Original German WWII Bismarck Kriegsmarine Presentation Switch Signal Telegraph Cigar Cutter Identified to Walter Lehmann, Died Aboard the Bismarck

Original Item. One-of-a-Kind. This is an outstanding artifact in its own right, only made more historically-significant by its identification to a Korvettenkapitän who perished aboard the Battleship Bismarck on May 27th, 1941. This small ship’s switch signal telegraph is designed for use as a cigar cutter, which would have been the perfect gift for a Kriegsmarine officer who was prone to smoking, which was more or less all of them!

The small telegraph sits atop a base which stores the discarded ash, with a small door to allow for its emptying. On the base is a plaque reading:

Korvkptn W. Lehmann
8.24.1940

We have included a small printed page of Lehmann’s service on the Bismarck website. There is a photograph of him with a tobacco pipe in his mouth, further corroborating that this was indeed his cigar cutter. He was born on August 23rd, 1903 and was 37 at the time of his death aboard the Bismarck. His rank was Korvettenkapitän and his position was chief engineer.

The cigar cutter moves just like the telegraph handle would, and moving it to HALT on either side will cut the cigar. The bottom of the piece has a small door to release the ash, and on this door is the logo of Ernst Lowe, Zittau. The cutter measures 5¾” tall with a 2¾” base diameter.  

An outstanding piece identified to an officer who perished aboard the Bismarck. Comes ready for further research and display!