Czech M.30 steel helmet of the Spanish Civil War

A favorite helmet in my collection, this unique design combines aspects of the German M16  and French Adrian of  World War One as well as more than a hint of the medieval.

As pictured in the Robert Capa photo above and portrayed in the stylized poster below...


the M.30 occupies its own little slot, somewhat imitative, never imitated, and in use for a relatively short time.  This Czech manufactured expedient export helmet served both sides in the Spanish Civil War.

Although the photographs in this post (all recently recovered "Mexican suitcase" Capa prints) are of Spanish Republican forces sporting the M.30, my example, with it's Francoist eagle insignia, is distinctly Nationalist.






This side view shows the ventilation lug to good effect.

Here is that Robert Capa photo again, showing unusually uniform helmet use among the Republican troops, all (in this instance) equipped with the m.30.


The top view demonstrates the slightly asymmetrical positioning of the ventilation lugs


The liner is typical of Spanish helmets of this period, three, two-fingered pads mounted on a leather band riveted to the shell.  There is precious little space between the helmet shell and the wearer's skull with this very cheap suspension, which would severely limit the overall protective value of this lid.





The chinstrap, with roller buckle and metal loop keeper is actually of a higher quality than one might expect in this helmet.  The Czech-manufactured liner was of significantly higher quality.

Whether or not this lid was ever used by Czech forces is unknown to me, though I'm pretty sure it was an "export only" item used both in Spain and Ethiopia.


Peened rivets are used throughout for mounting.  Note the thick "daubed-on" appearance of the paint, so common on Spanish helmets in general.


The rivets from the outside.  Also evident are the multiple layers of green paint, again typical of helmets in Spanish service.


Just slop it on and let the next guy worry about the rust.


The ventilator lug immediately brings to mind the classic German M.16 of WWI.  As far as I know these lugs were for ventilation only and not to support any ancillary frontal armor as in the case of the German Helmets of the First World War.

The securing washer for the lug from the inside of the shell.  Note the earlier shade of grayish-green paint.  I wonder if this was the color originally applied in the Czech factory.


On the underside of the leather suspension there appears to be slight remnants of felt padding, common to most Spanish liners of the era.


Initials on one of the pads, here "AAP"...


and here, "APV".   Who knows?


The distinctive Spanish Eagle affixed to the front, and not with the usual system of a tab which slides into a bracket as on most other models of helmet used by Nationalist forces, but with...


cotter pins that pass through holes in the shell to secure the Eagle firmly in position.


All in all a very handsome, if ballistically inadequate helmet.

I leave you with two more Robert Capa photos, grim reminders of the dreary purpose which these helmets served.  



Helmets are silent reminders of the all too frequent inability of men to find alternatives to self-destruction.

provenance:
accession number: MOA hmar154.43.49
Czech steel helmet, (Spanish livery)
Acquired 1987, Comstock Park Michigan.
Purchase price :$22.00
Condition: very good

I'll be back next week with another  Spanish helmet of the Civil War era.

Mannie

Helmets of the Spanish Civil War (and beyond)

Americans of the Abraham Lincoln brigade ready to strike a blow against fascism while wearing what appear to be Italian M.16 helmets.

The Spanish Civil War (1936–1939) Was a brutal, repressive, and for this Americano, difficult to follow struggle which pitted several not particularly sympathetic groups - some quite repugnant- against each other.

When it was over strongman Francisco Franco  was left standing, the Spanish Republicans were on the run and in tatters, and the Communists were just as looney as ever.  The three guys who may have benefited most were Ernest Hemingway who got a great book and movie deal out of it all, Picasso who left us with an incredible painting, and Adolf Hitler who profited from what was a great opportunity to road test much of Nazi Germany's new war making hardware.  

Today over a half century later we are left with a modern Spain that may be the leading exporter of irrelevance and ambivalence.  At least that struggle gave the helmet collecting world some very interesting steel lids.

