Helmet Description

Little photographic evidence has surfaced to clearly identify what model of helmet was worn by Organization Todt (OT) personnel.  A handful of photographs taken during the war reveal that some OT units were issued standard German Army (Heer) helmets.  These were generally helmets in the early M1935 pattern.  It also appears that some OT helmets were issued with special decal insignia.  While no wartime  photographic evidence supports this hypothesis, there exist original helmets that bear this out.

By comparative standards, it would seem that any helmet used by the OT would have typically fallen into the same category as those used by other government organizations such as the Luftschutzwarndienst (LSW) or Technische Nothilfe (TeNo).  This might have included the beaded M1935, M1940, and M1942 model helmets (reserved for civilian use), or lightweight civic model helmets like those worn by police.  It is also very possible that WWI model helmets were used.  The issuing of older model helmets pulled from surplus military stores was a common practice among political and auxiliary units.

Relatively few original helmets have surfaced reflecting definitive proof of their OT use.  Of those that have surfaced, the majority have been combat helmets with Heer insignia and those with  “Org.Todt” decals.  Some combat helmets believed to be original also bear a stenciled or hand painted “OT” cipher on one or both sides of the helmet.  Combat helmets appear to have been left in their original field green paint scheme and simply redecaled.  However, some helmets have been observed with repainted dark blue and black surfaces as with Luftschutzwarndienst (LSW), Bahnschutzpolizei, or Technische Nothilfe (TeNo) helmets.  Actual color schemes are difficult to establish due to the high incidence of counterfeit helmets.

The M1935 OT Helmet with Army Decal

The M1942 OT Helmet with Stencil

The M1942 OT Helmet with Decal