Bulgarian M36 Helmet: History, Types & Identification

Quick Answer: What Is the Bulgarian M36 Helmet?

The Bulgarian M36 helmet is a steel combat helmet developed in the mid-1930s and introduced into service with the Bulgarian Army in 1936. Used during World War II and retained in Bulgarian military service and storage for decades afterwards, it became one of the most distinctive pieces of Bulgarian military equipment of the twentieth century.

Collectors recognise three principal variants — Type A, Type B and Type C — distinguished by shell shape, rolled or unrolled rims, rivet arrangements and leather suspension systems. Many surviving helmets were repainted and refurbished after the war, making correct identification of original and replacement components particularly important.

During the First World War, Bulgarian soldiers used steel helmets belonging to the German Stahlhelm family. These offered a distinctive form of military head protection and remained part of the Bulgarian Army’s equipment after the conflict.

The Treaty of Neuilly-sur-Seine, signed in 1919, severely restricted Bulgaria’s armed forces. During the following decade, however, political conditions in Europe changed and military modernisation again became an important national priority.

By the mid-1930s, Bulgaria was pursuing a new steel helmet designed for its own armed forces. Introduced in 1936, the M36 belonged to the generation of military helmets developed as armies prepared for the possibility of modern mechanised warfare.

Its profile was influenced by the wider European Stahlhelm tradition, yet its shape was distinct. The shell had a strongly flared lower edge, a characteristic central ridge and side ventilation fittings.

The M36 was not simply a renamed German helmet. It developed its own manufacturing history and several construction variants.

A Distinctive Steel Silhouette

The longitudinal ridge running across the crown is one of the most recognisable characteristics of the M36. Together with the flared sides, it creates a silhouette that can often be distinguished from contemporary military helmet designs.

The shell was intended to reduce the risk of injury from battlefield fragments and related hazards. Its exact ballistic capabilities should not be exaggerated without comparable technical tests.

The history of the M36 is unusually long for a helmet associated with World War II. Its story extends far beyond the military operations of the 1940s.

The military history of the M36 must be understood within the changing role of Bulgaria during World War II.

The same general helmet design served in an army that experienced two very different wartime periods: Bulgaria’s alliance with the Axis powers and, after September 1944, the campaign against Nazi Germany.

1940: The Return of Southern Dobruja

In September 1940, the Treaty of Craiova returned Southern Dobruja from Romania to Bulgaria. The arrival of Bulgarian troops was accompanied by public ceremonies and considerable national emotion.

Historical photographs from the period provide valuable evidence for the appearance of the Royal Bulgarian Army immediately before Bulgaria joined the Tripartite Pact.

1941–1944: Wartime Garrison and Occupation Service

Bulgaria joined the Tripartite Pact on 1 March 1941. Following the Axis invasion of Yugoslavia and Greece, Bulgarian military forces took part in the occupation and administration of territories in the Balkans.

The army undertook garrison, communications, security and other military duties. The M36 was part of the equipment associated with Bulgarian troops during this period.

The Bulgarian National Museum of Military History documents this phase of occupation as part of the country’s wider wartime history.

September 1944: A Change of Sides

In September 1944, Bulgaria underwent a fundamental political transformation. Following the Soviet declaration of war and the events surrounding 9 September, Bulgarian military forces joined the campaign against Germany.

The M36 continued to serve Bulgarian soldiers during this new phase of the conflict.

This continuity is historically remarkable: a helmet introduced under the monarchy remained in use as the country’s armed forces changed their wartime alignment.

The Bulgarian Campaign in Yugoslavia, 1944

Bulgarian infantry, artillery, motorised and armoured formations participated in the autumn campaign of 1944, including operations around Niš, Kosovo, Stratsin and Kumanovo.

Surviving photographs show the range of vehicles, uniforms and equipment associated with the period.

The Bulgarian Armoured Brigade and Panzer IV

The Bulgarian Army operated a range of armoured vehicles, including German-built Panzer IV tanks. Their presence in the 1944 campaign illustrates the complex military relationships and equipment transfers of the period.

Bulgarian Paratroopers at Strazhin and Kumanovo

The Bulgarian Parachute Battalion was established in 1943 and later participated in the fighting against German forces.

Its actions during the Stratsin–Kumanovo offensive operation in October 1944 became an important chapter in Bulgarian airborne history.

The fighting at Strazhin on 18 October 1944 was particularly significant for the formation.

1945: The Battle Along the Drava

During the final months of World War II, the First Bulgarian Army fought in Hungary as part of the operations against Germany.

The Drava Defensive Operation of March 1945 became one of the important military episodes of this campaign.

