Original German WWII Early SA Dagger by J.A. Henckels Zwillingswerk with Scabbard – Possible Ground Röhm Signature Original Items

Original Item: Only One Available. Prior to his “unmasking” as a traitor, Ernst Röhm was the leader of the Sturmabteilung (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, and failure to comply would be considered treason. Some were simply ground in the field by whatever means were available. Many other examples, as we suspect this is one of, were returned to the factory or arsenal for grinding and refinishing. 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, exhibiting 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.

This is a great looking possible “Ground Röhm” SA Dienstdolch (Service Dagger), which looks to have been returned to the factory or a cutler and had the rear of the dagger mostly resurfaced. This begins just above the maker logo, which is well-preserved. We checked the blade surface thoroughly, and unfortunately we were not able to make out any remnants of the original etched signature.

The front side of this blade is in very good condition, showing the original factory final polish grind cross grain throughout the surface. This texture is iconic, and is the definitive identifying characteristic for a real WWII German Blade. There is some runner wear, which happens to virtually every German dagger out there, and there are is also some light oxidation staining in areas, which was cleaned away in the past. The acid etched Alles für Deutschland motto is beautifully executed, and still shows much of the original factory darkening.

The rear of the blade shows traces of the original crossgrain for the 3/4″ nearest the ricasso, while the rest has a rougher crossgrain pattern from when the inscription was removed and the blade polished. 

The reverse ricasso is maker marked with the “losenge” style double oval “Twins” (Zwilling) trademark logo of J.A. Henckels AG, Zwillingswerk, Stahlwarenfabrik (“Twin Works” Steelware Factory) of Solingen, surrounded by:

J.A. HENCKELS. 
ZWILLINGSWERK SOLINGEN

This well-known company has used the “Twins” trademark since it was founded June 13th, 1731 by Johann Peter Henckels as Die Zwillinge. The brand’s namesake was Johann Abraham Henckels the Elder (1771–1850), who renamed the brand after himself while under his leadership. The company registered several additional brands and trademarks over the years, including “triplets” and “quadruplets” to avoid confusion with their “twins” logo. The company was officially registered with Solingen in 1882, and became purveyors to the Prussian and Austrian imperial houses. They also began a healthy export business not long after.

During the third reich era, the company made SA and NSKK daggers, as well as forged blades for other manufacturers. They made these in the early period, and are known makers of Röhm daggers. They manufactured HJ knives, but they seem to be somewhat rare, so production was probably limited. They also made early period army and Luftwaffe daggers, per J. Anthony Carter’s fine work GERMAN SWORD AND KNIFE MAKERS. The company survived the war, and is still in operation today as one of the world’s leading manufacturers of chef’s knives.

The brown hardwood grip has no chips, cracks or major damage, though it does show very light wear from age and use. Also at some point someone carved the letter “W” next to the cross guard on the front side. The solid nickel-silver eagle is crisp with a perfect fit, and just a bit of oxidation. The SA insignia roundel is also well set, and still has most of the original enamel. The plating is still well-retained, showing just a bit of oxidation and wear.

Both guards are solid Nickel alloy, and really in great shape, with a lovely lightly oxidized patina. There is no lifting at all, showing that they are definitely solid nickel. The nickel pommel nut is present, showing just a bit of tightening, and the handle is tight on the blade. The lower reverse guard is Gruppe/Gau marked BO on the right side for Bayerische Ostmark (Bavarian Eastern March). This was an administrative division of NSDAP Germany in Lower Bavaria, Upper Palatinate and Upper Franconia, Bavaria, which had previously been an NSDAP Party region. This feature was only seen on daggers produced 1935 and prior.

The scabbard shell is straight throughout and is the early-war style, produced with a brown “anodized” finish on the steel, which was then lacquered. Unlike most that we see, this scabbard still has almost all of the original lacquer coating still intact! It is very rare to see a scabbard in this condition, still showing the original color, though the lacquer may have yellowed a bit. The anodized coating is almost completely retained, with just a few areas where the finish is worn through. There is also some crazing or “tracks” in the lacquer, which take decades to form. We see no evidence that the scabbard was ever “touched up”.

The upper and lower fittings are solid nickel silver, with a great look and some dents and scratches showing typical wear. The chape is dented in at the end, though not split, as the nickel alloy is somewhat soft, making this a common thing to see. The throat nicely matches the cross guards, and all fittings have their original dome headed screws. The runners in the throat may be worn, as the blade is very easy to remove from the scabbard.

A great opportunity to get a very good condition possible ground Röhm SA Dagger in very nice condition, most likely “sanitized” after the Night of the Long Knives! Ready to add to your collection and display!

Specifications:
Blade Length: 8 3/4″
Overall length: 13 3/4”
Crossguard: 3”
Scabbard Length: 10”

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.

The Night of the Long Knives, in June 1934, saw the wiping out of the SA’s leadership and others who had angered AH in the recent past in NSDAP Germany. After this date, the SS lead by Heinrich Himmler was to become far more powerful in NSDAP Germany. For all the power the Enabling Act gave AH, he still felt threatened by some in the NSDAP Party. He was also worried that the regular army had not given an oath of allegiance. AH knew that the army hierarchy held him in disdain as he was ‘only ‘ a corporal in their eyes. The Night of the Long Knives not only removed the SA leaders but also got AH the army’s oath that he so needed.

By the summer of 1934, the SA’s numbers had swollen to 2 million men. They were under the control of Ernst Röhm, a loyal follower of AH since the early days of the NSDAP Party. The SA had given the NSDAP’s an iron fist with which to disrupt other political parties meetings before January 1933. The SA was also used to enforce law after AH became Chancellor in January 1933. To all intents, they were the enforcers of the NSDAP Party and there is no evidence that Röhm was ever planning anything against AH. However, Röhm had made enemies within the NSDAP Party – Himmler, Goering and Goebbels were angered by the power he had gained and convinced AH that this was a threat to his position. By June 1934, the regular army hierarchy also saw the SA as a threat to their authority. The SA outnumbered the army by 1934 and Röhm had openly spoken about taking over the regular army by absorbing it into the SA. Such talk alarmed the army’s leaders.

By the summer of 1934, AH had decided that Röhm was a ‘threat’ and he made a pact with the army. If Röhm and the other SA leaders were removed, the rank and file SA men would come under the control of the army but the army would have to swear an oath of loyalty to AH. The army agreed and Röhm’s fate was sealed. On the night of June 29th – June 30th 1934, units of the SS arrested the leaders of the SA and other political opponents. Men such as Gregor Strasser, von Schleicher and von Bredow were arrested and none of them had any connection with Röhm. The arrests carried on for 2 more nights. Seventy seven men were executed on charges of treason though historians tend to think the figure is higher. The SA was brought to heel and placed under the command of the army. AH received an oath of allegiance from all those who served in the army. Röhm was shot. Others were bludgeoned to death. The first the public officially knew about the event was on July 13th 1934, when AH told the Reichstag that met in the Kroll Opera House, Berlin, that for the duration of the arrests that he and he alone was the judge in Germany and that the SS carried out his orders. From that time on the SS became a feared force in NSDAP Germany lead by Heinrich Himmler. The efficiency with which the SS had carried out its orders greatly impressed AH and Himmler was to acquire huge power within NSDAP Germany.