Headwear

M.1910 Feldmütze or “Krätzchen”

(M.1910 Field Cap)—The Feldmütze is a pillbox shaped cap of feldgrau wool. The Infanterie style Feldmütze (what we wear!) has red piping around the crown and a red band around the base. The 1915 „Einheits-Feldmütze“ is authorized for use at mid- and late-war events as well. This cap was intended for use by all branches of service and therefore the piping was in „resedagrün“( pea green), as was the band.

Both types of Feldmütze must be complete with both National and Prussian Kokarden (cockades) on the front. The National Kokarde is black/white/red and is sewn above the Prussian Kokarde which is colored black/white/black. The Kokarden must be the type for enlisted use and, they must be the sew on „Mannschaften“ (non- NCO enlisted) version, not the prong back type which is the pattern for NCOs.

Ideally, in a reenactor “stitch-nazi” fantasy, your Feldmütze should match your tunic type (i.e. a 1910 tunic with a 1910 grey Mütze with a red band or a Bluse with a Einheitsfeldmütze), but in the real world—especially in the German Army during WWI—this kind of thing was ignored. Soldiers were issued what was available and servicable—unless you are doing an early-war impression, it is not really important to match your tunic and Feldmütze.

Abdeck Band

(Feldmütze Band-Cover)—To help conceal the red band of the Feldmütze, covers were made of a strip of feldgrau or light-grey cloth tacked (loosely sewn) directly to the cap. These covers were also made of a light webbing with an adjusting buckle in the back (usually this style was tacked to the Mütze also, as otherwise, they tend to fall off.

Der Stahlhelm

(Steel Helmet) M.1916, M.1917 or M.1918

At the beginning of the Great War, the German Army wore the „Helm“ or Pickelhaube (as we call it today). Made of formed leather with metal trim, the Pickelhaube offered the wearer little or no protection against shrapnel, the by-product of the ever increasing use of artillery. Soon, the number of soldier’s with serious head wounds due to shrapnel mounted. These head wounds were found to be far worse than other types of wounds because even if they did heal, they often left the man incapacitated and unable to function. The rising numbers of serious head wounds caused the German High Command to search for a solution.

After much testing and study, the M.1916 Stahlhelm (steel helmet) was issued in limited numbers. With the Stahlhelm, a marked decrease in the shrapnel head wounds was quickly seen and soon, almost all the Frontline units were issued Stahlhelme, beginning a Verdun with its mass introduction to the units fighting there. With the Stahlhelm, the whole look of the German soldier changed—to a look we associate today as “the” German look.

No one knows how many lives were saved by the introduction of the Stahlhelm, but it can be assumed to be a very high number.

M.16 Stahlhelm	M.16 Camo Stahlhelm	M.16 Camo Stahlhelm
M.18 "Cut-out" Stahlhelm	M.16 Stahlhelm liner detail	M.17 Stahlhelm cutaway detail

Our Requirements

All members must have a M.1916, M.1917 or a M.1918 Stahlhelm, which will be worn during all mid- and late-war scenarios. In Great War reenacting, we wear a Stahlhelm for a reason—WW1 reenacting has working mortars!

The chinstrap and liner must be of the correct pattern for the Stahlhelm worn (i.e. M.18 chinstrap with the M.18 Stahlhelm). Helmet covers, if worn, must be good reproductions of the original German issue. Repainted helmets will be either the proper olivgrün colour or feldgrau color (no black painted Stahlhelme, etc.).