The men involved faced difficult terrain, demanding weather conditions and intense fighting. Their helmets were everyday pieces of equipment, not the collector’s objects they would eventually become.

17 June 1945: The Army Returns to Sofia

On 17 June 1945, formations of the First Bulgarian Army received a ceremonial welcome in Sofia after the end of the European war.

The return of the soldiers marked the conclusion of a long and difficult campaign.

For the men who had worn them, the steel helmets were reminders of military service and personal experiences. For later generations, they became objects through which that history could still be studied.

The Bulgarian M36 is generally divided into three principal variants by military helmet collectors.

The terms Type A, Type B and Type C are widely accepted in collector literature, although it is not certain that they were the official contemporary designations used by the Bulgarian Army.

Understanding the physical differences is essential for identifying surviving examples.

Photographic Comparison: M36 Type A on the Left, Type C on the Right

These two original comparison photographs show actual surviving Bulgarian M36 helmets side by side. The Type A (M36A) is on the left, while the Type C (M36C) is on the right. Examining both helmets at the same scale makes differences in shell depth, brim curvature, rivet positions and the transition from crown to rim easier to recognise.

The most reliable distinction is the shell construction: the M36A has a rolled steel rim, whereas the M36C has an unrolled edge and a different liner attachment arrangement. Paint colour alone is not a reliable dating method because both helmets may have been repainted during military service.

Type A — The Original Rolled-Rim Pattern

The M36 Type A is the early rolled-rim model. The edge of its steel shell is folded under, a characteristic that distinguishes it from the later Type B and C helmets.

Four large domed rivets secure the original style of liner band, while two separate smaller rivets are used for the chinstrap fittings.

Documented early liners have seven leather tongues with reinforced openings for the adjustment cord.

Type B — The Transitional Helmet

Type B retained much of the general shape of Type A but introduced an unrolled steel edge.

Many examples have three large liner attachment rivets, although four-rivet versions also exist.

This means the number of rivets alone cannot identify every Type B helmet. The shell edge, proportions and complete suspension arrangement must also be considered.

Type B is considered especially uncommon among surviving collector examples, but precise factory production figures remain uncertain.

Type C — The Long-Serving Later Pattern

Type C, generally associated with the design changes introduced around 1939, is the most frequently encountered M36 variant.

It has a more compact shell, an unrolled rim and a distinctive suspension arrangement using four springing metal brackets.

Original examples commonly have six leather liner tongues with ventilation perforations.

Its long military service explains the large number of surviving helmets with later paint, replacement liners or other refurbishment features.

One of the most interesting questions surrounding the M36 concerns its manufacturing history.

Traditional references identify early manufacturing connections with Czechoslovakia and later domestic production associated with the Bulgarian state military works in Kazanlak.

Czechoslovak firms commonly mentioned in specialist literature include Sandrik at Dolné Hámre and Brüder Gottlieb und Brauchbar at Brno.

The Question of German Manufacture

Older collector books also mention Eisenhüttenwerk Thale in Germany as a possible manufacturer.

However, recent studies of surviving helmets have questioned this attribution. Convincing examples bearing the expected German factory identification, or sufficient contemporary production documents, have not been established in the research consulted.

The existence of such production cannot be ruled out absolutely, but it should not be treated as proven.

Who Designed the Bulgarian M36 Helmet?

The available specialist references do not establish a single named civilian designer for the Bulgarian M36. Its development is generally attributed to Bulgarian military requirements and technical work carried out under the army’s authority. Claims that a particular commission designed every detail, or that Tsar Boris III personally directed the engineering, require specific archival confirmation.

The new helmet was influenced by the German First World War Stahlhelm but was substantially modified, especially in the profile of the lower brim, the ventilation fittings and the raised longitudinal ridge along the crown. This resemblance should not be confused with the Soviet SSh-36, which is a different helmet despite the similar year designation.

Accounts of early Bulgarian production also describe a press imported from Germany for the state military works in Kazanlak around late 1935. The origin of machinery is not proof that all helmets made with it were manufactured in Germany. The attribution of actual German-made M36 shells remains disputed.

How Many M36 Helmets Were Produced?

Exact production totals are not securely established from the published records available for this guide.

Although estimates appear in collector literature, specific numerical claims should not be repeated as official factory statistics without supporting procurement documents or production registers.

The surviving population of helmets is also affected by battlefield losses, repairs, storage, disposal and postwar refurbishment.

Estimated Production Shares: Why Type C Is More Common

A commonly repeated collector estimate assigns around 70% or more of overall M36 production to the later Type C. Some popular breakdowns also suggest approximately 25% Type A and 3–4% Type B. These figures are useful for explaining perceived scarcity, but they are not authenticated factory statistics and should not be presented as exact production totals.

