Assorted reissue Polish Fire Helmets

[pjm]

I acquired these over several years of collecting. They are early post-WW2 fire helmets reissued from available military helmets. A friend of mine in Silesia also found a cache of German paratrooper helmets in a fire house, painted black, that were in use after the war.

[packin9]

Nice assortment you have there. Nice leather on the first one! It's in good shape!

[emileverbunt]

Hello Pim,

Being a collector of Dutch helmets I am surprised to find a Dutch Civic helmet in Poland! This one being black inside and outside means it was produced for a non military organisation. Mostly Police, Civil Defense or private purchase.

Could you tell me more about this dutch M34?

I know these helmets werre used by Schuma troops, but not much more.

Cheers,

Emile

[pjm]

Hi Emile,

I got the Dutch helmet (I thought it was Romanian issue) in Poland around 1990.

It may be that the Germans shipped Dutch helmets to Germany for use as Luftschutz helmets and some of these wound up in areas, like Silesia, that became Polish after the war.

As the thread show, any available helmets were reworked as fire helmets.

[emileverbunt]

Hi PJM,

Thanks for your info. The Romanians received hundreds of thousands of Dutch helmets, before and during the war. Before the war these olive green ones with the double C (King Carol) crests. During the war the Germans delivered additional helmets.

The Germans did use some in the Luftschutz, so your explanation is quite likely.

Thanks, nice collection!

Cheers,
Emile