Today for Gus’ Gear I have a Model 1915 Bavarian Tschako. The Tschako was the most common form of military headgear in nearly every army during the Napoleonic Wars. In Prussia, in 1842, the Pickelhaube replaced the Tschako for most branches. Some of the more specialized branches such as Jäger, telegraph, machine gun, aviation, cyclists and Sea Battalion retained the Tschko. After the unification of the German States in 1871, following the Franco-Prussian War, there was a trend to standardize uniforms
The front view shows the Bavarian Wappen with the motto “In Treue Fest.” The Tschako Wappen is the same size as the Wappen found on spiked helmets, but they are not interchangeable as the Tschako Wappen has a cylindrical profile while the Pickelhaube Wappen has a spherical profile. This Tschako has an original Bavarian Feldzeichen, a wooden oval covered with white cloth and a blue cloth center, these are the Bavarian State colors. This Feldzeichen is missing a majority of the blue cloth, but originals are one of the hardest parts of these helmets to find, and I believe that any effort to restore the blue cloth would undermine the originality of the piece. The M1915 models have pressed steel fittings that are painted field grey, these replaced the brass fittings of the earlier M1895 helmets. The change was made due to shortages of tin in Germany after the war started. Tin was needed to alloy with copper to make the brass that was needed for cartridges and shell casings. The shortage was so acute that older model bayonets for the 1871 and 1871/84 rifle were scrapped because the handles were solid brass, and even though bayonets were in short supply, the brass was more urgently needed for ammunition production.
The view of the right side of the Tschako shows the National Kockard, painted in the National colors, black, white and red. A single vent is built into the body of the Tschako on each side above the chin strap studs. After the Armistice, the Tschako was adopted as the standard headgear for the police in Germany. Many of the surplus Tschakos were used, and new examples were made. The later models usually have two vents on each side.
The view of the left side of the Tschako shows that there is no State Kockard, this is replaced by the Feldzeichen above the Wappen on the front of the helmet.
The view of the left side of the Tschako shows that there is no State Kockard, this is replaced by the Feldzeichen above the Wappen on the front of the helmet.
The liner is of the same style as found on a Pickelhaube, this example is in poor shape with a couple of fingers missing. There are no visible maker’s marks or unit marks in this Tschako.