Captured German helmets

[streptile]

This has been posted before but I just came across a closeup photo.

The photo is from 1919 and shows a huge pyramid of German helmets captured after the war. The pyramid is right in front of Grand Central Station, which is basically smack in the middle of Manhattan.

Apparently there were over 12,000 helmets on the pyramid.

Ever wonder where that Pickelhaube in your collection comes from?

[james m]

Frankly: I'd be more interested in what became of these after they tore the pyramid down!
Jim

[bgrelics]

If you had a good rainstorm, what a mess that would be with the patent leather.

[Wilhelm]

I believe there were large piles of these at various places in France after the war, Doughboys could take them home. The one in my collection came from one. Got it from the grand daughter of the vet. They are so cool.

[wehl]

fantastic photo

[kaiserwilhelm2]

Now that is a great way to display your helmet collection. Just a couple more and I will attempt to do the same.

[mp409mm]

If I remember correctly, one read those were giving to people who donated bond/funds to help the economy after the war.
Alf

[mp409mm]

I found it:
"" permalinkembedsavereportreply

[–]notbob1959 6 points 1 month ago
Not quite as bad as it seems. These helmets were captured in depots in Germany, immediately post WW1, in 1919. They were used to promote one of the last US War Loans, if you contributed, you'd be given one of the helmets. They were all of the leather pickelhaube type that had become obsolete in 1915, hence them lying around in warehouses. Quite a few of the pickelhaube that you see in the US are from this event, because the Yanks arrived on the Western Front well after they had been replaced by the M1916 steel helmet, so the odds of a personal capture were zero.""
Source:
https://www.reddit.com/r/OldSchoolCo...new_york_1918/
Alf

[Gerdan]

http://nygeschichte.blogspot.de/2013...rk-avenue.html

Gerdan

[kevin john]

Very interesting Kevin.

[ivbaust]

Some more photos of captured helmets? Here we go ...

[ivbaust]

The first helmet collectors

[ivbaust]

Some helmets were mailed home, some were just thrown on a pile, single ones remained with the owner

[ivbaust]

Some used the helmet as trophy and souvenir ...

[ivbaust]

Others tried to find other usage for the helmets ...