M35 Rautarn camouflage helmet

a Rautarn (literally "rough camouflage") helmet refers to a specific field-applied camouflage technique characterized by its thick, textured finish rather than a specific color pattern.
on an M35 helmet—the earliest standard-issue "Stahlhelm" of the war—this treatment was typically applied to dull the factory's original smooth or semi-glossy finish (such as "apple green" for the Heer or blue-gray for the Luftwaffe) to prevent reflections in combat. The paint was thickened by mixing in foreign materials like sand, sawdust, wood chips, grit, or even cement. Collectors sometimes refer to this as "concrete paint" or even "Zimmerit" (after the anti-magnetic tank coating) due to its chunky appearance.
Application: It was almost always field-applied by soldiers or unit workshops rather than in a factory. It could be brushed or sprayed on, often resulting in a very thick layer that could even embed the liner pins. Because M35 helmets were originally issued with two decals (insignia and national tricolor), Rautarn overpaint often covered the decals entirely. In some examples, the contours or colors of the decals might still be visible through cracks or thin spots in the textured paint. While the term refers to the texture, the colors used were generally standard camouflage tones like field-gray (Feldgrau), tan, or dark green, sometimes in a solid color or a multi-tone scheme. Why on an M35? The M35 was the "luxury" model of the German helmet series, featuring a rolled edge and separate ventilation bushings. As the war progressed and factory finishes became naturally rougher (like on the later M40 and M42 models), the smooth-painted M35s were the most in need of a Rautarn overhaul to keep them combat-effective and non-reflective.

This item:
This is a very nice example of an M35 combat helmet in Rautarn camouflage. The batch number is still somewhat legible, but the maker code and helmet size have disappeared under the thick layer of camouflage paint. The liner ring is firmly attached to the helmet, but the leatherwork is loose; this is still easy to repair. It has a good chin strap. And you get the sunglasses for free; that is how I found them too. The head size is approximately 57, which corresponds to a helmet size 64. A beautiful original helmet that would look great on a mannequin, for example.