chinstrap was attached to the shell by M1891 chinstrap lugs, the same kind used in the Pickelhaube helmet.

The M1916 design provided excellent protection: Reserve Lieutenant Walter Schulze of 8th Company Reserve Infantry Regiment 76 described his combat introduction to the helmet on the Somme, 29 July 1916:

"... suddenly, with a great clanging thud, I was hit on the forehead and knocked flying onto the floor of the trench... a shrapnel bullet had hit my helmet with great violence, without piercing it, but sufficiently hard to dent it. If I had, as had been usual up until a few days previously, been wearing a cap, then the Regiment would have had one more man killed."

But the helmet was not without its flaws. The ventilator horns often let cold air in during the winter, requiring the wearer to block the vents with mud or fabric. The large, flared skirt tended to make it difficult for soldiers to hear, distorting surrounding sounds and creating an echo when the wearer spoke.

Originally painted Feldgrau (field grey), the Stahlhelm was often camouflaged by troops in the field using mud, foliage, cloth covers, and paint. Official issue cloth covers in white and grey appeared in late 1916 and early 1917. Camouflage paint was not formally introduced until July 1918, when German Army Order II, No 91 366, signed by General Erich Ludendorff on 7 July 1918, outlined official standards for helmet camouflage. The order stipulated that helmets should be painted in several colors, separated by a finger-wide black line. The colors should be relevant to the season, such as using green, brown and ocher in summer.

After the effectiveness of the M1916 design was validated during the 1916 campaigns, incremental improvements were subsequently made.