Original German WWII DRK Red Cross EM/NCO Hewer with Scabbard – Deutsches Rotes Kreuz Original Items

Original Item: Only One Available. This is an very good condition example of the German Red Cross (DRK) Enlisted Man / Non-Commissioned Officer Hewer, complete with its original scabbard. The hewer has a blunt tip, and edge, as it was intended for combat medics, who would make more use of the Sawback blade, which could be used to cut wood for splints. The heavy blade could be used for chopping, similar to the U.S. Hospital corps “bolo” knives of WWI.

The alloy hilt mounts retains most of the original nickel-plating, with just a bit of oxidation in areas, and a few scratches through to the non-magnetic base metal. There are just a few dents on the end of the pommel, probably from storage, and the grip shows little to know sign of use.

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 grip plates are bakelite, with the top plate being checkered, and the bottom plate being smooth. They are retained by the original screws and steel slotted bolts, have lost their plating and now show oxidation. The crossguard still has the original leather buffer washer around the blade.

The blade of this hewer is the classic saw back type, and is in very good condition.
It has no signs of sharpening, and just has a few small spots of light staining and some light scuffing from cleaning. The blade shows much of the original factory final polish grind cross grain. This texture is iconic, and is the definitive identifying characteristic for a real WWII German Blade. It has never been sharpened for use in the field. Under the cross guard the blade is marked GES. / GESCHÜTZT, for Gesetzlich Geschützt (Protected By Law), indicating that this knife was a trademarked design.

The scabbard is in very good condition, showing just a bit of age only minor finish loss. The scabbard body is a single piece of steel, with the interior throat a separate piece retained by two dome headed screws. It looks like the entire body was nickel plated, and then the center portion painted during original manufacture. The enamel shows checking and crazing, with a few areas of oxidation where the plating has chipped. The plating on the ends is retained very well, with only light oxidation.

A very good example of a WWII DRK Hewer, complete with the original scabbard. Ready to add to your collection!

Specifications:

Blade Length: 10 1/2″
Blade Style: “Hewer” with Sawback
Overall length: 15 5/8“
Crossguard: 3”
Scabbard Length: 11″

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.