In House Shipping:
After the Nazis rose to power in 1933, Hermann Goring organized the Reichsluftshutzbund (or RLB) to train the German populace in civil defense. In 1938, the RLB was reorganized into the Luftschutz, which included anti-aircraft flak batteries, as well as units for firefighting, damage control, and rescuing air raid survivors. Luftschutz personnel were mostly at risk from falling masonry and shell splinters, and thus did not require the high level ballistic protection of first line M-35 combat helmets. They were issued the specially designed M-38 Luftschutz helmet, often referred to as the “Gladiator” helmet due to its resemblance to those worn by the combatants in the Colosseum of Ancient Rome. This German WW2 Luftschutz Air Defense M-38 “Gladiator” Stahlhelm Steel Helmet is in Very Good Condition, with some flaking and nicking to the middle of the decal at the front crown, which has removed the “S” in “LUFTSCHUTZ”, and with some notable patina at the back right crown, some scattered scratching and spot patina around the exterior, some scattered scuffing and dark soiling around the top edge of the liner, the left end of the chinstrap having completely torn away from its rivet at the inner left ear of the liner, some wrinkling and crazing to that chinstrap, some patina to the metal chinstrap buckle, and with some light overall age wear evident. Otherwise, the helmet is in fine shape, with absolutely no dents, cracking, or other damage to the tough steel construction, which retains approximately 90% of the crisp, original dark grayish blue smooth finish around the exterior and the inside. Most interestingly, it boasts the original “LUFTSCHUTZ” decal at the front crown, sports the classic M-38 “bead” around the lower crown, pair of “starburst” air vents at each side of the crown, and extended front and back brims, the last of which earned it the moniker “Gladiator” helmet, and features the original size “53” stamped light brown leather lappet liner with the original white cotton connecting lace still tied through the front “finger”. It bears the original black leather chinstrap with metal buckle, carries “R.L.2 39/25” stamped at the underside of the back brim, along with the following markings applied via decal, “Vertrieb genehmigt / gernab 8 Luftschutzgesetz / Kopfweite: 53 / Höchstpreis / RM. 8.50”, and is a fine example of a rare, original German WW2 Luftschutz Air Defense M-38 “Gladiator” Stahlhelm Steel Helmet.