Found in Russia, on the Russian Front at Volhov near St. Petersburg, which was the location of a large battle between German and Russian forces in 1941.

The helmet is particularly rare, as it still has the remnants of the Waffen SS Oak Leaf camouflage cover, which has lasted for over 60 years, buried in the ground. The Oak leaf pattern was used between 1941 and 1945.

The Waffen-SS was the combat arm of the Schutzstaffel ‘Protective Squadron’ or SS. It was founded in Germany in 1939 after the SS was split into two units, but the title of Waffen-SS only became official on 2nd March 1940.

You can see on one side of the helmet, a bullet hole that possibly could have been the demise of the soldier.

A very rare and interesting item.