Survival rates are not necessarily the same as original production shares. The prolonged service and storage of Type C, combined with wartime losses and later refurbishment, affect the number of helmets collectors encounter today. Type B remains especially uncommon in the surviving material.

The construction of the M36 reflects the military engineering priorities of the interwar period.

A steel shell provided the outer protective surface, while the interior suspension distributed weight and kept the wearer’s head separated from the metal.

Steel Shell and Ventilation

The shell was formed from steel and included ventilation fittings positioned on the sides. These fittings are useful identification details, although their appearance must be evaluated together with the rest of the construction.

Leather Suspension Systems

The original interior consisted of a leather liner secured to a supporting band. The design permitted adjustment through a drawstring passing through openings in the leather tongues.

The suspension also maintained a space between the steel shell and the wearer’s head, a basic principle of military helmet construction.

The important differences between early and later interiors include the number of leather tongues, rivet arrangements and the use of spring-supported mounting brackets.

Original Liners vs Postwar Replacement Liners

A major challenge in M36 identification is that many helmets were fitted with replacement interiors.

An early steel shell may therefore have a later leather liner, a replacement drawstring or new chinstrap fittings.

The correct approach is to date the shell and the interior separately rather than assuming they were manufactured at the same time.

Actual M36A and M36C Interiors: A Side-by-Side Study

The next photograph compares the inside of the two surviving helmets: M36 Type A on the left and M36 Type C on the right. Both have pale tan leather liners with six perforated tongues, adjustment cords and leather chinstraps. The internal mounting brackets and construction of the steel shell are important identification details.

This comparison also illustrates a frequent collecting pitfall. An early Type A steel shell can carry a later six-tongue liner after refurbishment; it should not be reclassified as Type C merely because its leather resembles the later pattern.

The Type C Leather Liner and Spring Brackets

In this closer view of the M36C, the six perforated leather tongues are linked by a light drawstring. Metal brackets visible around the inside of the shell help secure the suspension. The dark marks on the leather cannot be used to establish a particular production year without corroborating documentation.

The Chinstrap

The chinstrap helped keep the helmet in position during movement. Earlier constructions could include split leather sections and fittings influenced by Central European military equipment.

Later replacement straps sometimes adopted different buckles or simpler leather arrangements.

When studying a surviving helmet, the chinstrap should never be assumed original merely because the leather looks old.

The surviving helmet photographed for this article illustrates the difference between an authentic historical object and an untouched original configuration.

This example is identified as a Bulgarian M36 Type A with later Bulgarian People’s Army refurbishment.

Its early-pattern shell survives with later military paint and replacement interior components.

The exact factory, manufacturing year and date of refurbishment have not been independently established. The helmet is therefore best understood through the physical evidence that remains visible.

The Surviving Steel Shell

The broad flared rim, rolled edge and characteristic shape support the identification of the shell as the early Type A pattern.

The current surface finish belongs to the helmet’s later military history and should not be described as untouched wartime paint.

Front View: The Characteristic Silhouette

Rivets, Ventilation and Later Chinstrap

The Refurbished Leather Liner

The present leather liner demonstrates how an early shell could continue its military life after its original internal components were replaced.

Additional M36A Interior Photograph: Six-Tongue Replacement Liner

The following overhead photograph shows the Type A helmet’s olive-green shell, riveted chinstrap fittings, six-tongue perforated leather liner and adjustment cord. The original rolled-rim shell and the possible later liner must be evaluated as separate historical components.

The Handwritten Number “60”

One of the small but interesting details of the collection example is the handwritten number 60 visible inside the leather liner.

It may relate to sizing or an internal service notation. However, its precise meaning has not been verified from military documentation.

It should therefore not be used as proof of a specific manufacturing or refurbishment date.

Size Mark “59”, Possible Inspection Stamp and Rolled Steel Rim

A separate close-up reveals the ink-stamped number 59 on a leather liner tongue, as well as an additional partially preserved purple mark. The number 59 most plausibly relates to a size designation; it must not be automatically read as the manufacturing year 1959.

The other mark may be an inspection, military acceptance or production-control stamp, but its function has not been confirmed from the photograph alone. The photograph also provides a detailed reference for the inward-rolled steel rim that is characteristic of the M36 Type A shell.

The end of World War II did not mean that every M36 helmet disappeared from service.

Existing steel helmets remained useful military equipment. Many were retained in storage, repainted, repaired or fitted with replacement leather components.

During the following decades, the Bulgarian People’s Army continued to use older military equipment alongside newer designs.

