What happened to the Heer after the war?

[Helmut0815]

Any idea what happened to the millions of Stahlhelmen?

Some thousands were used for the Bundesgrenzschutz (BGS, Federal Border Guard, see http://combathelmets.blogspot.de/2013/0 ... 35-53.html) as well as for fire brigades. Mostly they were scrapped or converted into useful civilian products as Dieter said before.

In time of need for example: sieves in the kitchen !!

And pee pots.

Source: http://www.nachkriegszeit.de/helmverwert.htm

regards


Helmut

[WEISWEILER]

[WEISWEILER]

This picture might be interesting. Bundeswehr in 1961. (source: Photobucket) What gear would be WWII?

[Natter]

The norwegian armed forces used a variety of german equipment and weapons for a shorter or longer period after the war (you might still find some objects in use...).

Examples:
Vehicles, including tanks
Airplanes
Guns (field- and coastal-artillery, for the latter some were in use until 2001)
Torpedoes and mines (until 1999 and 2002)
Handguns of all kinds (karbines, pistols, submachine guns, machineguns +++)
Pioneer-equpiment
Searchlights
Firecontrol-equipment for coastal artillery
Optics of all kinds
Steelhelmets (not sure how long)
+++

[LineDoggie]

This picture might be interesting. Bundeswehr in 1961. (source: Photobucket) What gear would be WWII?

No.2 is USA made M1 Garand rifles

[WEISWEILER]

This picture might be interesting. Bundeswehr in 1961. (source: Photobucket) What gear would be WWII?

No.2 is USA made M1 Garand rifles

No. 6 could be the M38 Gasmask. Not shore.

[WEISWEILER]

The norwegian armed forces used a variety of german equipment and weapons for a shorter or longer period after the war (you might still find some objects in use...).

Examples:
Vehicles, including tanks
Airplanes
Guns (field- and coastal-artillery, for the latter some were in use until 2001)
Torpedoes and mines (until 1999 and 2002)
Handguns of all kinds (karbines, pistols, submachine guns, machineguns +++)
Pioneer-equpiment
Searchlights
Firecontrol-equipment for coastal artillery
Optics of all kinds
Steelhelmets (not sure how long)
+++

Thanks, Natter.

You have foto's of the vehicles and planes by any chance?

/W

[Natter]

You have foto's of the vehicles and planes by any chance?

Some info:

Fiesler Fi-156 Storch: Ca 55 planes left in Norway by may '45. Most were taken over by the RAF, some were later scrapped, transferred back to germany or handed over to RNoAF (17 planes). One or two planes were handed over to civilan operators. In addition to the ex-Luftwaffe planes, 10 new planes were build at Kjeller aircraft factory after the war. Fi156 was used by RNoAF until 1954.

Junker Ju-52: Ca 50 planes left in Norway at the end of the war. 21 of these were taken over by the RNoAF and operated as transport planes until 1950.

PzKpfw III: 61 vehicles taken over by RNoA, redesigned "Stridsvogn KW-III", and 25-32 of these were used until 1951 (the rest was used for spareparts).

Stug III: 10 vehicles taken over by RNoA, redesigned "Stormkanon KW-III"). Ca 5 were operated until 1951 (the rest used for spare parts).

Photos fround online by a quick google-search.

[Natter]

The rest:

[WEISWEILER]

Great info, Natter.

Thanks

/Adam Weisweiler

[Helmut0815]

This picture might be interesting. Bundeswehr in 1961. (source: Photobucket) What gear would be WWII?

As far as I see the only WWII Wehrmacht equipment on this picture could be the MGs.

No. 1: A Gefreiter wearing a Feldanzug jagdmeliert - postwar
No. 4: Koppeltragegestell (bandoleer) - postwar
No. 5 + 7: Kampftasche klein (small combat pack) + Feldflasche (canteen) - postwar
No. 6: looks a bit too long for a WWII gas mask tin


regards


Helmut

[WEISWEILER]

Thanks, Helmut.

For the record, I found the pic on Google Images including the red circles and numbers. No idea what their original meaning was.

So only the gasmask comes close, but no survivor after all.

Seemed like a rigid politics not to let anything survive, and after all: it was already 1955 when BW was established.

/Adam Weisweiler

[jeger]

When the 360.000 strong German force in Norway laid down their weapons i May-45 and were sendt back to Germany during 1945/46 they left their rifles ( mostly Mauser M/98/K) and helmets behind which was later used by the Norwegian mobilization army .
Jeger

[Natter]

When the 360.000 strong German force in Norway laid down their weapons i May-45 and were sendt back to Germany during 1945/46 they left their rifles ( mostly Mauser M/98/K) and helmets behind

Among other types of equipment - as posted above.

which was later used by the Norwegian mobilization army.

I'm not entirely sure what you mean by that: As far as I know, german equipment was used by all parts of the norwegian armed forces. Most of this were exchanged for (mainly) US materiel during the Marshal-aid etc., but "low priority" units (ie those being national assets only, not NATO, like the homeguard and coastal artillery) were the last to get "new" equipment. For example, german handguns were still in use by the coastal artillery until the 1990's.

Regarding german helmets - here is a website with photos of helmets in norwegian use (including civilian organisations):
http://www.matshelmets.se/no_helm.html

[WEISWEILER]

This picture might be interesting. Bundeswehr in 1961. (source: Photobucket) What gear would be WWII?

As far as I see the only WWII Wehrmacht equipment on this picture could be the MGs.

No. 1: A Gefreiter wearing a Feldanzug jagdmeliert - postwar
No. 4: Koppeltragegestell (bandoleer) - postwar
No. 5 + 7: Kampftasche klein (small combat pack) + Feldflasche (canteen) - postwar
No. 6: looks a bit too long for a WWII gas mask tin


regards


Helmut

The MG's (MG1942) were adapted with barrels fitting NATO ammo, so I read. Are those surviving up to today or is the model still in production?