Description
Original WW2 German SA Dagger RZM dated 1941
Mid War German SA Dagger maker RZM M7/68 1941 (Carl Eickhorn of Solingen). The dark and crisp acid etched “Alles für Deutschland” motto and “RZM M7/68 1941” maker mark are very nice! Them blade is close to mint, crossgrain runs full length of blade with only the runner marks showing. The crossguards are zinc based and nickel-silver plated and show some wear and bubbling. The hardwood grip looks nice and crack-free. The scabbard is steel based and brown painted and is also in very good condition and comes with nice RZM Hanger.
The SA, Sturm Abteilung, (Storm/Assault Detachment), was originally formed in the August 1921 as a protective guard unit for the political leaders of the fledgling NSDAP, Nationalsozialistische Deutsche Arbeiterpartei, (National Socialist German Worker’s Party), and as with the NSDAP the SA was structure along para-military lines. The SA recruited most of its personnel from the ranks of the various Freikorps, (Free Corps), groups composed mainly of disgruntled, ex-WWI soldiers and was first utilized at a NSDAP meeting in Munich in November 1921.The SA M33 service dagger was the first dagger officially sanctioned by the NSDAP and was introduced on December 15TH 1933. The dagger was intended as an ornamental item and the design was adapted by Professor Woenne of the Solingen School of Commerce who had based it on the traditional 16TH century, Swiss “Holbein”, “Baselard” or “Basilard”, hunting dagger with the original design being attributed to the Hans Holbein the Younger, (Circa 1497-1543). Originally the daggers featured an anodized scabbard and utilized nice quality, solid, nickel/silver fittings while later models had cheaper, nickel/silver plated fittings and painted scabbards. Regulations dictated that the daggers were to worn on the left side of the waist belt suspended by a specific, dagger hanger. In late 1934 items manufactured for the SA including daggers and accoutrements came under the quality control of the RZM, Reichzeugmeisterei, (National Equipment Quartermaster) and as a result were marked with the RZM logo when appropriate. Of Note: The RZM was official founded in June 1934 in Munich by the NSDAP as a Reich Hauptamt, (State Central Office), and was based on the earlier SA Quartermaster’s Department. The functions of the RZM were not only to procure and distribute items to Party formations, but also to approve chosen designs and to act as a quality control supervisor to ensure items manufactured for the Party met required specification and were standardized. Production of the SA M33 dagger was discontinued sometime in 1943. Of Note: Other daggers initiated by the SA included the Marine-SA Dagger, circa 1933-34, originally with black grip and scabbard and later with brown grip and scabbard but with brass colored fittings, the short lived, (Circa February 3RD 1934-July 4TH 1934), SA-Stabschef, (SA-Chief of Staff), Ernst Röhm Dedication Dagger with the inscription, “In herzlicher Freundschaft Ernst Röhm”, (In heartfelt Friendship Ernst Röhm). After Röhm’s demise the new SA-Stabschef, Viktor Lutze introduced the SA Honour Dagger, circa 1935, the SA Standarte Feldhernnhalle Dagger, circa 1937, the SA High Leader’s Honour Dagger, circa 1938 and the Special SA Presentation Dagger circa 1938-39.