I've been watching Hitler's Bodyguards on UKTV HIstory and have been struck by the number of SS and Army parade troops wearing the high crowned Great War type helmets on the archive footage. In fact there seems to be absolutely no uniformity of headgear at all. So my question is: how common were these old-fashioned pots on the battelfield?
I've seen quite a few pre-war pictures and also late late war (Volkssturm etc) with them, but not any from 39-44.
You've got nothing to ein, zwei, drei, vier
Many World War model M1916, M1917, M1918, M1918 Ear Cut-Out and Austrian pattern helmets were factory refurbished and reissued to German infantry units between 1940 and 1943. This was done to supplement shortfalls in helmet production while the Wehrmacht expanded its overall fighting forces in all branches of service. Most helmets received a rough textured outer paint that was factory applied. In some cases the textured paint was also applied to the inside of the helmet shell as well. Almost every helmet received a single decal which was consistent with regulations held between 1940 and 1943. However, some helmets retained their double decals and were simply reissued with a new liner band insert. By 1943 most of the older model helmets had been reissued with production of both the M1940 and M1942 having met the overall shortfall. Reissued World War I helmets generally contain the updated second pattern zinc liner bands.
source: german-helmets.com
...so there you have it 