Help Identifying a Helmet

[Vpep]

Hello Everyone,
I hope everyone is having a good holiday season. I usually frequent the Japanese forum, but a friend of mine has asked me for help with a German helmet. He recently picked up this very crude looking helmet. It has characteristics of a civil helmet. It also seems to be very late war giving how crudely it is finished and the materials used in its construction. I’m hoping someone can identify it. I’m looking forward to hearing responses from the more knowledgeable members. Thank you in advance, and I hope you all enjoy the photos.
Thanks
Victor

[MAP]

This is not something I've ever seen before in a German helmet.

It is obviously cast out of aluminum or maybe zinc.

As an observation, I have seen Japanese civil defense helmets that are similar in construction (i.e. very thick casting). This leads me to believe it is not military. That said, while the finishing is crude, a mold would have been needed to be made, so I'm assuming it's not a one off.

[Vpep]

MAP, thanks for the reply. I’ve never come across Japanese civil defense helmet like that. That’s not to say they don’t exist. But it’s an interesting avenue to explore. I definitely hope we get more input on this as I think it might get interesting.

[Mathieu K]

I believe the vent holes were done by hand. Very interesting.

[MAP]

MAP, thanks for the reply. I’ve never come across Japanese civil defense helmet like that. That’s not to say they don’t exist. But it’s an interesting avenue to explore. I definitely hope we get more input on this as I think it might get interesting.

There was a thread on this forum many years back with a crudely cast Japanese civil defense helmet

Our mutual friend also sent me photos of this helmet earlier today as well

Here are some threads

Cast Aluminum Civil Defense Helmet


WWII Japanese, German Style Civic Helmet

Cast Aluminum Civil Defense Helmet with Kanji

[Donald L.]

One of these came up in a discussion on another forum, it was ID'd as a DDR miner's helm, 1945-46 era. Other than that discussion I've never seen another one so cannot verify if it is or is not what it is.

[MAP]

Thanks Don. Was hoping you would see this.

[Vpep]

Thank you both for the information. I’ll pass it along to my friend if you haven’t told him already. It’s extremely interesting. I never would have thought it was a miners helmet, or at least looked in that direction.