Resistance Helmet

[stoneagegixer]

My 2 cents. Czech Partisans fought in the forests and not cities so a paint job that screams "Shoot here" seems rather odd. In Poland during the Warsaw uprising I've seen many pics with Poles wearing German Helmets, usually with a white stripe around the middle, but that is city fighting where white cammo is as good as green camo in the forest...

Czech Partisans usually wore soft caps and no uniforms, melting into the forest for protection. Long engagements were not in practice and a helmet like that wouln't make much sense. I'll look through my books and email my friends in Czech but I do not remember ever reading about Czech partisans helping liberate a major city. Hell, Prague was liberated by the Nazis...er...I mean part Vlasov's Army.

Lubos

[Peter_Suciu]

I do not remember ever reading about Czech partisans helping liberate a major city. Hell, Prague was liberated by the Nazis...er...I mean part Vlasov's Army.

I seem to recall the Czech partisans rising up a bit at the end. But I do think they had more important things to do than paint the helmet at that point.

The other thought is that this could be early post-war AFTER the Germans surrendered. Sort of paramilitary use by someone trying to keep the peace, help refugees, etc.

[Edelweiss]

Whatever, I'm not 100 % convinced it't the very SAME lid, even if many details are "talking". Moreover, Baer said "his" lid was a M.35 ; but it may be a mistake in the book ?

No doubt anyway that this one may have some difficulties to stand on its own merits...

[bodes]

Can those among us have a "leap of faith" on this helmet? Awefully tough. First, you'd have to find a near mint M40 that has seen very little use, have it's insignia cleanly removed and finally believe the added "artwork" has survived almost sixty year without any noticeable deterioration or wear. Impossible? Of course not. Possible? Highly unlikely.

[Peter_Suciu]

Whatever, I'm not 100 % convinced it't the very SAME lid, even if many details are "talking". Moreover, Baer said "his" lid was a M.35 ; but it may be a mistake in the book ?

If you look really closely you can see some notable wear patterns. This is the same helmet. Whether it is good or not that's another question.

I personally still think it is probably post-war.

[stoneagegixer]

I've been flicking back and forth from the Book picture to your helmet and IT IS the same helmet. Look at each odd flick of paint and some of the irregular brush marks....they are on the exact same location on the helmet.

I like Peter's answer...
"The other thought is that this could be early post-war AFTER the Germans surrendered. Sort of paramilitary use by someone trying to keep the peace, help refugees, etc"
That would make a lot more sense. I doubt that a soldier (partisan) would paint big white marks on a helmet, that just serves as a good aiming spot for the enemy. Maybe in a Hollywood movie that might look good....
I'll check if my friend has his computer running and email him the pics, he'll have an answer.

[KoCook]

The paint runs are almost right on, my vote is the same too...

[Tom Kibler]

My two cents....

Look at the inside red brush-stroke next to the "C". In Baer's book, this brush stroke drifts off. In the "In-The-Flesh" helmet, you can see where it drifted off and appears that it was touched-up.

Other than that - I agree it is the same helmet.

I will also say this..... The resistance helmet pictured in my book, many people said looked better and more "real" that a very similar one in Baer's book. I found out - too late, that the one pictured in my book is fake.

I'm really rather embarassed - but the truth is the truth. When the helmet was photographed - I was still learning about SS decals (believe it or not). Well, there you have it. Mistakes can happen.

Is this real......

If you like it, great. If you don't - ......

But if it is the same pictured in the book - why touch it up?

[bodes]

About 10 years ago I was looking at a copy of the Baer's book at a fellow collectors house. I was thumbing through it and made the comment about how nice it would be to own the SS helmets that were pictured. My friend made the comment about some controversy with the SS helmets in the book. The controversy was that the helmets were fake. Somebody had dolled up helmets to sell books. I'm not an authority on whether or not that's true. I don't even have a copy. If true, that doesn't bode well with his credibility. Some good points have been made though. Hard to believe someone would make themselves a definite target if wearing it. If real, probably placed on after the war.

[Peter_Suciu]

Look at the inside red brush-stroke next to the "C". In Baer's book, this brush stroke drifts off. In the "In-The-Flesh" helmet, you can see where it drifted off and appears that it was touched-up.

But if it is the same pictured in the book - why touch it up?

I don't think it is touched up. The black and white photo is distorting some of the color. The red doesn't drift off if you look closely, and the scan that was posted of the photo also lacks the details in the actual book.

[gertje]

My vote: the same helmet as pictured by Baer.
The 'original Baer' (in german, edition 1994) describes this helmet as part of the collection of the Armymuseum in Prague. Are they, or have they been selling parts of their collection?

Marcel

[Luftm40]

These foreign volunteer, resistance helmets are hard for me to swallow. I've never seen one that I would want to own. I would say this particular example has zero chance of being original....

[Jean-Loup]

All the remarks about the paint being visible and shiny, and thus not period, show a misunderstanding of who these resistance fighters were. They were not professional soldiers most of the time; in fact they where often hardly more than teenagers trying to show off once the germans where going, or gone. (well, thats what it was in most cases in France..) I can just picture a guy with a like this helmet walking around with a Mauser and 2 potato mashers two days after the liberation.
So how was this helmet aquired?
JL

[Bill D.]

Just a note regarding the statment that the helmet has been around "for at least 20 years". That would mean since only 1984. There were fakes of all sorts of things going back many years before that time. There are all kinds of fake uniforms, medals, insignia, and helmets that were made in the 1980's and the 1970's and the 1960's etc., etc.

[David H]

[So how was this helmet aquired?
JL[/QUOTE]
I aquired the helmet about 2 years in a private deal in England, it didn't cost a lot of money and I thought it looked interesting, so I don't have any particular axe to grind over it. Sorry I don't have any more history on the helmet. Interesting to see the comment it may have come from a museum, hope it wasn't 'borrowed'!!!!

Thanks for all the comments, it's a great debate, glad I joined the forum...