Original Item. Only One Available. This is a very nice and substantially complete Cold War era East German Volksmarine senior officer’s dress set consisting of a brocade parade belt and buckle, honor dagger with matching scabbard, dagger hanger, and fitted presentation case. The components remain arranged together in the case, preserving the formal presentation associated with an admiral or general officer of the German Democratic Republic’s National People’s Army.

The dagger pattern for DDR generals and admirals was adopted in 1960 and first appeared publicly during the May Day Parade in Berlin in 1961. These daggers were worn as part of the formal and parade uniform, with branch identity indicated in part by the color of the hanger backing.

The Volksmarine was the naval branch of the East German National People’s Army from 1956 until German reunification in 1990. Its officers and admirals wore the brocade belt and honor dagger for parades, military ceremonies, honor formations, wreath laying duties, and other formal occasions.

The dagger has polished gold colored fittings and a light colored grip. The finish appears to be lacquer coated polished brass rather than the gold plating found on certain presentation examples.

The blade ricasso bears no visible manufacturer marking. It is numbered:

02835

Most DDR general and admiral daggers were serial numbered, although unnumbered examples are also known. No documentation accompanies this set to identify the original recipient associated with serial number 02835.

The dagger is complete with its correct scabbard. The scabbard is not engraved. Documented presentation daggers are known with inscriptions translating to “Presented by the Minister for National Defense of the DDR”. Several legitimate variations in the placement and wording of this presentation inscription are recognized. Unengraved examples were also produced, and the absence of an inscription does not indicate that the dagger is incomplete.

The dagger hanger remains present and is in excellent condition. Its blue backing is the branch color associated with the Volksmarine, distinguishing it from the red used by the Land Forces, bright blue used by the Air Forces and Air Defense, and green associated with the Border Troops.

The brocade parade belt and buckle are also in excellent condition. The belt retains some stiffness from having remained folded in the same position inside the case for many years. It should be allowed to relax naturally rather than being forcibly straightened.

The survival of the belt, buckle, dagger, scabbard, and hanger together allows the components to be displayed in the formal arrangement in which this type of set was worn.

The fitted presentation case has a red exterior and a blue cloth interior bordered by twisted white and black cord. It remains in very good condition and provides a strong visual contrast with the gold colored dagger fittings and brocade belt.

The case measures approximately 17” long, 6⅝” deep, and 1⅞” tall. Earlier gold plated presentation daggers were sometimes supplied in white cases. Gold plating was discontinued after 1983, and longer red cases with blue interiors were later introduced to accommodate the addition of a brocade parade belt. This set appears consistent with that later presentation arrangement.

Some DDR daggers were engraved after the collapse of East Germany, and later inscriptions are not always historically reliable. The unengraved scabbard on this example avoids that particular attribution issue and should be evaluated according to its construction, serial number, matching components, and presentation case.

The complete belt, buckle, serial numbered dagger, scabbard, blue Volksmarine hanger, and fitted red presentation case preserve the formal equipment associated with senior naval officers of the DDR. The apparent lacquered brass finish and later style long case place the set within the evolving presentation traditions of the National People’s Army rather than among the earlier gold plated examples. It would be appropriate for a collection focused on the Volksmarine, East German admirals, NVA ceremonial equipment, or senior officer presentation sets.

Specifications:
Blade Length: 10"
Overall length: 14 1/4"
Crossguard: 4 1/4”
Scabbard Length: 11 1/4”