Pickelhaube

Brief Description

When the German army invaded France and Belgium in 1914, its troops wore the 1892 pattern cloth-covered version of the pickelhaube, most often with a regimental number inscribed into or sewn onto the fabric covering. To Germany's enemies, the helmet quickly became associated with Hun barbarity as propaganda artists filled British, French and American newspapers with illustrations of pickelhaube-wearing Germans committing all manner of atrocities upon French and Belgian civilians.

As the war entered its second year, leather became scarce in Germany so manufacturers began to produce the helmet using everything from treated felt to sheet metal instead. Even cardboard was used as a substitute.