VERY RARE WWII GERMAN RED CROSS LEADER's DRESS DAGGER WITH ORIGINAL SCABBARD AND PORTEPEE

Model 1938 Deutschen Rotes Kreuz (DRK) Führer Dolch

Brought Home by a U.S. Veteran

This is a great example of a very rare German Red Cross (DRK) Officer's Dagger, complete with its nickel plated scabbard and portepee knot. Unlike the more commonly found EM/NCO Hewer, these daggers have a double edged spear point blade, which is actually fairly sharp near the tip. These were worn by officers and not intended for the utility use of the hewer, so they utilize more standard German WWII Dagger construction, with a tang fully enclosed in the grip. The crossguard is broken but the eagle with opened wings and a raised out swastika (hook cross) is visible, with the typical oval boss partially intact on the obverse. The celluloid grip of this example is bright but has a chip - see images. The end nut is in good shape and does not show any sign of tampering. As it is, the grip and crossguard are just a tiny bit loose on the tang, due to shrinking from age. Tied around the end of the grip is a very nice aluminum bullion portepee knot, which shows some wear - see images.

The blade of this dagger is in excellent condition! It has full factory final grind crossgrain, with some spots of oxidation on the blade. This texture is iconic, and is the definitive identifying characteristic for a real WWII era German Blade. There is no evidence of post factory sharpening, and the original tip is intact and unbent. The blade is unmarked, as almost all DRK Officer Daggers will be. These were contract purchased and awarded directly by the DRK, so maker markers were not used. The original blade buffer which appears to be leather is present. The scabbard is in very good condition, with almost fully intact nickel plating, and minimal oxidation and wear. It features very nice pebble-grained panels, and a throat retained at both sides by small dome headed screws. They show no evidence of ever having been removed. Really a fantastic example.

Specifications:
Blade Length: 9 1/2"
Overall length: 14 1/8”
Crossguard: 2 1/4”
Scabbard Length: 10 1/4”

History of the German Red Cross (DRK)

The DRK, "Deutsches Rotes Kreuz" (German Red Cross), a voluntary civil assistance organization originally instituted in 1864, was officially acknowledged by the Geneva Convention in 1929. In December 1937 it gained status

as a legally recognized organization by the NSDAP. As with other essential services in Third Reich Germany, it came under control of the NSDAP in late 1938 under the auspices of the Ministry of the Interior's Social Welfare Organization.

Seller does not support or condone Adolf Hitler or the Nazi Party and is only offering this as a historic relic.