Original Item: Only One Available. This is an original German WWII Deutsches Rotes Kreuz EM/NCO Hauer (hewer), complete with its original steel scabbard and black leather frog. The piece retains over 90% of the original nickel plating on the hilt, excellent bakelite grip plates, a very well preserved sawback blade with strong factory Pliesten crossgrain, and more than 90% of the original black enamel on the scabbard body.

The hewer has the characteristic blunt point and unsharpened edge associated with this pattern, together with a functional sawback spine. The heavy blade form and sawback construction were suited to practical utility work, including cutting wood and other field materials.

The hilt mounts retain over approximately 90% of their original nickel plating. The plated surfaces show scattered age speckling and light patination, but very little of the non-magnetic base alloy is exposed. The softer alloy hilt shows very little impact wear and no significant dents.

The crossguard has an oval boss on each side. The obverse boss carries an eagle with partially spread wings and a raised mobile swas on its breast, clutching a Geneva cross in its talons.

The grip plates are bakelite, with the upper plate checkered and the lower plate smooth. Both remain in excellent condition with no cracks or chips, showing only light surface soiling. They are retained by the original screws and steel slotted bolts, which show some plating loss and oxidation. The original leather blade buffer remains present at the crossguard.

The blade of this hewer is the classic saw back type, and is in excellent condition. It retains the full factory final polish grind crossgrain on the flat areas of both sides, a finish known in German as Pliesten. It is created by polishing the blades with large leather covered wheels using a slurry of extremely fine grit, and is nearly impossible to replicate using modern means. For advanced edged weapon collectors, the survival of this original crossgrain is an especially important feature because it indicates that the blade has not been aggressively polished or resurfaced after manufacture.

The blade remains unsharpened and the edge is completely free of dents. There is scattered oxidation staining in places, together with light runner wear and some swirl marks from past cleaning, but no major rust damage. The sawback remains sharp and shows only light wear.

Beneath the crossguard the blade is marked:

GES.
GESCHÜTZT

an abbreviation for Gesetzlich Geschützt, meaning legally protected or registered as a protected design.

The steel scabbard is in very good condition with no major dents or structural damage. It is of one piece steel construction with a separate internal throat retained by two domed screws. The upper and lower fittings were nickel plated, while the main body was finished in black enamel.

More than approximately 90% of the original black enamel remains. The finish shows expected age checking and crazing with only minor oxidation and no major areas of loss. The plated ends show some wear, tarnish, and oxidation consistent with age.

The scabbard remains fitted to a black leather frog in very good condition. The frog retains its steel rivets and intact stitching, with the leather finish very well preserved overall.

With its heavily preserved nickel plated hilt, intact bakelite grip plates, original leather blade buffer, full factory Pliesten crossgrain, sharp sawback, GES. / GESCHÜTZT marking, well preserved black enamel scabbard, and complete leather frog, this is a strong example of a German WWII DRK EM/NCO hewer. The light oxidation staining, runner wear, cleaning swirls, plating loss to the grip hardware, and minor scabbard patination are all fully disclosed. It would fit especially well in a DRK, German medical service, sawback hewer, WWII edged weapon, or advanced Third Reich 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.