Original German WWII DRK Red Cross Officer's Dagger with Excellent Blade and Scabbard - Deutsches Rotes Kreuz

Original Item: Only One Available. This is a great example of a very rare German Red Cross (DRK) Officer's Dagger, complete with its nickel plated scabbard. 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 officer's, 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 lightly patinated hilt mounts have about 90% of the original nickel-plating still intact, with overall speckling and patination, and just a bit of wear through on the edges of the pommel. This example looks to have seen light to moderate use, with some denting on the edges. We also noticed some hairline cracks in the pommel, common as the internal stresses in the cast zinc alloy cause crystal rearrangement over the decades.

The crossguard features an oval boss on each side, with the obverse featuring an eagle with half-opened wings and a raised out mobile swas (hook cross) on his breast. The bird clutches a Geneva cross in his talons, the emblem of the DRK. The celluloid grip of this example has faded to a very nice caramel color, which is a bit lighter on one side due to different amounts of light exposure. It is in very good condition showing little use and/or staining, with no cracking and just a few small scratches. The end nut does show some minor wear, probably from tightening. The hilt is still tight on the blade.

The blade of this dagger is in excellent condition, with full factory final polish grind crossgrain, with just a few small areas of of light staining. This texture is iconic, and is the definitive identifying characteristic for a real WWII German Blade. There is some minor runner wear on the blade center ridge, to be expected. There is no evidence of post factory sharpening, and the original tip has only the tiniest of bents at the very point. The blade is unmarked, as almost all DRK Officer Daggers will be. These were contract purchased and awarded directly by the DRK, so maker makers were not used. The original leather blade buffer is present, and is in great shape.

The scabbard is in very good condition, with the steel body showing no bends or dents that we can see. The nickel plating is over 90% intact, showing just a few spots where the plating has eroded and the steel has oxidized. 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 lovely example, though unfortunately the original hanger was lost at some point.

If you were looking for a rare Red Cross Officer's Dagger with a great blade, you just found it!

Specifications:
Blade Length: 9 7/8"
Overall length: 14 1/2”
Crossguard: 2 1/4”
Scabbard Length: 10 3/8”

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.