Pickelhaube Question

[pzrwest]

When the steel helmet was issued to the German soldiers what became of all the pickelhaubes? Did the soldiers turn them in or did they keep them and send them home or were they property of the units? Just curious is all

[Kornel R.]

...

Excluding these lost and heavy battle damaged all the rest was return during replacing process and sent back to the army warehouses ...

[pzrwest]

Boy would that be a find to come across a long lost warehouse

[pzrwest]

Edgar told me his father still had his pickelhaube after WW1 but it was lost when their house was bombed during WW2. It might have been a private purchase one to replace his issued one when he became an officer during WW1

[Kornel R.]

..

Boy would that be a find to come across a long lost warehouse

American third ( as I remember it correct ) Army found such one in Koblenz in 1918- 19 with ca. 20,000 spiked helmets !! all were taken into US and sold to the public as Victory Bonds ....
I'm pretty sure you know that story and these very impresive pictures ( published in some books about subject ) .
regards
Kornel

[Gustaf B]

The Pickelhaube was still being worn in areas where a steel helmet was not needed as late as mid 1918. I suspect that there were some still being worn in the front line trenches in some of the quite sectors that late too.
Best
Gus