*German, WWII, Beautifully Painted Battlefield Find M40 Double Decal Steel Helmet, Hand-Painted Eagle, Flags & “Alles für Deutschland” Slogan*
An original German Second World War M40 steel helmet shell, recovered in genuine battlefield condition and painted with bold hand-painted imagery, resulting in a visually striking and evocative relic display piece.
The helmet features a large hand-painted eagle clutching a swastika, executed in yellow and gold tones, centrally applied to the shell. Above the eagle are two painted national-style flags, incorporating red, black, and white colouring, while beneath appears a hand-painted slogan reading “Alles für Deutschland” (“Everything for Germany”), now partially worn but still legible in places. The paint is applied directly over the corroded steel surface and surviving original finish, strongly indicating that this decoration was added after battlefield recovery.
Beneath the later paintwork, the helmet remains a genuine M40 pattern, identifiable by its pressed ventilation holes and correct shell form. Traces of the original field-grey factory finish remain visible beneath oxidation, along with extremely faint remnants of the early-war double decal configuration. The helmet has not been restored or altered beyond the later decorative paint and remains otherwise exactly as recovered.
Historical Note:
The German M40 helmet was introduced in 1940 as a simplified evolution of the earlier M35, retaining the same protective shape while streamlining wartime production. Early examples were issued with double decals, a practice discontinued during 1940 as camouflage and uniformity became increasingly important.
The slogan “Alles für Deutschland” translates as “Everything for Germany” and is historically associated with the Sturmabteilung (SA), where it served as the organisation’s official motto. It is most famously known from its use on SA daggers, where it appears acid-etched as a formal inscription.
*Condition*
Offered as a battlefield relic and display item. The steel shell exhibits heavy corrosion throughout, with deep pitting, oxidation, and surface loss consistent with prolonged burial. There are multiple cracks and splits to the rim and dome, with areas of fragment loss, particularly to the rear skirt. Several small perforations are present. Later hand-painted imagery of an eagle, flags, and the slogan “Alles für Deutschland” is in good condition and remains clearly visible. The interior is empty, with no liner, chinstrap, or retaining band present. No restoration, stabilisation, or repainting of the shell has been undertaken. Please see photographs as part of the condition report.
RQMAOOXBEO_3699224494
