The German soldiers went to war in 1914 wearing the leather "Pickelhaube". All the bright metal trim hidden by a gray/green cloth field cover. After the initial push into France, the German High Command realized that more men were needed to achieve the victory over the Allies. Many thousands of helmets were fabricated early in the war to meet the needs expressed by the army quartermasters. Quickly, the extreme demand and reduction of available raw materials led to the use of replacement materials. Leather in short supply due to the allied sea embargo left many helmet manufacturers without the ability to meet their army contracts for helmets. To meet this demand pressed felt, paper mache`, synthetic fiber, cork, and stamped tin replaced the leather helmet body in many war model ersatz helmets.

The need for brass, which was used for shell casings, was acute. It was quickly clear to the German High Command that the spiked helmet was impractical for use in the trenches. The final helmet design change, Model 1915 replaced the bright metal trim with matte gray painted or chemically oxidized steel trim for all issue helmets. The unique element of the Mod.15 was the ability to remove the entire spike at the base by use of a bayonet lock mechanism. This reduced the profile of the helmet and made it better for use in trench warfare. Manufacturers of officer helmets also adopted some of the Model 1915 changes. Officer spikes were made to be removable at the base and Mod.91 style side lugs were used to allow officers to remove chinscales in the field and replace them with a more practical leather chinstrap.

The "Pickelhaube" was designed and created in a time of colorful uniforms, great parades and grand illusions. Sadly, it served the German soldier poorly in the time of high velocity shells and savage trench warfare. The troops in the field required more protection than the leather helmet could offer. In early 1916 the "coal scuttle" steel helmet was introduced to the front line soldiers. Almost immediately the spiked helmet disappeared from active use in the trenches. The "Pickelhaube" continued to find use among rear echelon and home based troops. Many officers refused to give up the symbol of the old army and continued to wear the helmet until the war end.