Third Reich civilian daggers
John C Pursley describes the daggers used by the numerous domestic civil administrations in Germany
In the fourth part of this series, John C Pursley describes the daggers used by the numerous domestic civil administrations in Germany.
In keeping with the agenda of control through permitting people to feel empowered, many civil servants of Third Reich organisations were authorised to wear daggers under certain circumstances.
The German Red Cross
In December 1939, Hitler expanded the size and scope of the Deutsches Rotes Kreuz (DRK) into a national organisation with two distinct branches the first being medicine, nursing and first aid, and the other involving social services. As with the TeNo and RLB organisations, most of the
Red Cross workers were volunteers with salaried full-time uniformed supervisors.
RED CROSS ENLISTED HEWER
The 15.75in DRK Hewer was authorised for wear by NCOs in February 1938. The most distinctive feature of the dagger is the blade with one edge in sawback and the other straight that was used for removing plaster casts and preparing splints. The tip of the blade was squared off to meet the Geneva Convention edict of medical staff not carrying offensive weapons.
Early models have nickel cross-guards and pommel, but later versions utilised plated pot metal causing them to break if dropped. The substantial cross-guard exhibits an oval space into which a symbol of a spread wing eagle with a swastika on its breast and the International symbol of the Red Cross at its feet is placed.
The grips are made from two pieces of black Bakelite with one side chequered and the other smooth, secured by two screws. The steel scabbard has a black enamel finish and is fitted with nickel platted chape and locket. The Hewer is carried in a leather
frog secured by a clip on the scabbard. A silver coloured portepee with blue threads on the crown is tied around the grip.
The Hewer was issued to personnel when required as no personal purchases were allowed. It was discontinued in 1940.
RED CROSS LEADERS’ DAGGER
The DRK Leaders’ dagger was introduced in February 1938 and could only be worn as a dress wear item because the pointed blade represented a weapon. The plastic grip is moulded with 10 horizontal simulated wire cords and colours range from creamy white to yellow/light orange.
The pommel and cross-guard are similar in style to the Hewer, and both are nickel-plated, and the scabbard is made of pebbled finished sheet metal with two square suspension rings affixed. The hangers have tan coloured velvet faced straps with red-bordered aluminum stripes and finished with plain oval buckles and slides and clip. Although the dagger ceased production in 1940, it was worn by leaders until the end of the war. Portepees for this dagger are very rare.
SOCIAL WELFARE OFFICER DAGGER
The Social Welfare Officer dagger is identical to the Red Cross model except the hanger fittings on the scabbard have round holes. Whether the difference between the two models is meant to categorise one from the other has been debated and may be only a manufacture variation. The double straphangers are grey velvet with blue aluminum facings and square pebble buckles.
Fire Department
In 1938 Hitler brought all the local fire brigade services under a single authority, Feuerschutzpolizei, or Fire Protection Police who were relegated as subordinate units within the overall police structure.
The size of any given fire department was directly related to the population it served and towns of over 15,000 were subsidised with volunteer fire fighters called Freiwillage Feuerwehr.
At the height of the war, the incorporated Fire Brigades numbered almost two million men supported by 700,000 Hitlerjugend members.
FIRE OFFICIAL DAGGER
At 19in, the Fire Official's Dirk was a very long weapon worn by volunteer and professional Fire Officers since first introduced in 1870 and does not include a swastika.
All metal fittings are either nickel or silver-plated with the pommel resembling a half-cup flaming ball and the cross-guard centre block features crossed axes and a fireman’s helmet. Each arm of the cross-guard is shaped like a clover.
The grip is either black Bakelite or black leather over a wooden base wrapped in silver wire and the double-etched blade depicts floral designs mixed with fire scenes and equipment. The scabbard shell is fashioned of black leather with an upper fitting equipped with hanging rings and a lower fitting. Dual black leather straps with plain oval metal buckles and clips serve as the hanger.
Use of the dirk was terminated in
1936 when commissioned ranks were ordered to wear plain hilted sabres until the formation of the Feuerschutzpolize, in 1938 when the Police sword was authorised as dress wear instead.
German National Railway System
As a result of the Treaty of Versailles, the Eisenbahn (German railroad) was made a subject of war reparations, but under the Nazi regime, the railways became of strategic importance. In 1935 all
railway systems were combined into the Deutsche Reichsbahn.
Earlier in 1933, the Bahnschutz (Railroad Special Protection Force) was formed to protect the railroads in time of war or civil disorder and organised into three separate sections; the Bahnschutz which protected rail property from theft and sabotage, the Bahnpolizei which maintained discipline within the workforce, and the Wassershutzpolitzei responsible for patrolling railway facilities, harbours, canals and waterways.
All of the organisations were merged in 1941 under the title of Bahnshutzpolizei and controlled by Heinrich Himmler.
The name was later changed to SSBahnschutz in 1944.
1ST MODEL RAILWAY LEADER DAGGER
This dagger was adapted from the standard Heer (Army) dagger. The only difference being the grip colour was changed to either black or dark purple.
