Where Is It Now?

[Ammersee]

I bought this medal which shows Kaiser Wilhelm's pickelhaube with the bird on top. What happened to these helmets? Are there any in private collections? It would probably be one of the ultimate WW1 souvenirs. Ammersee

[Ammersee]

The back of this medal from 1910 is interesting as well. Ammersee

[Mike Dwyer]

It's possible his Garde du Corps helmet may be at Doorn Haus. Some of his uniform items have made it out into the market, but quite a few are housed in the museum there.

[R. Schmitt]

Indeed a garde du corps helmet, they're still out there, not often, and not cheap though...
Below's an EM Helmet I got in my files.
As for Kaiser Wilhelm's example....?
Best Regards
Rainer

[leibregiment]

A friend of mine has 26 of them as a pension, good other ranks will cost about $12000

[Ammersee]

That's an awesome pic...thanks for posting it. Please educate me...this is called a "garde du corpes" ? I was wrong to think only Kaiser Wilhelm wore this helmet...there was a whole corps that wore them?...interesting. Was the "garde du corpes" a ceremonial group for parades? Surely they did not wear these in combat.
Twenty-six of these helmets together in one place almost 100 yrs. later...that is amazing! Thanks. Ammersee

[R. Schmitt]

The Eagle Pickelhaube was worn by the Garde du corps and the currasiers only as far as I know - the example shown sold for EUR 8k on a German Auction ( a serious auction house, not ebay) with 26 examples of these, that'll make a fine pension fund at $ 14k each
I haven't checked out the GdC or Kurassier functions too much, someone else might have more info on those
Here's a site (in German) that gives a little chronological background on the Pickelhaubes, I'm sure there is more info here on the forum or on the web somewhere even in english, I don't wanna give any false information out of the blue:
http://www.preussenweb.de/uniformen2.htm
Damn nice lids those are! If I had to chose between a DD SS helmet and one of those, I would not hesitate to pick this one first!
Best Regards
Rainer

[Robin Lumsden]

One of the Kaiser's eagle-topped GDC helmets is on display at the Zeughaus Museum in Berlin, along with the entire uniform (with short left sleeve).

[Gaffken]

Just so as not to overlook the obvious for Ammersee:

Garde du Corps = the corps of guards...ie, these are Imperial Germany's elite troops similar to a 'Guards' unit of most western countries, who would protect the sovereign himself in days past. These guys were in theory the Kaiser's personal bodyguard unit (I assume I have that right--I'm no expert on order of battle). Assuming I'm hitting it near the mark, there were different types of elite unit-types that made up the GdC--infantry, cavalry, cuirassiers, artillery, etc. Most were stationed around Berlin, and especially Potsdam.

The helmets differed from the run of the mill spike helmet by the eagle, and the all-metal construction, as well as the 'lobster tail' neck guard in the rear of the helmet, which is longer than the tail of your typical spike helmet. They'd presumably swap this out for a regular steel helmet in combat, of course. And yes, naturally they're much sought after, which is why they command the king's ransom of a price...

Hope this helps!

[Wild Card]

Hello Ammersee,

Kaiser Wilhelm’s Gardes du Corps helmet, or at least one of them, was at Haus Dorn in 1994.

Helmut Weitze currently has for sale - Preußen Helm Modell 1889/97 für Mannschaften im Garde-Kürassier-Regiment, 8.500 Euro; and a spectacular named officer’s model 1843 Gardes du Corps helmet sold in Thies October 2007 auction for 26.000 Euro plus 23% commission.

Happy hunting!

Wild Card

[Jimmy]

Mine

I will be offering a non com for sale sometime this year on the estand.

[Ammersee]

Thanks for the pic and info guys. To me, these helmets are among the most impressive of Imperial artifacts I've seen so far. Ammersee

[TerryG]

Just so as not to overlook the obvious for Ammersee:

Garde du Corps = the corps of guards...ie, these are Imperial Germany's elite troops similar to a 'Guards' unit of most western countries, who would protect the sovereign himself in days past. These guys were in theory the Kaiser's personal bodyguard unit (I assume I have that right--I'm no expert on order of battle). Assuming I'm hitting it near the mark, there were different types of elite unit-types that made up the GdC--infantry, cavalry, cuirassiers, artillery, etc. Most were stationed around Berlin, and especially Potsdam.

The helmets differed from the run of the mill spike helmet by the eagle, and the all-metal construction, as well as the 'lobster tail' neck guard in the rear of the helmet, which is longer than the tail of your typical spike helmet. They'd presumably swap this out for a regular steel helmet in combat, of course. And yes, naturally they're much sought after, which is why they command the king's ransom of a price...

Hope this helps!

Sorry to be pedantic but a "guarde du corps" is a bodyguard, not a corps of guards.

[W McSwiggan]

The Garde du Corps was a cavalry regiment. Prior to the Great War it was assigned to the 1st Guard Cavalry Brigade, Guard Cavalry Division of the Guard Corps. At the outset of the war, the regiment remained with these formations (Brigade & Division) as part of the 1st Cavalry Corps (loose translation) - (HKK 1) that preceded 3rd Army.

[Tony & Kaiser]

Ammersee, please give this a read, it should clear things up. There were two regiments of Kürassier that wore this pattern of Metalhelme. Gaffken, what you are calling the Garde du Corps was the Garde Korps. Gardes du Corps was a Regiment.