Original German WWII Early NSKK Enlisted Man’s Dagger RZM M7/42 by WKC Original Items

Original Item: Only One Available: This Weyersberg, Kirschbaum & Co NSKK EM Dagger is a very nice example. The crossguards are nickel and in good condition. The surfaces are smooth with good crisp edges and precise accent grooves. The tang nut matches nicely and does not appear to have been out in modern times.

The grip is a fine fruit wood, medium brown in color and with a subtle vertical grain. The SA symbol button is perfectly placed and the enamel is in good shape. The nickel grip eagle is clean and crisp. The bird retains full detail through the breast and wing feathering, talons and wreathed immobile swas. The grip fits the guards like a glove and is in perfect condition.

The scabbard is straight throughout. It has a nice black paint job that was done after the NSKK order to paint the shells. The scabbard mounts are in good condition through to the lower ball which shows usage and an indentation. All of the screws are in place.

The blade of this dagger is very good, bright and having most of the original grain. There are some in and out marks but it still rates in very good to excellent condition. The motto is deep and crisp, with a fine frosted background typical of WKC. The ricasso has the RZM circle and M7/42 maker marking. The blade shoulders perfectly meet the crossguard contour.

M7/42 stands for the firm Weyersberg, Kirschbaum & Co and has been manufacturing military swords and cutlery in Solingen, Germany- a city famous since the middle ages for its metal-working and craftsmanship in sword making. The traditional manufacturing of swords at WKC dates back to the year 1774 when the Weyersberg first registered the ”Kings head” as their trademark. Later in 1883 the company merged with the Kirschbaums and the company WKC was formed as it exists today.

A very nice early NSKK Dagger from an early and rare maker who used top quality materials.

History of the SA-

The SA or Brown Shirts, were a private political formation which Adolf AH and the NSDAP used to maintain order at organized Party meetings and demonstrations. The group was formed in 1921, and grew to a huge force of nearly 3,000,000 men by the later 1930’s. To instill esprit de corps, as well as create employment for the Blade City of Solingen, it was decided each SA man would carry a dagger with his Brown Shirt uniform. Huge quantities needed to be produced to accommodate the demand. The dagger initially was produced of hand-fitted nickel mounts with attractive finished wood grip and brown anodized (a bluing process) finished scabbard.

The blade was etched with the SA motto, Alles für Deutschland. Examples produced prior to 1935 were stamped with the German sector of the SA group on reverse lower crossguard. Later examples underwent standardization through the RZM ministry. These pieces were produced of cheaper plated zinc-base fittings and scabbards were simply painted brown.

Prior to his “unmasking” as a traitor, Ernst Röhm was the leader of the SA. In 1934, he distributed approximately 100,000 SA daggers with his personal inscription on the reverse blade. These daggers were to honor individuals who had served with the SA prior to December, 1931. Other than the inscription, these pieces were identical to the standard M1933 SA dagger. After the Röhm purge, the inscription was ordered to be removed. Many examples were returned to the factory for grinding. Others were simply ground in the field by whatever means were available. Examples will occasionally be encountered with remnants of the original inscription remaining on the blade, but mostly none will remain. Some blades exist with an intact inscription, reflecting only the removal of the Röhm signature. Very very rarely is an example seen with a full, untouched inscription, as the holder would have surely risked a charge of treason.