During the early 1930's many Schutzstaffeln (SS) units began to form and be organized into specific units.  During this period , an ample supply of steel helmets was not available from surplus stores of the German Army.  As a political group, the National Socialist SS units were required to produce their own equipment which often required using whatever was available to them.  Period photographs will often depict both commercially produced "light-weight" civilian model helmets, M1916, M1917, M1918, and Austrian World War I pattern helmets in active use.  Although rare, in some cases even the M1918 "ear cut-out" pattern helmet can be observed in use by officers.  These helmets were painted anything from a semi-gloss to high-gloss black and were generally used in formal parades and special guard duties.  In order to supplement the shortage of steel  helmets, officers were also required to purchase their own commercially produced helmets.  In addition to this stipulation, the SS contracted a commercial vendor to produce what is today known as the "SS-RZM" helmet which was manufactured in the shape of the World War I M1918 helmet.  This helmet bore both the "RZM" circular logo and the "SS" runic symbol stamped on the inside rim.  The SS-RZM helmet was factory produced in a dark blue-black anodized color, but many were also repainted gloss black by their units.  At this early stage of the SS, many black helmets bore no insignia whatsoever.  This is particularly true of SS units formed in the early 1930's.  One early form of insignia observed on helmets worn men assigned to SS Foot Regiments (SS-Fuss-Standarten) has been the use of hand painted white double runic symbols.  These insignia have been observed in pre-war photographs of both SS Foot Regiments Number 24 (Oldenburg) and Number 31 (Landschut).  It is not known whether any of the additional 125 (of 127 formed) SS Foot Regiments utilized helmets with this type of insignia.

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Each section of German-Helmets.com is divided into separate Information Tracks that outline important details, facts, and historical notes pertaining to steel helmets used by the German Armed Forces during World War II.  

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This Information Track provides historical facts pertaining to steel helmets worn by the SS Foot Regiments (SS-Fuss-Standarten) from 1933-1934.  Individual links related to this subject are outlined below.

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