How the Stahlhelm replaced the impractical leather spike helmet

History · Published 3 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: Discover the transition from the iconic but vulnerable Pickelhaube to the practical steel Stahlhelm, a design born from the brutal realities of trench warfare.

During the early stages of World War I, German forces utilized the Pickelhaube, a leather spike helmet that proved expensive and offered insufficient protection for soldiers in the trenches. In 1916, this was replaced by the Stahlhelm, a more functional steel helmet. While Germany was the first nation to test a steel helmet design, they were slow to deploy it across the battlefield.

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