How Were M36 Helmets Refurbished?

Postwar refurbishment could include repainting, replacement of leather liners, installation of new chinstraps and repairs to the internal suspension system.

Some helmets retained early shells while receiving later military components.

Specialist research describes more standardised refurbishment patterns that may belong to maintenance programmes during the 1970s and 1980s. Exact dates require corroboration from official military or factory records.

Wartime Decals and Later Military Insignia

Original wartime M36 helmets could carry a Bulgarian national shield with diagonal white, green and red bands, enclosed by a dark border.

During later military service, some helmets received painted national shields, communist red stars or no insignia at all.

A symbol cannot always date the steel shell. Later paint or insignia may have been applied to an older helmet.

The layers should be studied as part of the object’s history, not automatically removed.

The Bulgarian M36 belonged to an important generation of protective steel helmets introduced or developed around the Second World War.

Different countries adopted different solutions for shell geometry, suspension, mass production and maintenance.

Was the Bulgarian M36 Better Than the German Stahlhelm?

There is no reliable universal ranking based solely on appearance or construction.

Ballistic performance depends on steel properties, impact conditions, projectile or fragment characteristics, impact angle and other technical factors.

Without comparative testing under equivalent conditions, it would be misleading to claim that the M36 offered better or worse protection than any particular foreign helmet.

Its historical importance lies in its distinctive Bulgarian design and exceptionally long history of use.

Reliable identification begins with the physical object. No single marking, colour or component should be considered decisive without examining the helmet as a whole.

Does an Authentic M36 Need a Factory Stamp?

No. Many genuine M36 steel shells have no obvious stamped manufacturer’s code.

Markings sometimes appear on leather liner components instead, although these may themselves have been replaced during maintenance.

Possible stock or factory-related markings must be interpreted cautiously, especially when the exact date of a refurbishment is unknown.

Authentic, Original, Refurbished or Replica?

Collectors should always distinguish genuine historical objects from later replicas, and understand how repairs affect originality.

The Bulgarian M36 is a recognised subject in military collecting, but not every example is equally rare or valuable.

The later Type C is generally more frequently encountered, while early Type A and transitional Type B examples attract interest from collectors studying the development of the design.

Condition and originality may be just as important as the variant itself.

Market asking prices can vary significantly and should not be confused with completed sales.

A meaningful valuation requires comparison with helmets of the same variant, condition, completeness and degree of originality.

For further guidance, see our professional antique valuation resource.

A surviving helmet contains historical evidence in its materials, paint layers, markings and repairs.

Excessive cleaning or restoration can destroy evidence that would otherwise help identify its history.

• Keep the helmet in a dry environment with stable humidity.
• Avoid direct sunlight and excessive heat.
• Do not scrape or polish original paint.
• Avoid attempting to expose concealed earlier insignia.
• Do not force aged leather straps into position.
• Document all markings before conservation.
• Consult a specialist when corrosion or fragile materials require treatment.

The surface of a military object may contain valuable evidence of age and use. Our guide to historical patina explains why original surfaces should be respected.

This guide combines museum history, specialist collector research and examination of a surviving Bulgarian M36 Type A helmet.

1. National Museum of Military History — Bulgaria in World War II. Institutional history of Bulgaria’s participation in the conflict.
2. National Museum of Military History — Military Calendar, October. Bulgarian military operations during the autumn of 1944.
3. Steel Helmets of the World Wars — Bulgarian M36-A. Early construction and manufacturing research.
4. Steel Helmets of the World Wars — Bulgarian M36-B. Transitional helmet configurations.
5. Steel Helmets of the World Wars — Bulgarian M36-C. Later suspension arrangements and postwar refurbishment.
6. Brendon’s Helmets — Bulgarian M36A. Photographic collector reference.
7. Weitze — Bulgarian M36A-51: construction and collector nomenclature. Discusses the estimated Type C production share and the limits of available historical evidence. These commercial collector notes are not official factory statistics.
8. United States Holocaust Memorial Museum — Bulgaria. Historical context of Bulgaria’s wartime position.
9. Hristo P. Dermendzhiev, “Bulgarian Military Helmets” (Българските военни каски), Voennoistoricheski Sbornik, No. 2, 2004, pp. 57–62. Cited historical research; the original publication should be consulted for disputed details.

Research note: Certain manufacturing attributions, exact production figures and dates of individual refurbishment programmes remain incompletely documented. Educational infographics illustrate typical features and should not be treated as substitutes for factory records or physical authentication. Historical photograph identifications and licensing should be confirmed against the original archival sources.

THE OLD ANTIQUARIAN · HISTORICAL RESEARCH

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