Very interesting ground-dug Fallschirmjäger helmet from Dukhovshchina near Smolensk.

The helmet was found on positions of the 7. Flieger-Division is famous for its role in the invasions of Denmark and Norway (1940), Holland (1940), and Crete (1941).

Read more about the 7. Flieger-Division here.

The unit was sent to the Smolensk region in October 1942. The helmet itself is in relic condition, has no liner, but retains all four bolts.

FJ helmets are very rare to find, even in relic condition, and this particular helmet might have taken part in several famous battles before it ended up in Russia.

The battle for Smolensk was a major battle during World War II, in which German forces fought to capture the city of Smolensk in western Russia. One of the key units involved in the battle was the German paratrooper division, the Fallschirmjäger.

The Fallschirmjäger played a crucial role in the initial assault on the city, making a daring airborne landing behind Soviet lines to secure key bridges and other strategic points. The paratroopers fought fiercely against Soviet forces, engaging in brutal close-quarters combat in the streets of Smolensk.