M95 Garde Landwehr Pionier Kompanie

Adler

Adler

New member
This hard to find haube crossed my path a few months ago and guess what happened... the beauty went home with me to meet the rest of the family...
It's a Mod.95 for a Fahnrich Garde Landwehr Pionier Kompanie (Silver fittings, gold flat shinscales).
1st Garde Landwehr Pionier Kompanie was part of the 109th Infanterie Division, formed in november 1915
2nd Garde Landwehr Pionier Kompanie was part of the 87th Infanterie Division, formed in february 1915
What I also like a lot on this haube is the white kalfskin sweatband, which is at the least unusual...

Enjoy,

Adler
 
As usual Karel another great find. Absolutely beautiful. However, for once I can actually pick nits on something–not your wonderful helmet but rather how it is entitled. This really is pole vaulting over a very small hill but as I have nothing to compare I will throw this out. The guard Landwehr was a weird organization. We all take our base knowledge of officers helmets and apply that to enlisted helmets. I would argue that this is not always the case.

A word of caution about enlisted helmets. Often you will be advised that these are Landwehr helmets. While that could be true it is more likely to be a reserve helmet. Similar to line Prussian helmets there was no specific reserve helmet for the Guard Corps. Therefore, it seems as though the eagle wappen shown above was used in its enlisted form for both reserve units and Landwehr units. This creates even more confusion because guard units of the Landwehr never deployed. As some collectors know the reserve regiments were supplied directly by the active regiment that supported them. Landwehr units came from the Bezirkskomando normally. There was no such organization for the guard Corps. The active regiment was supposed to provide a certain number of helmets for the reserve unit. I do not yet know how many. Nor do I know if it was actually done. It seems as in some cases, it was. For the guard regiments there seems to be strong evidence that the Guard Field Artillery and 1GRzF certainly kept stockpiles for reserve units in the form of enlisted helmets with Guard Landwehr wappen. Helmets with Landwehr wappen are known to have had both active and reserve Kammer marks at the same time (left below). Therefore the key item for absolute identification will be a mark for a second unit. Were these used for Übungen prior to the war? Yes! The group below with the Landwehr wappen is a reserve group, dated October 1911.
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Of course yours is private purchase and a very nice one. So no markings. The next subject is: were there actually Fahnrich for such a unit?

So I finally had something to comment about your exquisite helmets–maybe I'm right!
 
Excellent helme congratulations. I have only seen one other cream- white coloured sweat band and that was on a flugel adj helmet for Saxe Weimar Eisenach.
 
Thank you very much for your comments gentlemen!

Joe, if it's not for Fahnrich, what would it be then? Why wouldn't they have had Fahnrichs? I know, questions, questions... :P

Adler
 
Joe, if it's not for Fahnrich, what would it be then? Why wouldn't they have had Fahnrichs?
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Karel,

No one died and appointed me as all knowing! Here is my take.

The rank of Fahnrich is a stepping stone to commissioning. If the helmet was from Landwehr the unit did not exist except on paper, officers were accounted for on other unit rosters. No one was going to be promoted in such a unit.

If the unit was reserve would it not only exist for the training requirements?? So why would a “cadet” be assigned permanently to such an organization? Is there such a rank as Fahnrich der Reserve??

I vote that this is a private purchase helmet. Not associated with any rank that we can tell–an extremely small thing but it is only rarely that I can say anything about your helmets except congratulations.
 
Joe

I have come across instances in peacetime when the occasional Fähnrich was transfered into reserve service in that rank. I will see if I can dig out instance in the Militär-Wochenblatt.

Regards
Glenn
 
These three guys transfered into the Reserve on 18 February 1913 for example.

Regards
Glenn

faehnrich1.jpg
 
And a wartime promotion from Fähnrich der Reserve to Leutnant der Reserve on 30 October 1914.

Regards
Glenn

bassewitz.jpg
 
And a wartime promotion from Fähnrich der Reserve to Leutnant der Reserve on 30 October 1914.
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Thank you! That is a new one on me. I have to think about this. How did this guy end up with this set up? It is very early so I would think he would have to be like the other three guys?? I just do not follow how he would enter at that rank.


These three guys transfered into the Reserve on 18 February 1913 for example.
Click to expand...
Yes but these guys were “beurlaubt” so there must have been more to the story??? Either way I was not aware of how a Fähnrich der Reserve developed let alone that they even existed! Learn something everyday.
 
Joe

the verb to beurlauben in this instance is in the context of transfering these guys the "Beurlaubtenstandes", the generic term for all non active personnel both Reserve and Landwehr.

One can only speculate about the individual reasons for these aspirants to a regular officers' commission deciding to leave active service but one could think up various scenarios: Taking over the family estate or business, unsuitablilty or dislike of the career or perhaps just not physically fit enough for a regular officers' career.

But you are absolutely right; a guy would not enter reserve service at that rank. He would have had to be a former active officer aspirant already holding the rank at time of transfer.

Pickelhauben are more your expertise than mine :P I could not say if the helmet in question belonged to an individual holding the rank of Fähnrich. If it is the case, he could be a regular aspirant to a Pionier officers' commission on detachment or indeed a Fähnrich der Reserve. I don't think I have encountered a Fähnrich der Landwehr.

Regards
Glenn
 
Just a few minutes ago , I stumbled on these two guys...
The helmetplate looks the same as the one of my helmet, only the chinstrap is leather instead of chinscales. The Kokarden appear to be enlisted men's. The description with the picture said Eisenbahn Pioniere.
Maybe my helmet could be Eisenbahn Pionier too? I'm confused...
Maybe you knowledgable guys can help me out here?

Adler
 
What ever is the case Karel, I think they cut up elephants with those bayonets. :wink: By the way, I see I didn't post here yet, beautiful helmet! Another worthy addition to your collection.

:D Ron
 
Yes Karel, your helmet could also have been worn by a Reservist or a Landwehrmann in the Eisenbahntruppen or even Kraftfahrtruppen!!
One more possibility: Reserve or Landwehr Garde Fusilier Regiment.
Philippe :salute:
 
Whilst we are revisiting this topic, I was just wondering why is it assumed that this helmet belongs to a Fähnrich der Reserve? I would have thought it more likely to belong to a Vizefeldwebel der Reserve or Vizefeldwebel der Landwehr (Reserve or Landwehr Officer Aspirant) who were former one year volunteers, who in any case would have originally purchased their own helmets.

Regards
Glenn
 
What would be the difference between a Fähnrich or a former one year volunteer helmet wise- nothing you could sink your teeth into. The one-year volunteer or a private with a lot of money has a higher percentage chance of existing.
 
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