Original Imperial German WWI Named & Unit-Marked M16 Stahlhelm Helmet with Original Liner & Chinstrap - Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 111 - Si 66

Original Item: Only One Available. This is a very nice example of an original WWI German M16 Helmet, maker-marked Si 66, with its original liner and chinstrap. The exterior of the helmet is painted with a panel style camouflage of orange, green, and white. This paint appears to have been added recently, or at least not by a German soldier. It is possible that it could’ve been painted by an American soldier who captured it, but we cannot say for certain. All that we can say is that it was not painted before the Armistice was signed, and is likely modern. 

The helmet is stamped next to one of the chinstrap bales Si 66, for the maker Eisenhuette Silesia, Paruschowitz Oberschlesien. This is a relatively uncommon maker to find, as they only produced shells in sizes 62 and 66. Size 66 is a nice large size that can accommodate liners from 58cm to 60cm or US 7 1/4 to 7 1/2. There is a rolling mill mark dome stamp of B i 444, indicating that Bismarckhutte in Oberschlesien made the steel. This is the usual dome stamp for an "Si" marked helmet.

The helmet still has both of the dome headed chinstrap retaining rivets, which hold the interior pickelhaube style chin strap lugs in place. The chinstrap is miraculously still intact with brass end pieces. It appears rather stiff but is thicker than most we’ve seen. It sort of hangs in the air in its current configuration. 

The shell also retains both of the extended ventilation side lugs, which are the correct short version without any step for the larger size 66 shell. This would ensure proper installation of a Stirnpanzer brow plate regardless of shell size.

The original leather M1916 liner is in good condition, with all three pads still retained along with all three horsehair interior pads, although one of the pads shows very heavy wear and is tearing. There is some loss of leather as well but nothing serious. Along the rear brim of the helmet is inscribed:

Klöp
7/111

This likely denotes that the soldier served in the 7th Companie, 111th Infantry Regiment. The 111th Baden Infanterie-Regiment (I.R. 111), part of the German 52d Division (52 I.D.), would play a key role in the collapse of the green American 35th Division in and around Exermont in late September 1918. Yet just a few days later, in early October, this under-manned German regiment would prove to be no match for the experienced American 1st Division. While the Meuse-Argonne campaign would rage for several more weeks, this micro-battle served as a harbinger of future events.

This helmet very well could have been captured by a soldier of the 35th or 1st Division who added their own camouflage job when they returned home. It does require a bit more research.

A great example, ready for further research and display.

History of the M16 Helmet

The Stahlhelm was introduced into regular service during the Verdun campaign in early 1916.

The M1916 design had side-mounted horn-like ventilator lugs which were intended to be support for an additional steel brow plate or Stirnpanzer, which only ever saw limited use by snipers and trench raiding parties, as it was too heavy for general use.

The shell came in different sizes, from 60 to 68, with some size 70s reported. The suspension, or liner, consisted of a headband with three segmented leather pouches, each holding padding materials, and leather or fabric cords could be adjusted to provide a comfortable fit. The one-piece leather chinstrap was attached to the shell by M1891 chinstrap lugs, the same kind used in the Pickelhaube helmet.

The M1916 design provided excellent protection: Reserve Lieutenant Walter Schulze of 8th Company Reserve Infantry Regiment 76 described his combat introduction to the helmet on the Somme, 29 July 1916:

"... suddenly, with a great clanging thud, I was hit on the forehead and knocked flying onto the floor of the trench... a shrapnel bullet had hit my helmet with great violence, without piercing it, but sufficiently hard to dent it. If I had, as had been usual up until a few days previously, been wearing a cap, then the Regiment would have had one more man killed."

But the helmet was not without its flaws. The ventilator horns often let cold air in during the winter, requiring the wearer to block the vents with mud or fabric. The large, flared skirt tended to make it difficult for soldiers to hear, distorting surrounding sounds and creating an echo when the wearer spoke.

Originally painted Feldgrau (field grey), the Stahlhelm was often camouflaged by troops in the field using mud, foliage, cloth covers, and paint. Official issue cloth covers in white and grey appeared in late 1916 and early 1917. Camouflage paint was not formally introduced until July 1918, when German Army Order II, No 91 366, signed by General Erich Ludendorff on 7 July 1918, outlined official standards for helmet camouflage. The order stipulated that helmets should be painted in several colors, separated by a finger-wide black line. The colors should be relevant to the season, such as using green, brown and ocher in summer.

After the effectiveness of the M1916 design was validated during the 1916 campaigns, incremental improvements were subsequently made.