Assistance with M-35 Helmet Identification

**Gwar** · 02-23-2015, 03:44 AM

Sturm... Welcome to the forum... Forgot my manners... When did "Chomp" change their "Logo" in your country ?? With kind regards...G

**Espenlaub Militaria** · 02-23-2015 03:44 AM

We also buy and trade your items and full collections!

**Sturm** · 02-23-2015, 03:56 AM

Thanks much Danny - my wife's uncle Georg served in the 78th Sturm Division and the emblem is theirs. Shortly after my 2nd marriage in the late 1980's, I found out that most of my wife's family had served in the Wehrmacht/Kriegsmarine during WWII (great for someone who bought his first K98 at the age of 16). Using the avatar and name Sturm is kind of my memorial to her uncle - I finally found a book with the history of his division that he would have loved, but he died the year before I found it (the Internet wasn't what is was in the 1990's that it is now). As he lived in Germany, I never got to meet him, although I know he served in the infantry gun company of the 78th and was captured in the collapse of Army Group Center (Operation Bagration?). He remained in Soviet custody until the early 1950's and returned with 100% disability. Sorry for the off-topic.

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**Sturm** · 02-23-2015, 04:05 AM

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**Gwar** · 02-23-2015, 04:10 AM

Sturm, The "Candy" box... in the photo... Just curious... G

**MAP** · 02-23-2015, 04:11 AM

Just a curious question....

What is the stencil supposed to represent if any one knows.

Michael

**DougB** · 02-23-2015, 04:59 AM

Hi Sturm, there were plenty of GI souvineer helmets, of all kinds, painted up for souvineer bringbacks. I've seen some very nice ones and some crude ones. Maybe it was painted right after when he got home who knows. I don't think they were considered "sexed up" at the time, just painting up "Nazi helmets" is all. It probably didn't matter much to them I would imagine.

I read an article posted on GHW where a veteran was interviewed about his bring back and the pic was him holding a up fake SS helmet.

A good friend who wrote a book about his experiences in WW2 told me many vets enhanced their souvineers with "new ones" when they got home, reminded of the stuff they didn't bring home. He himself had collected all his medals that were taken from him. They were all fake of course, which he knew. But to someone who doesn't have a clue, say his grandkids, they would sell them as Grandads medals from the war.

Anyway the helmet has some cool history regardless, welcome to the forum.