Helmet M34 Romanian

**reneblacky** · 07-23-2016, 09:29 AM

Found a film with some helmet shots - "You Shall Not Pass" - Romanian 1975

**TrondK** · 07-23-2016, 09:39 AM

I like them.

Very interesting pieces of history. Now go and get some uniforms also. That would be nice to see on a mannequin.

**James C** · 07-23-2016, 09:39 AM

Thats a relief Rene' not the film i was expecting to see

finally picked up what i believe to be an model 74 for the collection ,has some strange neck flap tucked up inside the shell

**Greg Pickersgill** · 07-23-2016, 11:01 AM

The thing with the Romanian helmets is quite straightforward really. Initially the Romanians contracted for Dutch M34 helmets in 1938, ordering in total 800,000 (de Joode, THE DUTCH STEEL HELMET), which were identical to the Dutch model except for the substitution of the King Carol crest for the Dutch lion. These were actually still made and supplied up until mid-1942, after the Occupation. The KNIL model was also supplied after the original order was fulfilled. It does become a little more vague after that, with a general belief that surplus Dutch helmets of all kinds were supplied to the Romanians by the Germans as military assistance.

The King Carol insignia were ordered to be discarded after the forced abdication of the King, who was generally anti-Nazi (1940). The helmets obviously continued in use with substantial numbers being re-lined during refurbishment with a version of the German helmet liner. Others got a Romanian-made version of the original Dutch liner.

After the war the Romanians were caught up in the Soviet sphere and the helmets were looked on with some disfavour, and the ssh40 was introduced (though not universally, the previous models still remained in service to a degree), with (so far as I understand it) the shells alone made in Russia and the liners made in Romania. These are rather hard to find. The apparent sign is the brown rexene liner but as this was also used on small numbers of entirely Russian helmets its not an infallible guide - so acceptance stamps, both circular and triangular, are the only certain indication.

As Ceausescu's Romania distanced itself from the Soviet Union a new helmet was developed, quite deliberately echoing the Dutch helmets (including the little nape-piece in the liner mentioned by James), but with a better four-point chinstrap. These are still in service, although some Romanian units have been re-equipped with modern composites, mainly the Schuberth 826 (does anyone know any more about this?). The Romanian M73 (not M74!) has also been sold/donated to other countires, often seen in Afghanistan, for example.

I'm pretty sure that's a reasonable summary - please do correct me if you know more and better. All part of life's endless learning process.

**TrondK** · 07-23-2016, 12:03 PM

Anyone who got examples with decals?

**Greg Pickersgill** · 07-23-2016, 12:33 PM

by TrondK

Anyone who got examples with decals?

If you mean decals specifically, I do not know of any Romanian helmets of any period that have decals. Helmets with the King Carol emblem on the front are rare, as the crests were discarded during WW2. (Beware - reproductions of the Carol emblem are common, stuck on to helmets that might never have had it in the first place.)

The M73 had no emblem or decals in normal service. There is an very colourful insignia that is sometimes found on M73 helmets, but it is a ceremonial/parade fitting, not used on general service helmets.

**reneblacky** · 07-23-2016, 10:28 PM

by Greg Pickersgill

The thing with the Romanian helmets is quite straightforward really. Initially the Romanians contracted for Dutch M34 helmets in 1938, ordering in total 800,000 (de Joode, THE DUTCH STEEL HELMET), which were identical to the Dutch model except for the substitution of the King Carol crest for the Dutch lion. These were actually still made and supplied up until mid-1942, after the Occupation. The KNIL model was also supplied after the original order was fulfilled. It does become a little more vague after that, with a general belief that surplus Dutch helmets of all kinds were supplied to the Romanians by the Germans as military assistance.

The King Carol insignia were ordered to be discarded after the forced abdication of the King, who was generally anti-Nazi (1940). The helmets obviously continued in use with substantial numbers being re-lined during refurbishment with a version of the German helmet liner. Others got a Romanian-made version of the original Dutch liner.

After the war the Romanians were caught up in the Soviet sphere and the helmets were looked on with some disfavour, and the ssh40 was introduced (though not universally, the previous models still remained in service to a degree), with (so far as I understand it) the shells alone made in Russia and the liners made in Romania. These are rather hard to find. The apparent sign is the brown rexene liner but as this was also used on small numbers of entirely Russian helmets its not an infallible guide - so acceptance stamps, both circular and triangular, are the only certain indication.

As Ceausescu's Romania distanced itself from the Soviet Union a new helmet was developed, quite deliberately echoing the Dutch helmets (including the little nape-piece in the liner mentioned by James), but with a better four-point chinstrap. These are still in service, although some Romanian units have been re-equipped with modern composites, mainly the Schuberth 826 (does anyone know any more about this?). The Romanian M73 (not M74!) has also been sold/donated to other countires, often seen in Afghanistan, for example.

I'm pretty sure that's a reasonable summary - please do correct me if you know more and better. All part of life's endless learning process.

Thank you kindly Greg