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Not far from
the Czechoslovakian border once lay the helmet factory Sächsische
Emaillier und Stanzwerke A.G. Beginning in 1935 this factory
served as a primary manufacturer of steel helmets for the Armed Forces
(Wehrmacht), Police (Polizei), and Armed-SS (Waffen-SS) . The
Sächsische Emaillier und Stanzwerke plant, along with the Eisenhüttenwerke
firm in Thale, was one of the only two facilities involved in helmet
production until the end of 1937. After 1937 three other firms
were added to the total involved in producing steel helmets in an
effort to supply the growing Wehrmacht with updated equipment. Helmets
made by the Sächsische Emaillier und Stanzwerke firm were marked with
the letters "SE" meaning "Sächsische Emaillier." These initials
were placed on the inside left rim along side a two digit number
denoting the metric shell size of the helmet. In 1943 the firm
changed initials which resulted in the new shell marking "hkp."
The "hkp" initials were later moved to the rear of the helmet and
continued to be used through May 1945. These initials are
generally found on M1942 helmets since they were placed into
production mid-war at about the time the firm changed its designation.
The Sächsische Emaillier und Stanzwerke was the second largest
producer of German steel helmets (Stahlhelme) during the Second World
War. |
