Original Item: Only One Available. This is a very nice and extremely rare Zollgrenzschutz Land Customs Official Dress Dagger. The Zollgrenzschutz (ZGS) was an organization under the German Finance Ministry from 1937 to 1945. It was charged with guarding Germany's borders, acting as a combination Border Patrol and Customs & Immigration service.

It originated in the early 19th century as a tariff enforcement unit of the Prussian government. Reorganized in 1919 under the Weimar Republic following World War I, it gradually became more militarized and transformed into a paramilitary force, also due to the economic woes of blockade, inflation and Great Depression.

In NSDAP Germany it was reformed again in 1937 by Fritz Reinhardt, a State Secretary of the Finance Ministry. It came to comprise about 50,000 officials. The Border Police (Grenzpolizei), which had the tasks of passport and border control, was different from the Customs Border Guards (Zollgrenzschutz).

Heinrich Himmler tried to bring the Zollgrenzschutz under the control of the Schultzstaffel (SS), which was unsuccessful at first. During the war, the units were used in occupied territories outside of Germany. A significant portion of younger officials were recruited to the Wehrmacht, leaving the Zollgrenzschutz with older men. After the 20 July 1944 assassination attempt on AH, the units were taken out of the control of the Finance Ministry and placed under Amt IV (Gestapo) of the Reich Security Main Office (RSHA).

It was deactivated at the end of World War II in Europe when Germany was partitioned.

This fine Land Customs example is a fine example in great condition. It has plated aluminum fittings, which do look to have been cleaned, which has removed the plating in areas, especially on the cross guard, which just shows some patination in the recesses of the design. The pommel is in excellent condition, showing minor wear to the upper surface. There are the usual standing oak leaves around the edges, which look to be hand carved.

The matching crossguard features an open-winged eagle with wing tips that rise upward. The detailing throughout the guard is exceptional, much better than that seen on the later bare aluminum examples. The reverse of the guard has been polished enough to almost totally remove the plating. The silvered ferrule actually still has a nice patina on it, as it has been protected from cleaning by the excellent condition portepee wrapped around the handle. The grip is wood covered in fine dark forest green Moroccan leather. This leather remains in very good condition, tightly wrapped with twisted silver coated brass wire, and still showing much of the original finish.

The blade is in very good condition and is bright throughout, showing much of the original factory final grind cross grain. This texture is iconic, and is the definitive identifying characteristic for a real WWII German Blade. The needle-like tip is intact and unbent, and the edges have correctly not been sharpened. There is a small nick on the edge of the blade, but it does not really show any use, just some light staining in areas, now cleaned away.

The reverse ricasso is etched with the trademark "Knights-Head" (Ritter-helm) logo of legendary maker Weyersberg Kirschbaum & Cie of Solingen, over the firms initials of WKC / SOLINGEN. This company is a famous manufacturer of military swords and cutlery in Solingen, Germany - a city famous since the middle ages for its metal-working and craftsmanship in sword making. Per J. Anthony Carter's fine work GERMAN SWORD AND KNIFE MAKERS, the traditional manufacturing of swords at WKC dates back to the year 1774 when the Weyersberg first registered the ''Kings head'' as their trademark. Later in 1883 the company merged with the Kirschbaums and the company Weyersberg Kirschbaum & Cie was formed, which continued into the Weimar Period. It then rebranded as W.K.C. Waffenfabrik GmbH, and produced many edged weapons during the NSDAP Period. The company is still in operation today.

The scabbard shell is straight throughout, covered in matching dark green Moroccan leather. Other than some normal wear it remains in very good condition, with some small scattered scuffs that have removed the finish. The plated grass mounts retain almost all of the original silver plating, now lightly tarnished. These mounts are retained by headless side screws and are styled with decorative lines on the obverse only.

This is a truly remarkable, scarce dagger from the Land Customs Officials of WWII Germany! Comes ready to display!

Dimensions:
Blade Length: 10”
Crossguard Width: 3”
Grip Length: 4 ½”
Total Length: 15”
Scabbard Length: 11 ½”