Netherlands Dutch helmet

[fanatyk6]

What do you think about this m34 dutch helmet? It was found in the western part of Poland. The badge and damadge are clearly visible. In front of the helmet you can spot remains of green paint.

Do you know anythink about usage of this helmets (without removed badge) in Volkssturm? I've found out that in the area where helmet was found, soldiers from Romania and Holland fought in Skorzeny's Europe Division. So, if we assume they used it, why the badge wasn't removed?

Best regards

[Tony]

Hello,

When you say the western part of Poland, do you mean a part of Poland that was once part of Germany? I know the Luftschutz used helmets from various allied countries. Saying that, I would have thought the badge should have been removed but then even Germans go against the book on the odd occasion.

Whatever the reason for this helmet ending up in Poland, having the badge attached makes it very interesting in my opinion.

Tony

[Kev in Deva]

The Romanian Military, Reserve and Civil Defence used these in WW2,

they have been encountered here in Romania,

with a Romanian badge and still with the original Dutch badges fixed,

and some with no badge at all.

Kevin in Deva.

[fanatyk6]

Hello,

When you say the western part of Poland, do you mean a part of Poland that was once part of Germany? I know the Luftschutz used helmets from various allied countries. Saying that, I would have thought the badge should have been removed but then even Germans go against the book on the odd occasion.

Whatever the reason for this helmet ending up in Poland, having the badge attached makes it very interesting in my opinion.

Tony

Hi,

Yes Tony, it was found in the area situated near Oder river. I've seen once on Germanmilitaria.com this type of helmet in Luftschutz painting but with removed badge. But, if we assume the helmet belonged to Luftschutz then I have to pose a question how large were towns in which Luftschutz were created? The town (former K?nigsberg Neumark) where I've found it is quite small, besides there were no reasons for air raid on it, except of airfield located near it, but I've never heard about any bombing occuring there.

Kev in Deva thanks for info So it could be also used by Romanians as well.

So many possibilities.

fanatyk6

Edited February 11, 2008 by fanatyk6

[Roeland]

Hello gents,

there are different types of this helmet, not all of them with an emblem on front, but most did, escpecially those used in 1940.

The Dutch army had the manufacturer made an enourmous amount of these helmets, so during the war they became known as ''de helm voor een tientje'' (the helmet for 10 guilders(about 5 euro, nowadays)).

They where easy to get and cheap.

Also people thought the emblem was a weak spot, if fact, it made the helmet stronger. The emblem was shiny sometimes which made it an atractive target to see for the enemy.

The Germans removed the lion on most of the helmets and painted them black, and painted a Luftschutz emblem on it.

In the Netherlands the air raid defence also used black helmets(sometimes with a leather flap in the neck) and also the Dutch Resistance used them(most of the times black, sometimes with emblems), as well as collaborating police schools(with Dutch collors on the side), some police units and others(black with lion emblem(also used before the war by the MP), sometimes the collors of the city or another emblem).

In 1938 a Rumanian delegation came to the Netherlands, they where the only other country interested in the model(it was based on the WW1 French Adrian and English doughboy helmet).

They signed a contract for 300,000 helmets, with the emblem of King Karl/Carol II (don't know if I write his name correct).

The Germans took a lot of the Dutch helmets as war bounty and shipped a lot of them to Rumania(especially the new model M27/N.M.). The Rumanians where ordered to fight against the Sovjet union and the enlisting of man was raised, the Rumanian army already used this type of helmet and needed more helmets for the new enlisted men.

The paint looked to much like the Sovjet army collors, so a lot of them where painted grey like the German helmets and received the inner helmet of the German M35 helmets.

In 1947, the Rumanian army was made like the red army and this model helmet wasn't used anymore but they used the Russian M40.

In 1967 Nicolae Ceausescu wanted to give the Rumanian army an own identity. The ''Hollander'' (Dutchman, as the helm was called) was reinstated and first used at the parade on the National festivity day(don't know the term in english: Nationale feestdag) in 1973.

This model however was different to the ones in 1938, they looked like the Dutch helmets used by the KNIL (Royal Dutch Indonesian Army, which used to be the army in the Dutch Colonies). The only difference was the inner helmet, it was not Dutch but Rumanian.

This Rumanian helmet had the collors: Dark-olive green, or antracite(a kind of grey), this depended on the kind or armyformation one served in, some guard and elite units also had the Rumanian state emblem on the front.

They where used for a long time. (the scientific book doesn't say when a new helmet after that was used, there are pictures and describings from 1989, the book is from 1990).

source: Behrendt F. ,Nederlandse helmen in Romenie, in: Armamentaria 25, 1990

(its an official scientific military history book, published by the Royal Dutch army museum).

kind regards,

Roeland

[Roeland]

here are some Dutch helmets for those that are interested:

the one like you have found:

Dutch resistance(with Dutch collors and on the front: Oranje(after the royal family, the house of orange).

A Dutch Police helmet(note the green P on front):

aird raid defence helmet (note the slightly different shape: the bottom is more ''flat'' as the models above), it's not to see on the picture, but on the front are vague remains of a red shaped Luftschutz emblem:

kind regards,

Roeland

Edited May 20, 2008 by Roeland

[Carol I]

...They where used for a long time. (the scientific book doesn't say when a new helmet after that was used, there are pictures and describings from 1989, the book is from 1990).

They were used well into the 1990s if I remember well.

[fanatyk6]

Roeland - thanks for info. Can You tell me something about this helmet (police, resistance maybe civil defence)? No letters and marks found on it except those mentioned. ->

http://forum.axishistory.com/viewtopic.php?f=39&t=100688

Another question - how to find info about Dutch soldiers (I know full name, second name and surname owners of this helmet)?

Best regards

[Kev in Deva]

Hallo Roeland,

many thanks for the info with regards the Dutch Helmets and the Rumanian Connection.

Here are a couple of Postcards showing the Ceaucescu era Russian Model:-

Kevin in Deva.

Edited May 20, 2008 by Kev in Deva

[Kev in Deva]

Re-modeled Dutch style Romanian helmets.

Kevin in Deva

[Roeland]

hello gents,

it's hard to say by whom the helmet in the axis forum link was used.

Most black helmets had no emblems on them at all.

So it could be both, most where used by the air defence, the Dutch resistance used them only around 1944-1945 just before, during and after liberation.

it is hard to find information about Dutch soldiers.

If he was an officer, they are mentioned in the officer books.

If they where of a lower rank, I wouldn't know there to look, I think in the archieves of the Dutch government, perhaps someone else knows it.

kind regards,

Roeland