COLONEL KLINK'S PICKELHAUBE

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Gaius Germanicus

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Does anyone remember the TV show Hogan's Heroes?

I was curious if anyone knew the exact type of Pickelhaube Colonel Klink had on his desk during the entire run of the show and if it was the same one pictured in the show's ending credits under Hogan's cap?

I do not recall but would love to find out and see a photo if anyone has a screen grab of the helmet...
 
That has been discussed here before, but it may have been before the crash.
Gus
 
I just watched a couple episodes this last weekend. I tired to "read"
it but with my limited knowledge I didn' do so well.

It looked like just a plain Prussian wappen. I think it was pre-1885
as the Eagle had a wide wing span and I couldn't see a spine shutter.
 
Hi Guys - Thanks for the replies , I saw a picture of the helmet on the web (not a picture of it on Klink's desk just the credits sequence) and I can't remember but wonder if it is the same one on the show?
 
If I remember correctly, the back visor had the unusual feature of having metal trim around the edges, just like on the front visor of a helmet.

When I was a kid watching the program, seeing that helmet on the desk helped fuel my desire to collect pickelhauben.

Alan
 
From what I remember, the Pickel had no rear spine; therefore, the prop was either a converted German fireman's helmet, or merely something created from scratch. The eagle was Preußen Garde minus the star. In my opinion, the helmet from the title sequence is the same as the one on Klink's desk.

From this screen grab, the spike appears to be a total fabrication and the neck visor trim appears to be grafted on. Note also the incorrect placement of the Prussian Kokarde between the Rosette and the chinscale.

Klink.jpg


In the first season (perhaps it was just the pilot episode) Klink had a straightforward Preußen line infantry helmet on his desk.

Chas.
 
Thank you for all the great replies , I just saw an episode of Hogan's Heroes at a friends and the helmet on Klink's desk was slightly different...

It was still missing the garde star but it had a short spike not like the above picture , and it looked like the brass trim around the visors might have been painted on.

Perhaps it was real and altered a bit for the show , such as painting on the brass trim for missing trim and not knowing it only needed to be done on the front visor..
 
Gaius Germanicus said:
Does anyone remember the TV show Hogan's Heroes?

I was curious if anyone knew the exact type of Pickelhaube Colonel Klink had on his desk during the entire run of the show and if it was the same one pictured in the show's ending credits under Hogan's cap?

I do not recall but would love to find out and see a photo if anyone has a screen grab of the helmet...
Click to expand...
All of the picklehaube helmets that were used on the show were made in the DesiLu studios prop dept. The helmet shells were made out of fiberglass. The spikes were cast in polyester resin. The eagle plates and chin scales were liberated from real damaged helmets. 1714533545989.jpeg
 
Gaius Germanicus said:
Does anyone remember the TV show Hogan's Heroes?

I was curious if anyone knew the exact type of Pickelhaube Colonel Klink had on his desk during the entire run of the show and if it was the same one pictured in the show's ending credits under Hogan's cap?

I do not recall but would love to find out and see a photo if anyone has a screen grab of the helmet...
Click to expand...
Redisfran said:
All of the picklehaube helmets that were used on the show were made in the DesiLu studios prop dept. The helmet shells were made out of fiberglass. The spikes were cast in polyester resin. The eagle plates and chin scales were liberated from real damaged helmets. View attachment 45088
Click to expand...
The tall spike on the helmet in the opening credits was the same helmet that had the standard spike. The spike was modified with a tall brass cone that was force fit to the top of the standard spike. It was used in this configuration on the desk only once. Episode 3, season one when Hogan uses it as a nail paper holder. 1714534256136.jpeg
 
That's actually really cool, I remember watching old reruns of that show on TV land. That's quite a unique one to collect!
 
When I began watching Hogan's Heroes at probably about 8 years old with my Dad, Klink's spiked Helmet fascinated me, of course I soon could look and see it was fake, but yet It is still good to know this, and I cant help but what to think that Helmet may be just as valuable as many originals. Very Cool.
 
I have my doubts .
The front plate looks to be a copy of a plate from New Deli
The original had silver hardware and was a fireman's helmet missing the small wappen.
It was a 1870 style that was a lot taller than the one seen here.
The second helmet had brass hardware but was still the 1870 style and the bird was the taller style as well.

Here is the helmet at the end of the credits and you can see this helmet on Klink's desk on the show.



Here is the helmet on the CD set and this looks to be a New Deli helmet as well but it is the much taller 1870 style.



I have put much research into this subject and someday I plan to make clinks helmet for my personal collection.
I have an original silver 1870 with the old bird that was converted to a fireman's helmet then converted back to a pikelhaube.
So I figure no harm in attaching the rear visor trim on the back visor.
Klink's helmet is what got my interested started in pickelhaubes.
 
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You guys really know your craft. After the feedback now I’m thinking I got scammed on this helmet. It sure looked like the real deal. Damn!! Why would they use a firemen’s helmet shell for each of the helmets on the show? And what about the tall spike? I’ve never seen a spike like that on any German picklehaube.
 
Redisfran said:
Why would they use a firemen’s helmet shell for each of the helmets on the show? And what about the tall spike? I’ve never seen a spike like that on any German picklehaube.
Click to expand...
Well, the show was aired in the 1960s and 70s, so pickelhauben (military and civic) were definitely easier to come by. As for the tall spike, many older models (like the 1842-1870 models) and different types of pickelhauben, had featured them.

Edit: here you can find a collection of different older pickelhauben - https://www.kaisersbunker.com/dunkelblau/helmets/
 
Fantastic thread, besides the Pickelhauben I saw in the local American Legion on Memorial Days, the helmets featured in All Quiet on the Western Front and Hogan’s Heroes hocked me on Pickelhauben since the early 1960s. It was not until the mid to late 80 that I could afford to obtain examples. Thanks for the long forgotten memories from the period when World War One veterans still moved among us.
Best regards
John
 
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