German Navy Officer's First Model Dagger - The Kriegsmarine was the name of the German Navy between 1935 and 1945, during the Nazi regime, superseding the Reichsmarine, and the Kaiserliche Marine of World War I. The Kriegsmarine was one of three official branches of the Wehrmacht. The officer corps of the German Navy has always been strong for tradition. Hitler's rise to power was no exception. This accounts for the reason why the Kriegsmarine was the last of the branches to adopt the Swastika on their daggers. The German Navy had worn daggers dating back to 1842. During that period to World War Two the basic design of the dagger changed very little.

The design of the dagger consists of a white celluloid handle with a swirl design. Gold wire wrapping is applied to the crevaces of the swirls. A golden pommel and handguard are placed at the ends of the handle. The scabard is made of metal. Gold in color to match the handguard and pommel. Two bands near the top hold a ring each. This is where the hanger attaches to the dagger.

The blade is stiletto style with a double edge. It tapers sharply into a point. Bautiful maritime mottiff etchings are applied to both sides. Includes the image of an anchor with rope. A spring lock secured the blade to the scabbard. A button in the handguard releases the blade when depressed. The handguard has a very attractive design. Each side has an hour glass shape with the ends finishing into a crown form with multiple lines eminating downwards from a center rounded peak. The body is adorned with a leaf pattern. The center has a square shape with the image of an anchor and rope in the center.

The multiple detailed photos and descriptions displayed on this page make this section into an identification guide for the German Navy daggers. The bottom of the page also includes a price guide that illustrates the worth of the dagger over a period of time and reflects the present value in the collector's market. All this information is brought to you courtesy of MilitaryItems.com, the premiere provider of military antiques and collectibles in the web. With over 3,000 items listed in the website and more added every day. WANT TO LEARN MORE? FAQ's Dagger and sword anatomy Edge weapon RZM numbers German Dagger hangers Edge weapon maker markings Hilt markings German edge weapon materials Perspective view Purchasing a German dagger

The blade is manufactured by Horster. Its logo is placed at the base of the blade. The design consists of two vertically placed oval shapes. One inside the other. The upper section of the space formed between the two hold the name "E u Horster" with the name "Solingen" occupying the lower section. The inner oval has large block initials HNS, in different sizes, arranged in an intricate pattern. The image of a sword is placed in the middle of the initials arrangement.

An interesting feature of the dagger being presented here is that who we pressume to be the owner has scratched his name on one side of the throat section of the scabbard.

This edge weapon is currently being reproduced. It is becoming more difficult to be able to tell the fake ones from the real ones because the quality of the reproductions is improving. The collector must become familiarized with the construction style and materials employed in the manufacturing of edge weapons. Attention to the details is critical in order to be able to determine the authenticity of the item.