Third Reich paramilitary daggers
John C Pursley identifies the edged weapons worn by Third Reich military support organisations
In the next one in the series, John C Pursley identifies the edged weapons worn by Third Reich military support organisations.
Although paramilitary groups existed prior to Hitler’s election as Chancellor in 1933, the organisations that would serve the Reich were organised shortly thereafter. By definition these were groups whose administrative structure, tactics, training, subculture, and function were similar to military, but not formally part of the Wehrmacht.
THE DLV DAGGER
Formed in 1933, the German Airsports League (Deutscher Luftsportverband) overtly appeared as a hobbyist group interested in flying but in reality, was intended to circumvent the Treaty of Versailles ban on a national Air Force.
In 1934, the DLV adopted a dress dagger for officers, the first organisation to do so. The physical characteristics of the piece were similar to that of the future First Model Luftwaffe dagger, minus grip wire. The double-edged stiletto blade had a 1in square ricasso at the top and the sunwheels on the swastika and crossguard were flat. The manufacture of this example was terminated after 1935 upon the adoption of the almost identical Luftwaffe dagger.
THE DLV FLYER’S KNIFE
This piece, also introduced in 1934, is significantly shorter than the dagger and authorised to be worn by all ranks. It was not intended for practical use. The wooden bulbous grip and steel scabbard are sheathed in blue leather which compliments the nickel silver fittings. The cross-guard is the same as the DLV dagger with a double saucershaped pommel void of a swastika and a steel scabbard containing two, plated sheath accessories. The top scabbard fitting has a loop attached on one side to accommodate the single piece hanging strap that clipped onto the wearers belt. The blades are plated, polished doubleedged steel with no motto.
In 1936 the design of the knife underwent alterations that changed the scabbard to aluminum; added a dark blue enameled, wrinkled simulated leather covering; and fittings converted to a brushed, unpolished aluminum material.
After the establishment of the
National Socialist Flying Korps (Nationalsozialistiches Fleiferkorps, NSFK) in 1937, the DLV organisation was placed under Luftwaffe control.
From then on, the availability of Second Model Flyer’s Knife was restricted by the RZM. Therefore, the first model is more commonly encountered. The DLV Flyer’s Knife costs around £1,650 with the dagger priced about £4,800.
NATIONAL POLITICAL LEADERSHIP SCHOOL (NEPA) DAGGER
The NEPA (Nationalpolitisch Erziehungsanstalten) was founded in 1933 to provide an advanced curriculum intended to produce competent Nazi Party and military leaders. It was not entirely a Party program as it was under the authority of the Ministry of Science, yet all students were required to join the Hitler Youth organisation. Their daggers were not issued until the final four years of the students’ education.
Wearing of NEPA daggers was authorised in 1935. Designed after the
traditional 16th century European Holbein, the dagger came in three categories: student, staff/instructor and leader. The plated and polished blades are engraved with the motto: ‘Mehr Sein als Scheinen’ (Be More than You Appear to Be).
Initially the dagger was fitted with nickel silver cross-guard fittings that secured the wooden grip of pear or walnut, stained light brown. The scabbard was constructed of thin sheet metal and painted olive green.
Neither the student or instructor models have scabbard fittings and were attached to the user by means of a leather frog, a device similar to that which holds a bayonet. The leader model, however, had top and bottom lockets of nickel silver and a permanently attached hanger made of chain similar in design to that of the First Luftwaffe dagger.
There are two distinct types of mount for attaching the suspension chain with one being a swivel ring and the other resembling a square ramp. While the student model is void of insignia, the staff/instructor and leader versions have the national eagle and swastika inlaid into the grip. As with most Third Reich daggers, after a few years of production the nickel silver fittings were replaced by ones made of zinc and plated with either nickel or chrome which is known to flake off. NEPA daggers remained the property of the school.
Student and instructor daggers in good condition should start at about £2,500. Leader models are rarer with prices around £3,800.
REICH LABOUR CORPS (RAD) DAGGER
The Reichsarbeitsdienst (RAD) organisation was a governmentsponsored programme designed to end the mass unemployment caused by the worldwide Great Depression of the 1930s, improve the German infrastructure, and provide a gap between the completion of
high school and mandatory service in the armed forces.
It was organised with a military structure and discipline similar to the Army, wore uniforms, and drilled with a shovel in lieu of a rifle.
A dress sidearm was authorised for wear by all personnel in 1934 and was referred to as a Hewer because of the large blade. The pommel was designed as part of the hilt and styled to resemble an eagle beak with the grip attachment screw appearing as the eye within the staghorn grip. Some early models were known to have full staghorn plates covering the metal beak.
The sheet metal scabbard was painted black enamel with the nickel-plated steel chape on the bottom exhibiting the RAD symbol of a shovel bearing a swastika bordered with two sheaths of wheat with the upper fitting having a Celtic swirl design. Both top and bottom decorum features appeared on both sides.
The hanger had a leather spade-shaped pad formed into the profile of the upper scabbard fitting with a short leather strap serving as the belt loop. The aluminium, spring-loaded fitting is attached to the bottom of the strap to allow easy connection to the scabbard.
