Original German WWII DRK Red Cross EM/NCO Hewer with Scabbard & Leather Frog – 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 and leather belt frog. 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 however be used for chopping if sharpened, similar to the U.S. Hospital corps “bolo” knives of WWI.

The alloy hilt mounts retain much of the original nickel-plating, however there is definitely some flaking and bubbling from long term oxidation, most likely suffered during long storage. There is a bit of wear through to the non-magnetic base metal around the end of the pommel, and the grip shows signs of only light 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 and having a small chunk missing. They are retained by the original screws and steel slotted bolts, which 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, showing some scattered light staining on both sides. The factory final polish grind crossgrain is still present throughout the blade. This texture is iconic, and is the definitive identifying characteristic for a real WWII German Blade. The edge is not sharpened, and there are no signs of actual use on the blade. It also has not been majorly cleaned, so the crossgrain is still strong. 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 few small dents to the steel body that we can see, with no bending. The black enamel finish is in very good condition, though it does look to have been refinished during wartime. The refinish now has some chipping, and shows some crazing and checking due to age. The nickel plated steel fittings are still present, each retained by two screws that show no sign of turning, but do show plating loss. They show light overall oxidation, with some areas of plating loss. The scabbard is held in a very good condition black leather frog, which features steel rivets. The stitching is fully intact, as are the rivets, and the finish is very well retained.

A very nice example of a WWII DRK Hewer, complete with the original scabbard and frog. 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.