The Pickelhaube (plural Pickelhauben), also "Pickelhelm," was a spiked helmet worn in the 19th and 20th centuries by German military, firefighters, and police. Although typically associated with the Prussian army, the helmet enjoyed wide use among uniformed occupations in the Western world.

The Pickelhaube was originally designed in 1842 by King Frederick William IV of Prussia,[2] maybe as a copy of similar helmets that were adopted at the same time by the Russian military. It is not clear whether this was a case of imitation, or parallel invention. The early Russian Pickelhaube had used the spike as a holder for a horsehair plume in full dress, a practice also followed with some Prussian models.

The Pickelhaube is still part of the parade/ceremonial uniform of the Life Guards (Swedish Army); the Portuguese National Republican Guard; the Military Academies of Chile, Colombia, Venezuela and Ecuador; the Army Band of Chile; and the Presidential Guard Battalion of Colombia. Traffic police in the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan also use a form of the Pickelhaube. The modern Romania Gendarmerie (Jandarmeria Romana) maintain a mounted detachment who wear a white plumed Pickelhaube of a model dating from the late 19th century, as part of their ceremonial uniform.

The following section of the website is dedicated to the study of the Pickelhaube helmet. This information is brought to you courtesy of MilitaryItems.com , the source for military antiques and collectibles.