Original Item: Only One Available. This is an original German WWII early SA dagger by Paul F. Dick of Esslingen with a partially removed Ernst Röhm dedication, complete with its original early brown anodized scabbard. Often referred to by collectors as a “Lazy Man’s” ground Röhm dagger, this example retains the majority of the acid etched In herzlicher Kameradschaft dedication while Röhm’s signature itself has been completely removed. It also retains substantial factory crossgrain, the Paul F. Dick “Arrow” trademark, solid nickel fittings, Sw group marking for Südwest, and the correct early style scabbard.

Röhm dedication SA daggers were presented to qualifying early SA members before the political purge of June 1934. After Röhm’s removal from power and death, orders were issued to remove his inscription from surviving daggers. The manner of removal varied considerably. Some blades were fully ground, while others retained portions of the original dedication. On this example, the signature has been removed while the surrounding dedication remains readily legible.

The reverse blade retains the partial inscription:

In herzlicher Kameradschaft

while the Ernst Röhm signature has been completely ground away. The removal is relatively clean and appears to have been performed with considerable care. Factory style crossgrain is visible in the worked area, suggesting the surface was refinished after removal rather than simply coarsely ground in the field. Whether this work was performed at the factory or by another skilled cutler cannot be confirmed.

The blade still retains visible factory final polish crossgrain across substantial portions of both sides. This finish is known in German as Pliesten, created by polishing the blades with large leather covered wheels using a slurry of extremely fine grit. This finish is nearly impossible to replicate using modern means, and is a hallmark of Genuine WWII era German blades. It is especially important to advanced collectors because it helps preserve evidence of the original factory surface.

Following the inscription removal, however, the dagger clearly continued to see service and exposure. Both sides now show an oxidized patina, including localized areas of heavier oxidation that have intentionally been left untouched to avoid disturbing the surviving grain and aged surface.

Normal runner wear is visible along the blade, with the areas contacted by the scabbard showing less oxidation. The blade has also been sharpened at some point, apparently with a wheel or similarly aggressive method rather than a proper hand sharpening setup, leaving scratches and marks along the edges.

The obverse retains the acid etched SA motto:

Alles für Deutschland

The motto remains sharply executed with much of the original factory darkening still present.

On the reverse of the blade, the maker logo is mostly intact, and this example was produced by desirable maker Paul. F. Dick of Esslingen. The rear of the dagger is marked with the company's trademark "der Pfeil" (the Arrow) logo inside a cartouche:

Paul. Freidrich Dick, Stahlwaren- und Werkzeug-Fabrik (Steelware and Tool Factory) was a storied edged weapon producer located in Esslingen am Neckar, Württemberg. According to J. Anthony Carter's book, GERMAN KNIFE AND SWORD MAKERS, the company was first founded in 1778, and traded as Freidr. Dick until 1920, when it became Paul. F. Dick. They made most of their SA and NSKK daggers with the 1895 "No. 433" trademark marked vertically on the blade. They were a known maker of the Röhm daggers, and we have seen other ground examples from this maker before with identical maker marks.

Both crossguards are solid nickel alloy and show an even oxidized patina from age, handling, and exposure. The accent grooves remain sharply defined, and there are no major dents, cracks, or structural problems.

The reverse of the lower crossguard is group marked:

Sw

for the SA Gruppe Südwest, associated with southwestern Germany and the Stuttgart region. This type of group marking is characteristic of early SA dagger production.

The pommel nut remains present and shows some denting around the end, though the hexagonal section has not been materially deformed. The hilt remains tight to the blade.

The wooden grip has a dark red brown tone with the correct medium center ridge construction and fits the nickel guards well. It shows numerous service marks, including several dents on the front and heavier repeated small dents on the reverse. There is also a crack on the rear near the pommel and another on the front near the pommel that extends through the area of the SA roundel.

The inlaid eagle is the correct early solid nickel silver type and fits the grip well. It remains crisp and shows natural verdigris and oxidation around its edges. The SA roundel is also well fitted and retains much of its enamel together with surviving plating.

The original early scabbard has a brown anodized finish that was originally protected by a clear Zapon lacquer. The shell shows several broad shallow dents on both sides, none of which interfere with inserting or removing the blade. Much of the protective lacquer has deteriorated, leaving only partial remnants.

The exposed anodized surface shows oxidation peppering across both sides, with heavier rust present on the reverse. The upper and lower scabbard fittings are solid nickel silver and have developed a mellow age toned patina without evidence of aggressive polishing.

