BACKGROUND: In March 1933 the DLV, Deutscher Luftsport Verband, (German Air Sports League), was established by incorporating all civilian flying clubs into the one organization. The DLV was utilized as a camouflage civilian organization to train personnel for the future Luftwaffe. As a civilian organization it was able to circumvent the restrictions imposed by the Versailles Treaty, which prohibited a German military air service. In February and April 1934 respectively the DLV introduced a dagger for Officer’s and a knife for all other ranks. Later in 1934 members of the Fliegerschaft, the secret military branch of the DLV, adopted both sidearms for wear. Shortly after the unveiling of the Luftwaffe in March 1935 a modified version of the DLV’s Officer’s dagger was adopted for wear by Luftwaffe Officer’s and EM/NCO’s personnel who held a valid pilots licence. On July 15^TH 1937 a second pattern Luftwaffe dagger was introduced for wear by Officers, Senior Officer Candidates and Officials with the equivalent of Officers ranks and the first pattern dagger was discontinued. With the introduction of the second pattern dagger new, corresponding, dagger hangers were also established. Additional regulations of March and August 1940 extended wear of the second pattern dagger to senior NCO’s, senior reserve NCO’s and Officials with the equivalent of NCO’s ranks. Blade side arm portepees and troddels were originally introduced in the Prussian army in 1808, and continued to be worn with the Dress uniform, as a tradition and identifying item through WWI, the Weimar Republic and on into the Third Reich, with minor modifications. The Luftwaffe version of the portepee was officially introduced on March 1^ST 1935 and the design was based on the earlier army officers portepee.

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: Roughly, 10 1/4" long, bright, nickel/silver plated, double edged, drop forged steel, stiletto style blade with a flat central plane. The blade is in overall very good, clean condition with minor scabbard runners and minimal surface spotting and some of the original cross-graining is still visible. The blade has no manufacturer’s markings. The blackened leather washer is still intact. The dagger has a well defined, nicely detailed, silver washed, cast alloy crossguard, ferrule and pommel. The crossguard features a stylized national eagle with down-swept wings clutching a swastika to the obverse with a random pebbled field to the reverse. The top edge of the crossguard has an ornate embossed oak-leaf pattern. The cast ferrule has a repeating, embossed oak-leaf pattern. The orb shaped pommel features an embossed oak-leaf pattern encompassing a dual encircled, canted, embossed swastika on a pebbled field background to both the obverse and the reverse. The age darkened gilt wash to the pommel swastikas is retained about 75%. The crossguard, ferrule and pommel only have hints of their original silver wash and have reverted to the flat matte grey of the base alloy. The dagger has a molded, creamy white, bakelite grip with the correct, fine, twisted silver/aluminum wire wrap inset into the diagonally angled grooves. The grip is in overall good condition with no chips or cracks. The dagger comes complete with its original silver washed, magnetic sheet steel scabbard. The scabbard features a pebbled field to both the obverse and the reverse with smooth side panels. The scabbard has an ornate, embossed, oak-leaf pattern to both the obverse and reverse of the bottom tip. The scabbard also has sweated on, alloy hanger suspension bands with an ornate, embossed, repeating oak-leaf pattern. The hanger suspension rings are both intact. The scabbards top throat has a small dome headed, retaining screw intact to each side. The scabbard retains most of its original silver wash with a yellowish toned patina.

GRADE ***                             PRICE $ SOLD