A refinement of the WWI-era Stahlhelm, the 1935 pattern reduced the length of the armored skirt and eliminated the "horn" vent lugs in favor of a nearly flush set of individual grommets. Wartime pressure would lead to the introduction of a further simplified 1940 pattern, as well as the elimination of decoration, with the national shield being retired in 1940 and the branch-specific decal in 1942. The exterior finish is hand-painted black over a dull "feldgrau" green/gray, with the red/white/black swastika national shield on the left side and the black-on-silver "SS" rune shield on the right. The interior is uncovered feldgrau, with "ET66" on the left side of the skirt and "4060" on the right, and "CARL TESCH/BERLIN/1938" on the chinstrap. Some handwriting is present on the webbing, though it has been mostly rendered illegible by age and wear.

Good. The helmet retains over half of the black paint finish, with scuffing and rubbing exposing the underlying gray as well as some exposed, browned steel. The national shield is worn and faded, with a little over half remaining, and about 75% of the SS shield is present, with some scuffs and scratches. The interior is in good condition, with some cracking and staining of the leather.