Product Description: This is an excellent example of the German Army 2nd Pattern Heer Pith Helmet. The helmet retains its original shape, with no dents or sagging to the dome. The brown felt outer covering is excellent except for a couple mouth nips. The green leather chinstrap and edging show only very minor shelf wear with only a couple of scuffs. The original, highly detailed German Army (Heer) 2nd Pattern Heer Pith Helmet shields on both sides are intact and clean, and are minty! The interior is also perfect. The sweatband has an embossed manufacturer logo with the letter “JHS.” There is no visible indication at all that this was ever issued or worn. This 2nd Pattern Heer Pith Helmet displays great and would likely be impossible to upgrade.
Historical Description: The pith helmet is one of the most iconic aspects of the tropical uniform worn by German personnel in WWII. Besides being worn by Rommel’s Afrikakorps, pith helmets were also worn in all; areas on the Southern Front where tropical uniforms were issued, including Italy and the Mediterranean, and southern Russia. Pith helmets were part of the uniform issued by the German Army, Luftwaffe, Kriegsmarine, and the Waffen-SS. The chief visible difference among the pith helmets used by these various organizations, were the metal badges affixed to each side. These were made in the style of the branch decals used on the steel helmet. Early pith helmets were made with a twill fabric outer covering. Later, second pattern examples were covered with felt. As German troops withdrew from Afrika, many pith helmets sat unissued in warehouses, where they were recovered by Allied forces at the end of the war; at one time, later pattern examples were relatively common. With the passage of time, complete original examples, especially in nice condition, have become much harder to find.
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