SS sword of honor

Reichsführer SS honor sword with scabbard

Use of the SS sword as a parade or ceremonial weapon

The sword of honor Reich Leader SS , short and SS sword of honor or SS sword , was in the Third Reich as a ceremonial weapon of the Schutzstaffel . In addition to the sword, there was also the SS ring of honor and the SS honor dagger . The presentation of these private awards had to follow a set of rules personally decreed by Heinrich Himmler .

Introduction and award

The SS sword of honor was introduced in 1936 on Himmler's instructions and was modeled on the parade or ceremonial sword traditionally used in the army , air force and navy . The sword was usually worn with the parade uniform, but could also be worn with the service and dress uniform, as numerous picture documents show.

In contrast to the SS honor dagger, there were no precise rules for the award. However, the only decisive factor here was Himmler's grace and grace. The SS sword of honor was only given to members of the Schutzstaffel from the SS-Unterführer upwards. Graduates of the SS Junker Schools received the sword on the occasion of their successful training as SS leader and wore it for the first time when they were sworn in as SS Untersturmführer .

The sword was an indicator of whom Himmler counted among the SS's most worthy of support. As the SS rose in rank, the general SS became more likely to become a sword holder.

Up to 1945, 362 SS-Standartenführer (from 621), 236 SS-Oberführer (from 276), 88 SS-Gruppenführer (from 96), 91 SS-Obergruppenführer (from 92) and all four SS-Oberst-Gruppenführer had from the SS-Führerkorps receive the sword of honor.

The use of the sword by leaders and sub-leaders when swearing in SS candidates was largely retained until the end of the war.

Appearance and design

Basically, swords were made for SS leaders and for SS Unterführer, although those of the Unterführer were less elaborately designed. SS swords of honor were made in different designs and had a simple D-shaped bracket that ran from the crossguard to the handle. The handle was made of black wood and carried the SS runes. The scabbard was also black and decorated decoratively. The metal scabbard was carried by an aluminum hanger .

Web links

Commons : SS-Ehrendegen - Collection of pictures, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

↑ Heinz Höhne : The Order under the Skull - The History of the SS. Weltbild-Verlag, Augsburg 1992, p. 141.

[1] Heinz Höhne : The Order under the Skull - The History of the SS. Weltbild-Verlag, Augsburg 1992, p. 141.