Today for Gus’ Gear, I am going to take a second look at a Tschako that was posted on March 10th. There was someone who thought it was a police helmet. The German police did use Tschakos for police helmets for many years after the Great War, and I suspect that many of those helmets were repurposed infantry helmets in the beginning. There have been a lot of post war Tschakos that have been fitted with wartime Wappen and passed off as WWI helmets, and I will show why there is no question that that helmet is an original example. As we do not allow post war and TR items to be shown here, and the fact that I do not have an example on hand, I cannot show images of the police Tschakos. Post war Tschakos were comonly constructed of felt bodies with leather visors and tops, with plated fixtures and police Wappen that would identify the city or state rather than having an Imperial Wappen. There were many different models of Tschako used during the war. The pre-war model had brass fittings that were replaced on the M1915 with steel fittings due to the shortage of tin to make brass. Before and during the first few months of the war, ersatz Tschakos were made of felt just as the Pickelhauben were, due to the time it took to form the leather bodies. Felt replacements could be made quickly by any hat maker without the need of retooling or training workers.
Here are two examples of German M1915 Tschakos, on the left is a nice example of a Prussian Line Tschako and on the right is a decent example of a Prussian Guard Tschako lacking the Feldzeichen (field badge). Both have a Reichs Kockard on the right side and no Kockard on the left. The Feldzeichen on the Tschako on the left is in lieu of a Prussian Kockard. Tschakos were worn by Jäger, Machine gun, Telegraph, Train and Bicycle troops until it was replaced by the steel helmet.
The markings in both these Tschakos show that they were made by the same company, Alexander Dahl Helmfabrik of Barmen, Ritterhausen. They are both dated 1916 and size 57 and 56.
The Line Tschako has the standard Prussian Eagle Wappen with the motto MITT GOTT FÜR KOENIG UND FATERLAND. The Feldzeichen is a reproduction, and I was told by the fellow who sold me the Tschako that it was a good reproduction and the only way I could tell it from an original one is with a black light. After checking this with a black light, I would say that we need to take all Feldzeichen with a grain of salt as they could be reproductions as this one is indistinguishable from an original.
The Guard Tschako has the Wappen with the motto MITT GOTT FÜR KÖNIG UND FATERLAND 1860 with the Guard motto SUUM CUIQUE, meaning one for all. The Prussian Guard Regiment discontinued the wearing of the Tschko when the Stahlhelm became available. The Guard Stahlhelm are some of the most counterfeited helmets as they command a high price and are not as common as the Tschako. Every Guard Tschako or Pickelhaube had a Guard Wappen, but not all the steel helmets were painted with a Guard emblem. These would have been worn in the field with an Überzeug, but as I have not yet acquired an example I cannot show one yet.