The lower ball on the chape is crushed inward and split, most likely from an old impact. All four dome head retaining screws remain present, although they show evidence of turning, particularly the lower pair on the chape fitting. The upper mount and throat retain a patina that matches the dagger’s crossguards well.

With its partially retained Röhm dedication, carefully removed signature, surviving factory crossgrain, Paul F. Dick Arrow trademark, Sw Südwest group mark, solid nickel fittings, early grip components, and original anodized scabbard, this is a particularly interesting early SA dagger with clear evidence of its post-1934 alteration and subsequent service life. The blade oxidation, sharpening marks, heavier localized corrosion, grip dents and cracks, scabbard dents, degraded lacquer, reverse rust, turned screws, and damaged lower ball are all fully disclosed. It would display especially well in a Röhm inscription SA dagger, Paul F. Dick maker, early SA edged weapon, Südwest group marked dagger, or advanced German political edged weapon collection.

Specifications:
Blade Length: 8 1/4"
Overall length: 13 2/4”
Crossguard: 3”
Scabbard Length: 10”

The SA or Brown Shirts, were a private political formation which Adolf AH and the NSDAP used to maintain order at organized Party meetings and demonstrations. The group was formed in 1921, and grew to a huge force of nearly 3,000,000 men by the later 1930's. To instill esprit de corps, as well as create employment for the Blade City of Solingen, it was decided each SA man would carry a dagger with his Brown Shirt uniform. Huge quantities needed to be produced to accommodate the demand. The dagger initially was produced of hand-fitted nickel mounts with attractive finished wood grip and brown anodized (a bluing process) finished scabbard.

The blade was etched with the SA motto, Alles für Deutschland. Examples produced prior to 1935 were stamped with the German sector of the SA group on reverse lower crossguard. Later examples underwent standardization through the RZM ministry. These pieces were produced of cheaper plated zinc-base fittings and scabbards were simply painted brown.

The Night of the Long Knives, in June 1934, saw the wiping out of the SA’s leadership and others who had angered AH in the recent past in NSDAP Germany. After this date, the SS lead by Heinrich Himmler was to become far more powerful in NSDAP Germany. For all the power the Enabling Act gave AH, he still felt threatened by some in the NSDAP Party. He was also worried that the regular army had not given an oath of allegiance. AH knew that the army hierarchy held him in disdain as he was ‘only ‘ a corporal in their eyes. The Night of the Long Knives not only removed the SA leaders but also got AH the army’s oath that he so needed.

By the summer of 1934, the SA’s numbers had swollen to 2 million men. They were under the control of Ernst Röhm, a loyal follower of AH since the early days of the NSDAP Party. The SA had given the NSDAP’s an iron fist with which to disrupt other political parties meetings before January 1933. The SA was also used to enforce law after AH became Chancellor in January 1933. To all intents, they were the enforcers of the NSDAP Party and there is no evidence that Röhm was ever planning anything against AH. However, Röhm had made enemies within the NSDAP Party – Himmler, Goering and Goebbels were angered by the power he had gained and convinced AH that this was a threat to his position. By June 1934, the regular army hierarchy also saw the SA as a threat to their authority. The SA outnumbered the army by 1934 and Röhm had openly spoken about taking over the regular army by absorbing it into the SA. Such talk alarmed the army’s leaders.

By the summer of 1934, AH had decided that Röhm was a ‘threat’ and he made a pact with the army. If Röhm and the other SA leaders were removed, the rank and file SA men would come under the control of the army but the army would have to swear an oath of loyalty to AH. The army agreed and Röhm’s fate was sealed. On the night of June 29th – June 30th 1934, units of the SS arrested the leaders of the SA and other political opponents. Men such as Gregor Strasser, von Schleicher and von Bredow were arrested and none of them had any connection with Röhm. The arrests carried on for 2 more nights. Seventy seven men were executed on charges of treason though historians tend to think the figure is higher. The SA was brought to heel and placed under the command of the army. AH received an oath of allegiance from all those who served in the army. Röhm was shot. Others were bludgeoned to death. The first the public officially knew about the event was on July 13th 1934, when AH told the Reichstag that met in the Kroll Opera House, Berlin, that for the duration of the arrests that he and he alone was the judge in Germany and that the SS carried out his orders. From that time on the SS became a feared force in NSDAP Germany lead by Heinrich Himmler. The efficiency with which the SS had carried out its orders greatly impressed AH and Himmler was to acquire huge power within NSDAP Germany.