Etched with the motto ‘Arbeit adelt’ (Labour ennobles) on the obverse, the nickel-plated steel blade had a fuller (groove) cut into each side.
RAD LEADER DAGGER
The Hewer was utilised by all RAD members until 1937 when a much smaller, lighter, and more decorative dagger was designed for the officer corps. This model had fittings of nickel-plated zinc and collectors should expect to find the finish flaking off of the crossguard, ferrule, and pommel components.
The double turned-down cross-guard was similar to the Army dagger except the RAD symbol replaced the national eagle and swastika. Fitted with a narrow scimitar-looking blade with a fuller on each side, the engraved RAD motto on the obverse side added interest.
The pommel depicted the head of an eagle with the neck descending into the two-piece off-white or yellow celluloid grips, held in-place with a screw. The lower ferrule denoted a coiled rope shape.
Scabbards were made of nickel-plated steel with the Celtic swirl on one-side of the upper fitting. The centre of the scabbard had a pebbled finish with the lower section decorated with two sheaths of wheat on the obverse side. Two nickelplated rectangular-shaped rings were attached to accommodate the hangers.
The leather hanger straps are held at the top by a common metal slider that attached to a belt clip with two catches. No portepee was worn on this model.
RAD Hewers usually cost around £850 with good condition leader models starting at £1,600. Hangers for enlisted men cost almost as much as the dagger at about £650.
STATE AIR PROTECTION LEAGUE DAGGERS (RLB)
Formed in 1932, the RLB (Reichsluftscutzbund) was a mostly volunteer civil defence organisation until taken over by the Nazis in 1933 and placed under Luftwaffe control. It was responsible for all civil defence, air raid precautions, and warnings as well as rescue and first aid work in the event of bombing raids. Literally every town in Germany had a contingent.
In 1936, daggers for Leaders and Subordinates were designed, with a modified version released two years later. RLB daggers were not available for commercial purchase as they were an item only bestowed on those recipients deemed worth enough.
The Subordinate’s dagger
At 14.5in, this was more of a knife than a dagger, but it had clean lines with nickel fittings and a black painted sheet metal scabbard exhibiting a plated lower fitting. The motto-free plated and polished blade had a centre ridge running the entire length.
The dome-shaped pommel secured the top of the ebony-stained hardwood grip displaying an inset silver and enamel RLB sunburst.
The bottom of the grip was held in-place by the cross-guard featuring four straight ribs angled at the ends to resemble wings with an eagle clutching a swastika within a circle.
A triangular shaped hanger apparatus attached to the scabbard held the permanently connected short leather, hanging strap. The modified 1938 version replaced the RLB grip sunburst with an enameled swastika.
The Leader’s dagger
This version closely resembled the Subordinate’s dagger with the exception of a wider cross-guard, oval shaped pommel, black or dark blue leather wrapped grip and scabbard, and two nickel-silver scabbard fittings with the upper having a plated ring for the hanger attachment.
The 1938 revision added a central band with plated loop so double cloth hangers similar to those used by the Army could be attached. The RLB insignia was also changed to a swastika mounted on a copper-based sunburst plated silver around the edges. No portepee was worn with this dagger.
A collector can pick up a Subordinate’s dagger for around £2,800 and Leader’s models usually start at £3,200.
TECHNICAL EMERGENCY CORPS (TENO) DAGGERS
Although primarily a volunteer organisation consisting of tradespeople capable of restoring essential services, the TeNo (Technische Nothilfe) was under the direction of the SS and supported military operations in rear areas. Using civilians, freed up military engineers for front line service.
Heinrich Himmler authorised two types of daggers in 1938; a Leader’s dress model and a Subordinate Hewer, both intended to serve as functional implements. But the daggers were only awarded to salaried personnel, so few were given out making them very rare.
The Subordinate’s dagger
At a weight of 2lb, this dagger was the heaviest model produced. The steel blade was a Bowie type with a solidly constructed nickel-plated cross-guard in the shape of an eagle clutching a swastika containing a TeNo inset and a hilt fashioned in the image of an eagle’s head encompassing a cogwheel for its eye. The two-piece celluloid grip came in either white or orange.
The black painted scabbard had upper and lower plated fittings and was attached to a black leather frog, which held the dagger in a vertical position when worn. TeNo daggers were manufactured exclusively by the Carl Eickhorn firm so if you see one with a different maker mark, it is not authentic.
The Leader’s dagger
This dagger measured16.5in and was the only model supporting two sets of alternate hangers: one of cloth for dress and the other of leather for service wear. The outstretched wings of a TeNo eagle clutching a swastika, incorporating a small cogwheel insignia inset with the initials ‘T’ and ‘N’, comprised the cross-guard. Also, the large pommel featured the shape of a cogwheel. Both fittings were made of nickel-plated zinc covered in dark lacquer and secured the bulbous grip, available in either cream or yellow.
The scabbard, resembling the Army version, was pebble finished with a 1in bottom decorative piece and two adorned scabbard bands in the same dark lacquer with circular rings to which the hangers were attached. A silver cord portepee was tied below the pommel and around the cross-guard.
Due to rarity, Leader’s dagger prices start around £4,800 for an average quality model with Subordinate’s models in mint condition beginning around £4,200.
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