Original Item: Only One Available. This is an original early SS Model 1933 Ehrendolch (honor dagger) by Richard Abr. Herder of Solingen, complete with its early anodized scabbard. The reverse of the blade retains most of the etched Röhm dedication, “In herzlicher Kameradschaft, Ernst Röhm,” although the signature was partially removed by grinding after the 1934 purge. The dagger also retains the standard SS motto and the solid nickel-silver fittings, ebony grip, district marking, and other construction features associated with early production.

Prior to his "unmasking" as a traitor, Ernst Röhm was the leader of theSturmabteilung (SA). In 1934, he distributed approximately 100,000 SA daggers with his personal inscription on the reverse blade. This was etched into the blade, and read In Herzlicher Kameradschaft Ernst Röhm (In Cordial Comradeship Ernst Röhm). These daggers were to honor individuals who had served with the SA prior to December, 1931. At this time, the Schutzstaffel (SS) was an Elite Unit within the SA, so longtime members were among those who received signed daggers as well.

Other than the inscription, these pieces were identical to the standard M1933 SS Ehrendolch (honor dagger). After the Röhm purge in mid 1934, 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 were returned to the factory 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, such as this fantastic example, exist with an intact inscription, exhibiting only the removal of the Röhm signature, usually called a "Lazy Man" type. There are even still remnants of the signature! Very, very rarely is an example seen with a full, untouched inscription, as the holder would have surely risked a charge of treason.

The SS (Schutzstaffel) was originally formed in 1925, ostensibly to act as a small, loyal bodyguard unit to protect the Führer, Adolf AH. Under the direction of the Reichsführer-SS Heinrich Himmler, the SS grew to be the most ruthless and feared organization of the 20th century. They were the vanguard of the NSDAP organization, and eventually controlled nearly every function of German life and much of Occupied Europe. The SS dagger was introduced in 1933. Early on, members of the SS were awarded their daggers during a ceremony at the Feldherrnhalle Memorial in Munich. The annual ritual, charged with mysticism and meant to evoke the traditions of medieval Teutonic knights, was held on 9 November, the date of the unsuccessful Munich Putsch of 1923. Both officers and enlisted men wore the identical dagger until 1936. After this time, only enlisted men wore the M1933 dagger.

The SS Dagger was equipped with nickel crossguards with an ebony wood grip. The black grip contained a National eagle with swas insignia recessed in the center area and an SS sigrunne button inset at the top. On early examples the scabbard shell surface was factory blackened using a metal bluing process. The scabbard had nickel mounts. The SS blade was a polished type containing the SS motto, Meine Ehre Heißt Treue (My Honor is Loyalty). Early examples were mostly hand-fit. Production of later examples was more standardized, using cheaper, nickel-plated fittings with black painted scabbard shells. They could be held with a standard belt hanger, or a much rarer vertical hanger.

The blade of this example shows long service, and shows oxidation on most of the surface on both sides. Towards the cross guard, we can still see some of the factory final polish grind cross grain in the light. This texture is iconic, and is the definitive identifying characteristic for a real WWII German Dagger Blade. The rear of the blade still shows a clear In Herzlicher Kameradschaft (In Cordial Comradeship) partial Röhm inscription, with the factory darkening still present. The signature has been completely removed by what looks to be a grinder, with no evidence it was sent back to the factory for repolishing of the entire rear. The acid etched SS motto on the front, Meine Ehre heißt Treue ('My honor is loyalty') is clear, with the factory darkening retained at over 75%. The edge of the blade does not show any sharpening after the original factory grind, and there are no dents or chips we can see.

This fine early example was produced by a well-known maker: Richard Abraham Herder, located in Solingen. This is a known producer of SS daggers during the Pre-WWII period and after. The rear of the dagger is marked with their oval trademark logo:

RICH. ABR. HERDER
(DIAMOND LOGO)
SOLINGEN

We also noted that the tang of the dagger is marked with the Herder "Diamond" logo over 3, which we have seen on a previous example. The Herder name is well known in Solingen, and this branch originally registered in 1884 as a steelware maker. As time went on they specialized in Drop Forging, and supplied blade blanks to Erfurt Arsenal and other companies. During the Third Reich period, they continued to make their own edged weapons, as well as supply blades to smaller makers. The "oval" style trademark was specifically used on the blades of early SS and SA daggers made during the Third Reich, per J. Anthony Carter's work GERMAN KNIFE AND SWORD MAKERS.

The crossguards of this dagger and tang nut are in very good condition throughout, and are of the earliest solid nickel silver construction. They have matured to a lightly oxidized patina, showing some cleaning in the past. The cross guard is marked with a Roman numeral I on the reverse side, for the first SS district. There is no lifting of the finish, showing these are indeed solid nickel silver. Per a customer request, we checked the inside of the guards, and both are marked P. A. on the inside, as with other examples we have handled by this maker. These were made by Piel & Adey, a prominent Solingen-based manufacturer of edged-weapon fittings

The ebony grip on this example, unlike like most seen today, is free of chipping and cracking around the guards. The treatment used on these grips makes them quite brittle, so they crack quite easily, and Ebony itself is also known for cracking somewhat easily, so we rarely see them in this condition. There are some pressure dents and wear, but no real damage from misuse. The silvered ᛋᛋ doppelte Siegrune (Double Sig/Victory Rune) symbol inside double circles is in great shape, with mostly intact plating and enamel, showing some verdigris around the perimeter. The nickel grip eagle is the "high-necked" type with the beak pointing slightly up. It shows light wear, with a good amount of verdigris buildup, showing that it is definitely nickel silver. The nickel tang nut of this example shows wear around the bottom, so it has been tightened improperly in the past. It now bottoms out with the fittings relatively loose, so the wood has shrunken over the years.

The scabbard itself is a very good example with a straight steel shell, with no dents we can see or feel. It is the correct early ear type, produced with a black "anodized" finish on the body, which was then coated with "Zapon" lacquer to protect it. Almost all of the lacquering has been lost, however the anodization is still well retained throughout the shell, with some areas of wear on the edges and around the lower fitting. There are some areas of light oxidation present, but no major peppering or rust. The matching solid nickel silver scabbard mounts are in very good condition, showing some staining and verdigris in areas, particularly on the lower fitting. The lower ball shows some denting but still retains its shape relatively well. The weaker nickel alloy used in early models (later ones used steel) is unfortunately prone to denting. All four dome headed screws are present, and in good condition.

This early SS Model 1933 dagger by Richard Abr. Herder is particularly notable for the substantial portion of its Röhm dedication that remains after the signature was ground away. It retains the maker’s blade and tang markings, solid nickel-silver fittings, Roman numeral I district mark, well-preserved ebony grip, and early anodized scabbard with matching mounts. The blade oxidation, loss of scabbard lacquer, verdigris, fitting wear, and dented lower scabbard ball are fully evident, but the dagger remains a cohesive example of a partial ground Röhm-inscribed SS dagger with many identifiable early-production features.

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