2ND MODEL RAILWAY LEADER DAGGER
This dagger was created in 1938 for wear by guard officers and relevant officials of the Bahnpolizei. The pommel and crossguard are made from polished anodised silver aluminum with dark burnishing and clear lacquer finish and the centre of the cross-guard features the Bahnschutz insignia of a winged rail wheel. The ends turn down.
Hilt fittings are made of aluminum with a silver anodised finish ranging from bright to dull and backgrounds are
finished in dark burnishing to portray an antique look.
The grip is a thick black plastic style with the standard spirals with a double-grooved ring and an upper cap secure it. The pommel is spherical in shape decorated with a raised sunwheel swastika on the top.
The carbon steel stiletto style plain blade is cross-grained polished and fits into a smooth scabbard equipped with two ribbed aluminum suspension rings and a small scrolled ornate feature at the bottom of the scabbard tip. The hanger is a double strap type made from a silvertoned fabric with black line edges and square plain buckles. The dagger was worn with an aluminum or silver bullion portapee, interwoven with black thread in the cord. Production ceased in 1942
Police forces
After the rise of the Nazi party in 1933, a concerted effort by Hitler was made to create a German National Police Force, officially called the Deutsche Polizei. Heinrich Himmler was appointed Chief in 1936 and merged the SS and the German Police into a single, national protection force until the war broke out and took much of the manpower away.
In 1943 the force numbered around 200,00 men, divided into units responsible for various locations.
These included the Schutzpolizei des Gemeinden which operated within its local town; the Kaserniete-Schutzpolizei was the motorised police for emergencies and civil unrest; the Gendarmerie
Police which served in low population areas; Motorisierte Gendarmarie which traveled rural roads and the autobahn; Verkehrspolitzei which served as municipal police in cities; and the Wasserschutzpolizei which patrolled ports and harbours.
WATER PROTECTION POLICE
The Wassershutzpolizei wore naval uniforms with police insignia and worked closely with marine and port authorities. This division was the only one issued with a dress dagger, as most police personnel wore bayonets.
The dress dagger, which closely resembles that used by the Kriegsmarine was authorised for wear in April 1938. The major difference is a flaming ball pommel, dark blue leather-bound grip with gilt metal Police eagle, the dual strap black velvet with dark blue gilt-edged wire facings hanger, and the portapee was coloured gold with blue flecks.
After April 1939, the dagger was replaced by the Police sword. Since the number of Water Protection officers was low relative to the size of the organisation, they are very expensive.
CUSTOMS SERVICE
The Zolldienst was a separate branch of the government formed in 1936 with the responsibility of safeguarding the security of all borders, ports, and waterways. However, security took a back seat to collecting taxes for the Third Reich.
The German Customs Service was organised into the Land Service (Landzoll) which was accountable for
border security, import control, and tax gathering and Water Customs (Wasserzoll) which covered shorelines, harbours, ports, and imports by sea.
After the start of WWII, the scope of the Zolldienst was expanded to include capture of escaped prisoners of war, partisans, deserters, migrants, etc.
LAND CUSTOMS DAGGER
In July 1937, a dagger was authorised for wear by Landzoll officers. The crossguard, ferule, and pommel are the same style as the Army (Heer) model as is the grip, only it is made of wood covered with dark green leather and twisted wire wrapping around the 10 rotations.
The scabbard is made of steel, wrapped in the same dark green leather, and has three diagonal shaped nickel silver- or nickel-plated metal scabbard fittings (which were changed to aluminum after 1938 as were the rest of the hilt components).
The dagger is suspended using a double strap velvet hanger with green facings and Army-style round buckles. The dagger is adorned with an aluminum coloured portapee (junior officer ones have green stripes on the acorn). The dagger was discontinued in 1942.
Right: The Water Customs dagger is identical to the Heer model except for the hanger, scabbard, and solid brass, gold plated fittings (icollector.com)
WATER CUSTOMS DAGGER
The Wasserzoll dagger was simultaneously introduced with the Landzoll for wear by selected higherranking Sea Custom Officials. It is identical to the Land Customs dagger except the metal fittings are bronze then gold plated. The dual hanger straps are solid dark blue in colour with water marked patterns and the portapee is gold coloured. Production ceased in 1942
Postal Protection Service
The Postschutz was mostly made up of older men or those not fit for front line service, maintained the security of all post offices and communication installations. In March 1942, the organisation was incorporated into the Allgemeine (General) SS and redesignated the SS Postschutz.
POSTAL PROTECTION DAGGER
In February 1939, a dagger was authorised for higher-ranking Postschutz officers. It resembles the RLB (Air Raid protection) dagger, and all metal fittings are solid nickel with silver plating. The pommel is an RLB NCO model, and the solid nickel eagle head cross-guard is the only feature unique to the Postschutz dagger. The arms of the crossguard are plain
with a slight upward and downward slope at opposing ends with a black enamel swastika disk in the centre. The front of the grip is fitted with a silver eagle holding a swastika in its talons overcoming lightning bolts.
The blade is cross grain polished carbon steel with a painted black sheet metal scabbard having three fittings similar to those on a second model RLB officer dagger. The dagger was suspended from a plain double chain hanger made from nickel silver rings. A silver portapee with interwoven orange thread was used. The Postschutz Daggers were signed out and returned after use.
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