HELMET

Object/Artifact

St. Joseph Museums

This image shows a World War I German military helmet, known as a Stahlhelm. The helmet is crafted from dark, weathered metal, featuring a distinct dome shape with a flared brim.

Name/Title

HELMET

Entry/Object ID

1957.21.3

Description

German/found on battlefield during World War I.

Collection

WORLD WAR I

Made/Created

Date made

circa 1914

Lexicon

Nomenclature 4.0

Nomenclature Primary Object Term

Helmet

Nomenclature Sub-Class

Headwear

Nomenclature Class

Clothing

Nomenclature Category

Category 03: Personal Objects

Parts

Count

Condition

Overall Condition

Good

Research Notes

Notes

This is likely a German Stahlhelm, which became standard-issue in the later years of World War I. These steel helmets were first introduced in 1916 as a replacement for the iconic leather Pickelhaube helmets, which had proved to be ineffective and impractical on the battlefield. The Stahlhelm almost completely enveloped the wearer's head with durable steel. Its design proved highly effective against the constant threat of shrapnel and succeeded in dramatically reducing head-related battlefield casualties.