Leather Feuerwehr Helmet

SCHUPO

Well-known member
Gents,

I thought I would post a Leather Feuerwehr (FW) helmet for a NCO or Officer that I picked up recently. This helmet was made for a generic Fire Department as evidenced by the front Wappen plate. Notice the black leather helmet corpus has a brass comb that usually denotes a Sergeant or Officer. It also has a generic front plate that shows a side view of a Fire Chief's helmet as designated by the comb being decorated with laurel leaves instead of being plain. The front shield on the fancy Chief's helmet also has the letters "F W" visible that designate "Feuerwehr" or Fire Service. The front plate also has crossed FW hand axes to designate the Feuerwehr. See Ludwig Baer, "The History of the German Steel Helmet 1916-1945" for more information on German Fire Department helmets.

This black leather helmet has the typical issue style fingered liner and spike helmet construction. It has brass fittings throughout and the large front plate is typical of Volunteer Fire Departments, some of which will indicate the city. This helmet also has a leather chinstrap that was fastened by an iron buckle. Notice the helmet has no cockades although they are sometimes found on these helmets. The interior is stamped with a size stamp on the interior leather back visor. The front plate and comb are attached with bent brass flat pins or screw bolts and those securing the comb pass though an oval washer that has the maker name of "Lehmann & Wunderberg - Hannover".

A nice example of a Fire Department helmet that served from Imperial and Weimar Republic time periods.
 

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Hi Schupo,
Nice fireman's helmet. Mostly with this "banana" crest but there were also some with a ball on cruciform base but round visor.
The officer's helmets are most often close to the military officer's Extra-Helm, but with a fireman's plate.Fwhr Saxon.jpgOff SP.GIF
 
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Thanks for the response Clovis. Yes, I have seen this style of helmet with the comb with various front plates or even no front plate at all. I have even seen the comb topped with the Artillery ball of the style shown on the left helmet you showed. Lots of variations on a theme with these. As you say, the Officer helmets are closest to the military style.

Here are a couple of fire axes of the type shown on my helmet and yours shown on the right.
 

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  • FW axe eick right.JPG
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  • FW axe cover.JPG
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