WW2 German Luftschutz helmet 1940s

This is a late issue Luftschutz (Air Protection) Helmet dating from around 1943. Several different versions of these exist with generally the quality and materials used getting cheaper as the war went on to drive costs down. Often known as the gladiator helmet as it resembles the design of those worn by Roman gladiators.
The Luftschutz was a voluntary civilian role responsible in a air raid for ensuring that everyone in their allotted area was taking the necessary air raid precautions, much like the British ARP wardens. Their task was to prepare people for air attack and provide training in ‘Self-protection’ and undertake all the necessary emergency and rescue measures once an attack had happened. ‘self-protection' involved training in first-aid, anti-gas procedures, air-raid discipline, and how to create a ‘bomb-safe room'. Every house and apartment block in an endangered city had to have a designated safe room completed to standard specifications
As times became more desperate near the end of the war the Luftschutz assisted also with Anti aircraft defences, manning searchlights and anti aircraft guns before being pressed into last ditch defences against advancing Russian and American troops. A fight they couldn’t possibly win. By spring 1945 the writing was well and truly on the wall for Nazi Germany.