SS honor dagger
The SS honor dagger or SS dagger was considered an honor weapon of the Schutzstaffel in the Third Reich . In addition to the dagger, there was also the SS ring of honor and the SS sword of honor . These private awards were presented explicitly in accordance with a set of rules developed by Heinrich Himmler .
Introduction and award
This honorary weapon was introduced in December 1933 and was modeled on the traditions in the army , air force and navy . The award ceremony took place on the occasion of the final admission of the SS men to the General SS , SS-Totenkopfverband or SS-Einsatzstruppe / Waffen-SS on November 9th .
SS applicants (relay applicants, relay junkers, relay candidates or full relay candidates) were not entitled to wear. The SS dagger was also the official side arm of the SS dress uniform for all SS members .
The manufacture of these honor daggers was suspended in 1940.
Appearance and design
The appearance and design were based on the pattern of the Swiss dagger of the 16th century. The middle of the wide, spear-shaped knife blade, 33 cm long, has a clearly defined edge. In the middle of the blade is the SS motto “ My honor is loyalty ”.
Pommel and quillons are nickel-plated; the handle is - like the scabbard - black and inside it is the NSDAP eagle and the SS symbol in silver. The metal scabbard is finished in black glossy lacquer and has a silver-plated border above and below. The SS dagger was introduced in 1933 and there are 3 different designs or variants.
- Early production: 1933–1935 : manufacturer's logo, burnished black scabbard, ebony handle, crossguard with Roman numeral (I-Munich, II-Dresden and III-Berlin)
- Medium production: 1936–1938 : manufacturer's logo or manufacturer's logo with RZM number (double identification), scabbard burnished black or lacquered, no Roman numerals on the quillons
- Late production: 1938–1942 : Only with RZM number, scabbard painted black, handle eagle mainly made of aluminum
Version for the "old fighters"
On June 21, 1936, another variant of the dagger was introduced, which was reserved only for those SS leaders and Unterführer who had already joined the Schutzstaffel before 1933. This dagger corresponds in every detail to that of 1933, only that the chain was made of SS runes and skulls. In the middle of the scabbard is a silver band with swastikas.
High-ranking SS leaders received a special dagger from Himmler, which bore the inscription "In cordial comradeship, H. Himmler". There were also numerous variants of this dagger that were handed over personally by Himmler. These gift daggers were made of high quality materials and had gold-plated inscriptions. These were and are still rarities today, as only a few were issued.
Carrying method
The SS honor daggers were usually worn with the black SS uniform . According to Himmler, the SS man was obliged to physically use the dagger against anyone who had violated the honor of the SS or had insulted the honor or the family of the SS member. In November 1935, Himmler issued a decree stating that "every SS man has the right and the duty to defend his honor with a weapon" .
From February 15, 1943, officers of the Waffen-SS were also entitled to wear this dagger with field-gray dress uniforms. For this case, it was planned that a portepee made of aluminum web was wound around the dagger handle , which corresponded to that of the Wehrmacht officers.
Individual evidence
- ↑ Gorden Williamson: The Waffen SS - A manual. P. 158.
- ↑ Heinz Höhne : The order under the skull. The history of the SS. Weltbild Verlag 1992, ISBN 3-89350-549-0 , p. 140.
