Helmets of the West-German "Bundesgrenzschutz" - "Federal Border Guard " - M 1953 - Part 2 - Seegrenzschutz

[Sleepwalker]

Here another early helmet of the Bundesgrenzschutz - Federal Border Police, more precisely the Seegrenzschutz - Maritime Border Police from 1951 to 1956.

The early helmets of the Federal Border Police up to 1953 were reused M35, M40 and M42 helmets from World War II, as already described here.

Helmets of the West-German "Bundesgrenzschutz" - "Federal Border Guard " - M 1953 - Part 1


From 1953 these helmets were further modified to the 1953 model.
They received the improved M31 interior M 1953 ("I53") from Schuberth Werke Braunschweig. For this purpose, the old 3 pinholes were welded or riveted. At the top of the helmet dome, a central screw was welded to which the interior was attached. It was also easily replaceable. Eyelets were initially welded on to hold the chin strap, but these were soon replaced by practical bails based on the US M1 model. Rare variants also had a riveted mount made from old WW2 M31 chin strap holders.
These modifications were intended to increase the safety and combat value of the helmets.
In addition, M53s were also newly manufactured, since the BGS had grown significantly and the state police also used the 1953 model.

The maritime border protection only existed from 1951 to 1956 and was then transferred to the new West German Federal Navy.
It was not until 1963 that there was a federal border guard at sea again in the form of a coast guard. It is quite possible that these helmets were used again from 1963 onwards.


Here is a rare M1953 helmet of the Maritime Border Patrol, which was adapted from an M42. You can also find M35 or M40.

In contrast to the helmets of the land border guards, the helmets of the sea border guards are finished with smooth scratch-resistant dark blue paint.






























Maker EF62 and LOT-Number






The chin strap holder used can only be found here. It consists of 2 riveted webs made of sheet steel with an eyelet.





























To attach the interior 53 ("I53"), the screw was welded into the top of the shell dome. The screw has the same paintwork as the rest of the helmet.









The liner is a regular model of the 3rd type produced from the mid 1950's.

[ogpsycho]

I know these helmets (with the early and simple liner system) as helmets of the „Reservepolizei Niedersachsen)?!

[Sleepwalker]

Hello,

yes i heard about that too. But those were all more or less just rumours. These helmets have such a chin strap mount but different lining. The color isn't exactly the same either.

I only know modified WW2 helmets from the BGS.

After the dissolution of the Seegrenzschutz, the helmets must have gone somewhere. Possibly they were partly handed over to Niedersachsen - Lower Saxony.

The state police of Niedersachsen - Lower Saxony probably got all helmets from federal stocks / BGS stocks.
The only difference, if always appropriate, is an LPN (Landespolizei Niedersachsen - Lower Saxony state police) on the inside of the leather lining. Otherwise, these helmets are indistinguishable from those of the BGS.
It is therefore possible that Seegrenzschutz - Sea border Guard helmets have partially landed there.

Regards

[ogpsycho]

Police used also early WW2 helmets in the early years.



NS64




Q64 with lotn number



ET64

Gruß Basti

[ogpsycho]

I also know this one as a "Reservepolizei Niedersachsen" helmet:



Gruß Basti

[Sleepwalker]

Police used also early WW2 helmets in the early years.



NS64




Q64 with lotn number



ET64

Gruß Basti

hello,

Of course, the police and the fire brigade also used earlier shells in the beginning. This also included shells from air raid protection, etc.
The police got new helmets very early on, starting in 1951.

But none of the helmets shown were modified to the 1953 model. I only know that from the BGS. Maybe that wasn't expressed precisely enough.

Regards

[Composite]

Beautifully presented opening post....really stunning pics, clear and no other distractions. I have no idea re the helmet but the presentation is top quality...thank you for taking the time to do that for us Mr Walker.

[Sleepwalker]

I also know this one as a "Reservepolizei Niedersachsen" helmet:



Gruß Basti

hello,

there were only assumptions about this helmet.


BGS u. Polizei-Helme Westdeutschlands nach '45 im Vergleich - Originale zu Vergleichszwecken - Militaria Fundforum



The inner lining looks handcrafted to me. A BGS M51 leather with headbands was attached to the M53 sheet metal ring.

[ogpsycho]

Your helmet was sold with the i53 (green spider) and without chin straps. I asked the seller of your helmet about the liner system, because a similar M42 shell (same paint, rivets system, closed rivet holes) was also sold last year. Unfortunately, I no longer have the pictures of this (second) M42 shell.

All known gray helmets has the simple liner system. The spider is always grey.







Another detail is, that the BGS used rough paint! Only in the early years you find BGS helmets with shiny paint. But early helmets with shiny paint has the 3 liner system like this one.



This one could be a model, which has a shiny paint under the rough paint.


Shiny paint was used by the police. And as I said, the BGS See helmets was grey overpainted in the workshop by the See members, not in factory.
Your M42 ist very nice, but for me a police helmet. Why this liner system is in your helmet?! We don´t know.

Gruß Basti

[Sleepwalker]

Hi there,

I also know these helmets with the cobbled together inner lining. Since I can't make sense of the origin so far, I've left it out.

In my opinion, it is a bit too easy to explain the origin of the state police reserve solely based on the color of the uniform.

First to the helmet color:

It's hard to get the color right. I have achieved the best result here in daylight. The color of the helmet from #1 has a distinct shade of blue and is not grey.




Unfortunately not much has been handed down about the clothing regulations of the early BGS in order to be able to say with certainty that everyone had to wear a rough RAL 6020 or 6012 paint finish.


On the liners in question.

These all belong to the 3rd model and were probably manufactured from the 1960s.

They seem to have been pieced together from more or less matching parts.

- Spider by Schuberth Werke with gray metal parts
- Leather lining with straps (and head pad) in the style of the early M51 helmets or those of the Hessen police.
- Headrest probably replacement made of lighter foam rubber

Personally, I can't imagine Schuberth producing something like this, especially since the current model was available in large numbers.

The liner with the gray steel parts was also manufactured by Schuberth, can be found in the helmets of the Berlin police, among other things, and originally looked like this:
















At some point in or after the 1960s, for whatever reason, these leather linings were assembled from existing spiders and spare parts, although finished and better products could be obtained from Schuberth. I have no logical explanation for this, nor do I necessarily want to say that exports or surplus sales were involved.

We just don't know enough about it.