During that war the various  factions used a variety of helmets, foreign and domestic, interchangeably with each other while they bled their country white.

 
This jaunty Red wears the Spanish manufactured  M.26 helmet.

This stylized graphic poster provides us with an arty look at the "Eibar" helmet

These bicycle peddling Republicans sport the Italian M.16 ...

as do these actual Italian fascist troops assisting Mussolini's pal Franco in his nefarious ambitions.

Like the sandal-clad republican above, I'll try to figure it all out while showcasing, over the next five weeks, several Spanish helmets, including a few from the Civil War era.  Beginning with the specimen below, an Italian M.16 in Falangist livery.

The  "yugo y flechas" (bow and arrow)  is an insignia of the Spanish Nationalist group "Black Arrows".


I never get tired of that classic Adrian-inspired design.

No surprises inside.  I often wonder, when examining the helmets in my collection, how the former wearers fared.

Close up of the "yugo y flechas" insignia.

Join me again next week (Monday) for an in-depth look at the Czech manufactured M.30.  A unique helmet exported for use by both sides in the Spanish Civil War.

Keep on collecting!

Mannie

Oh my!

I've just been informed by reliable sources that my British MkII Warden's helmet, is in fact a Canadian Warden's helmet.
Consider my face slightly red.

Stay tuned next Monday for the first in a series of Spanish helmets.

German Luftschutz Helmet

fourth in a series of Civil Defense helmets

Luftangriff!

When your enemy controls the skies, the idea of Civil Defense grows large in the public imagination.

The "Luftschutz" was the air defense arm of the RLB; civilians, that is old folks, women, and children performing all of the Civil Defense roles so abundantly available in a smoldering and crumbling Germany while the last of the able bodied men were being pushed into the sausage machine of Hitler's "Thousand-year Reich".

This brave-looking dark blue helmet, of that Germanic-flared style, has a deep dome, wide protective skirt, and is emblazoned with the winged swastika insignia of the Luftschutz.

The profile demonstrates that typical "Fritz" style. The 'bead" or circumference ridge is an element we'll see again in a police-style helmet in a later posting of German helmets.

These distinctive colander-like ventilation holes prompt thoughts of draining pasta.



The rear view shows the widely flared skirt to fine effect.

The top view shows a finish in quite good condition, all very much intact save for that ding, caused perhaps by falling masonry? I'm hoping the damage occurred as the lid was thrown down in greeting the advancing food trucks of the American GIs (and not Russkis, for heaven's sake).

The very simple, very cheap, liner is indicative of the scrimping that Germany had to resort to in order to support a madman's hallucination of world domination. The cork spacers provided the wearer with a scant eighth of an inch separation between shell and skull. Let's hope our Aryan Air raid warden had a healthy head of hair.

The size is stamped on one of the liner fingers. The leather, by the way is very thin and cheap. Had the war gone on another year the liner doubtless would have ended up as some Berliner's lunch.

Manufacturer's mark stamped in the rear skirt.

Those familiar with German helmets will recognize the trusty split rivet that fastened the liner to the shell. The liner band, by the way seems to be some sort of pressed heavy paper.

The cork spacer is all that lies between the wearer and a concussion.

The nicest piece of leather is the chinstrap, of which only the buckle-half is currently attached.

This insignia will also be found on the captured helmets of many nations before the war ended.

Three cute German girls in Luftschutz gear, dutifully and cheerily marching toward oblivion...

as Hitler's Reich reaps the whirlwind.

As you collect, reflect.

The Luftschutz "gladiator style" helmet of World War Two. A sad cautionary icon, reminding us that willingly following pied pipers and maniacs can bring with it a terrible price.

Next Monday's installment will be the British MkII air-raid warden's helmet of WWII.

Note: the three German girls photo is a copyrighted image of German-Helmets.com and is used here without permission, though I'm still hoping to hear from them.