Leather helmet of the motorized troops, ca. 1916

During the First World War, the armies were only at the beginning of their motorization. Millions of people and tons of material had to be moved for the industrialized war: Supplies of weapons, ammunition, equipment, but also food, supplies, news and, of course, soldiers – to the front, behind the lines and back home. And industry itself also needed raw materials and supplies. The main burden was borne by the railroads and horse-drawn convoys, while long marches were part of everyday life for the soldiers. In some places, however, a new means of transportation was added: the motor vehicle with an internal combustion engine.

From the 1890s onwards, cars and trucks slowly began to spread, although they still had little off-road capability and were high-maintenance. The German armies did not invest in their own fleet of trucks and cars, but from 1908 subsidized the purchase of vehicles by private individuals, which then had to be handed over in the event of war. Three years earlier, a volunteer corps of automobile enthusiasts had already been formed, who enlisted together with their vehicles at the start of the war in 1914. The drivers could also be drafted into the transport troops. The German armies therefore had a small fleet of vehicles at the start of the war, without major investment in technology that might already have been outdated.

Separate motor vehicle divisions were first set up in Bavaria and Prussia as part of the transport troops. Cars and motorcycles were mainly used for officers, to carry messages, for reconnaissance or to transport the sick. The drivers had to be particularly protected against wind and weather and therefore wore special clothing consisting of a jacket, trousers and cap made of leather from 1907 onwards. In winter, a sheepskin-lined coat was also worn, and in summer a suit made of black drill instead of leather clothing. In 1916, the leather cap was replaced by this padded leather helmet. This model has a Prussian cockade on the front and a storm strap with which the helmet could be fastened to the head.

Some of these soldiers from the motorized vehicle divisions transferred to the new Panzerwaffe as drivers and mechanics because they already had experience with the control and maintenance of motorized vehicles. As there was initially no standardized uniform, they simply continued to wear the functional parts of their previous unit’s uniforms. Padded helmets like these were therefore also worn by the first armored soldiers. These helmets were particularly suitable for protecting the head against impacts in the cramped vehicles.