Pictured is a World War II German model 1934 Police helmet. The helmet has double decals on either side. One decal is the German Eagle with swaztica in silver and black and wreath of silver and black surrounded in black with a silver colored border representing the German nation. The second decal is the Nazi party flag with swaztica on a white background surrounded by red with a black border this decal represents the Nazi party. The helmet is made of a medium grade steel not used in the combat helmets of the same type. Police helmets were painted black with a brown leather nine tongued liner and black leather chin strap. These helmets were worn by Police unit throughout Germany and the occuipied countries who were not involved in combat operations. The model 1934 helmet was made as a light weight alternative to the much heavier steel combat helmet. Many helmets are found in Antique Malls, Gun and Militaria shows and on line auctions. Experience is the best teacher to collecting these items but there are a few things to look for when deciding whether to buy and old helmet or not. Is it real or a reproduction? First of all if it is a German World War II helmet with a high price tag proceed with caution. Look carefully at the paint job inside and out, smell the helmet. If you smell paint put it down and walk away. No further descussion is needed. A helmet that is 60 plus years old should not smell like paint. If it has a decal check the edges of the decal with your finger. If you can feel the edge of the decal with your finger it is probably a reproduction decal to make the helmet more valuable. These decals were heated when originally placed on the helmet. Original decals are very thin and adhere to the roughness or smoothness of the helmet. If the decal appears thick and covers the texture of the steel then it is probably a fake. If the decal is painted do the smell check. You can also purchase a small battery powered black light to check the paint. If the paint refects or luminates in the black light the paint probably has a synthetic material in it which indicates it was made after World War II and therefore not original to the helmet. Smell the liner inside, if it smells musty like old leather that is a good thing. If it smells new then that’s what it is and not original to the helmet. Look for pry marks inside the helmet around the liner, mix matched or damaged rivets or screws. This might indicate someone as changed or replaced the liner. Maybe the helmet was brought back by a vet without the liner and the new owner wants to increase the value by adding a liner. You can not collect anything without good reference material. You can start with more inexpensive books and create your own library on whatever are your collecting interests . Books with a military interests in mind can be found on line and at some books store although usually very limited. Check used book stores for great deals on some of these books. On line www.idsabooks.com is a good start along with www.schifferbooks.com among others. After you have made your purchase use a damp soft cloth to wipe the inside and outside of the helmet down. Make sure not to get the helmet liner wet and insure the helmet dries and does not rust. A small amount of light oil can be used but it is best to keep this away from the decal which could damage it. Blackrock or other leather cleaner or preservative will work on the chin strap. If the helmet liner does not need these things do not use them. One of the biggest mistakes collectors make is trying to make the item better or newer looking than it is. Preserve and protect the item do not change it. If it has a little rust or wear and tear leave it alone. If you start changing or “improving” the item, the value starts going down fast. And it’s originality and desirablity as a collectable will suffer sometimes to the extreme. I have seen many expensive items reduced to 0 value by well meaning collectors. The retail value on the pictured German Police helmet is $350.00 to $450.00 When looking at these helmets or other collectables take your time and look over the item carefully. Do not be rushed into a purchase and beware of a person selling the item that knows nothing about it. By the same token beware of the good story that seems to accompany some items that people are selling. You will make mistakes it’s all part of that experience I mentioned earlier, get over them and move on. The rare find makes collecting a piece of our history all the more exciting and rewarding. Like my mother once said, “you could have worse hobbies” Thanks, Mom

During the NAZI era of 1930-1940 Germany, the World War II era, the government created a state policy where ‘undesirable’ groups within Germany and any of its occupied territories were isolated from the general population. These groups were identified as Jews, homosexuals, gypsies, Jehovah’s Witnesses, criminals, political prisoners, and emigrants.

Once identified, they were forced to wear a distinctively designed cloth badge on their clothing to help identify them to the general population as to which persecuted group they belonged. Eventually and systematically, those wearing the cloth badges were moved as groups and imprisoned in outdoor concentration camps.

The Jewish population was one of the largest groups forced into concentration camps. While there, they were routinely decimated through forced labor, starvation, disease, and outright extermination.

The particular symbol chosen to identify the Jewish population as a whole was the Magen David, or Shield of David. This six pointed star-shaped design is actually made by the intertwining of two triangles. It is said that the triangles represent the intertwining of the Jewish people or that one triangle points upward to G-d and the other points down to earth. However, early Jewish text does not specifically identify this symbol as that of the Jewish people. There was some references to its use on synagogues as early as the 17th century, but not how it was chosen to represent the Jewish religion. Still, this symbol was adopted by the late 19th century Zionist movement and eventually incorporated into the national flag of Israel.

This Magen David, the Star of David, was the symbol most used by the Nazi regime to identify its Jewish population. There are many versions of the Magen David used in different regions of Nazi influence. The red star armband above is only one design possibly used in the Eastern Europe concentration camps. However, the newness of the armband suggests that it is a more recent fabrication and not authentic to the period.

Once incarcerated in concentration camps, the triangle seems to have prevailed as a unique symbol for all prisoners, only the color identifying the group the prisoner belonged. The other symbols for the other persecuted groups while in the concentration camps are identified as:

- yellow triangles for Jewish prisoners
- red triangles for political (Communist) prisoners
- purple triangles for Jehovah’s Witness
- pink triangles for homosexuals
- green triangles for criminals
- black triangles for Gypsies
- blue triangles for emigrants

Fake and Forgeries

It is evident and unfortunate that too many of the concentration camp memorabilia offered on online auction sites are not authentic. Many of them are being made from original cloth of the period which can make it hard to know for sure whether it is authentic or not. However, there is one rule of thumb to consider – if it looks too new, it is.

The Black Light Test

The other more sure way to know is to move a black light over the piece and if the thread glows, it is synthetic, a material not available during this period. That’s true of any painted object, too. If it glows under black light, it is of recent origin.

Collecting original concentration camp memorabilia is important as its very existence informs future generations that this shall not happen again.

Curiously enough, this SA dagger came into the shop recently and only after careful examination after the fact revealed that in fact this official looking SA dagger was an imposter.

Here’s how I can now tell:

- the color of the handle and the scabbard should be brown, not black,

- the handle itself could be a reproduction and the scabbard changed to reflect the reproduction,

- the eagle is not flush to the handle and gauge marks are evident on one side, not consistent with German insistence on quality,

- the SA symbol is upside down and shows evidence of having been gouged out as well,

- the blade engraving should be in line with the SA symbol and eagle, but it is on the reverse instead,

- corrosion on the scabbard is not usually evident,

- and the ring is glued.

All in all, a rather poor reproduction job. Still, this is an excellent teaching tool that will be used to judge other daggers as they appear from time to time.

I’ve had this German Wehrpass for awhile. The soldier’s name was Heinrif Esser and his last unit entry is “7./Pz. Gren. Rgt. 361″ or 7th Company of the Panzer Grenadier Regiment 361. This unit was under the famous 90th Light Africa Division (March 1942-May 1943) that was captured at the battle of Tunis.

The date of the last unit entry is December 29, 1942, so Heinrif was probably killed or captured in Tunis. I like to think that he was captured and sent to a POW camp in Nebraska, considering I bought this wehrpass from a man who lives around Hastings, NE. After the Afrika Korps collapsed in Tunis, many of the DAK soldiers were sent to Nebraska POW camps to work on farms, orchards, etc.

If anyone knows of a German casualty index, or has information as to how I can research this soldier, please contact me.

Chris Hughes is a WorthPoint Worthologist specializing in 20th century militaria and the owner of Rally Point Militaria and Vietnam Uniform – Military Collectibles sites.