Nice relic m40 chicken wire helmet

[Snipermaxim1900]

Hey, I found this impressive m40 chicken wire helmet for 450 euro’s, do you guys think this is an original? It comes from Stalingrad.

[BlackCat1982]

I found one casualty named Theodor Lindhauer born 12th May 1923 in St. Tönis. He died in Kriegslazerett 2/591 mot, Gigant-Manycht on 14th January 1943. He lies at the war cemetery at Krasnodar-Apscheronsk in the Caucasus. If the casualty card information matches the unit on your helmet then this might be the owner.

I'm not sure about the chicken wire, as it may be a later addition. There does t appear to be the wear on the helmet from the wire being attached to it for any length of time.

[Schwerpunkt]

The naming and details of the unit looks way too elaborate and similar to many fakes. A decal close up is absolutely necessary if you want to be sure it is not a fake decal.

[Willmore]

Hi there.

I can't help with the helmets authenticity, but I checked for a casualty card and found the below information. Although the surname is spelt differently, this is definitely the same man that BlackCat found on the Volksbund.

Name: Theodor Lindauer
Rank: Grenadier
Birth Date: 12 May 1923
Birth Place: St. Tönis Kempen Krafeld
Military Unit: 8./Kompanie Grenadier Regiment 41
Death Date: 14 Jan 1943
Death Place: kriegslqzarett 2/591 Mot. Gigant, Manÿscht (Arteingeliefert)
Father: Johann Lindauer

His cause of death looks like Diphtheria.





Kind regards,

Will.

[BlackCat1982]

Thank you for finding the card Willmore, it would appear that this helmet and the casualty are not one and the same person. I agree with Frank that the information detailed in the helmet is more comprehensive than is usual, but this does not make it suspect. If indeed this helmet was from Stalingrad then the owner was very fortunate to survive not only the battle but captivity afterwards.

[TWS]

Interesting for me because in my youth I lived with a German host family in St. Tönis (Tönisvorst) for two months while attending summer school in Krefeld.

However, I share Frank's observation. The personal details painted in the skirt are far more elaborate than "normal" and can be the sign of a faker.

Furthermore, be aware that some sellers in Russia are portraying helmets as coming from Stalingrad to give their wares additional appeal, when in fact the helmet was not found in or even near Volgograd.

[AndyM35]

The letters of the first name appear to be over pitting (especially the “Th”), but can’t be 100% based on the photos.

[Eike41]

Just going off of the photos here is what you can tell about this helmet. It has been taken apart and cleaned, the split pins have been removed with the liner then put back in. The chicken wire did not corrode on the helmet there should be some pattern or sign on the helmet paint/corrosion that the wire rusted there. The image that shows the name also has the wire coming over the rim, no corrosion between the helmet and this wire, it strangely also looks like the wire has green paint? maybe just a reflection.

Not to say it isn't interesting or that it would not make a nice display but it is remodeled a bit for sure.

[Schwerpunkt]

Be Warned : Humped up ground finds ! – German Helmet Vault

[Kilian]

Hey Will, regarding date and place of death on the death card: “(Arteingeliefert)”, probably reads “(tot eingeliefert)”, so delivered dead to the hospital.