Original Item: Only One Available. This is a very rare Bahnschutz Railway Protection Service Enlisted Man's Dagger, produced by the legendary Solingen-based firm Carl Eickhorn. The design of this dagger is essentially the same as the Heer (Army) model dagger, but with a black celluloid grip, and they are usually silver plated instead of nickel. The pommel of this dagger is in very good condition showing a little wear but nothing bad. The silvering has a nice aged patina throughout, and the standing oak leaves and acorns are crisply detailed and have wonderful backgrounds. There is some wear through around the bottom edge, revealing the aluminum base material.

The silver plated aluminum crossguard is in similar condition, with a nice clean finish and oxidized accents. It does show a bit of the plating wear through and lifting near the edges, which is somewhat common with the aluminum fittings used on these. There is also a good amount of The details throughout the characteristic eagle are exceptional throughout the head, breast and wing feathering, talons and wreathed mobile swas. There is wear to the plating on the back of the guard, which is common. The grip is celluloid over a wood base, and is still relatively tightly held between the guards. These usually come with a black grip, but it looks like an ivory grip from a Heer dagger may have been substituted long ago, which was painted with black enamel over the entire surface, even under the fittings. It has worn a bit since then, but also protected the celluloid from fading, showing that it has been on there since the dagger was first made. This grip is in very good condition throughout, with just a bit of wear, and no cracking or chips that we can see. The grip ferrule is silver plated steel, which has had the plating wear, and now displays a lightly oxidized patina.

The dagger is fitted with a bright steel blade without plating, which unfortunately has suffered oxidation in areas over the years, probably due to water exposure over a long time. In spite of this, we can still see the original factory final polish grind cross grain in some areas, as those areas look to have been protected from the oxidation. This texture is iconic, and is the definitive identifying characteristic for a real WWII German Blade. The oxidation has mostly been cleaned off the blade, giving it a mottled look. The edges of the blade are correctly unsharpened, showing no nicks or other damage, and the needle-like tip of the blade is intact. The original leather blade buffer is still present in the recess of the cross guard, but is degraded and cracked from moisture exposure.

The reverse ricasso of the blade is etched with the 1935-41 Eickhorn trademark: a seated squirrel holding a sword, with the word ORIGINAL above and the firm's name and location, Eickhorn / SOLINGEN below. Carl Eickhorn is a legendary maker from Solingen, the famous "City of Blades" in Western Germany. According to J. Anthony Carter's book, GERMAN KNIFE AND SWORD MAKERS, this company was founded in 1865 by Carl Eickhorn, and is arguably the most famous of all Solingen makers. Not only could the family trace their history back 500 years, but they could also demonstrate involvement in the hardening and grinding industries for the same period. Truly the nobility of Solingen Edged weapon dynasties. Eickhorn edged weapons are the most desirable of all makers.

The silver plated steel scabbard is a fine example, still straight and showing no major dents or other damage. It has very crisp, finely pebble grained panels, and the carrying bands have an excellent pattern of overlapping oak leaves and acorns, which are nicely enhanced, but also show some wear. The throat is the thinner style with a single flush mount securing screws on the rear. The original silver plated finish is well retained, and still quite bright.

A great example of a rare very early issue 1st Model German WWII Railway Protection Service dagger, complete with scabbard and ready to display!

Specifications:
Blade Length: 10"
Overall length: 14 3/4”
Crossguard: 3 1/4”
Scabbard Length: 11”

The German Railway (Deutsche Reichsbahn) by the 1930's had become a very modern transportation system, serving the needs of the country, as well as a acting as throughway for other parts of Europe. It was nationalized by AH in 1937. A special protective section known as the Bahnschütz was established using Railway employees. The organization was charged with protecting the Railway system against sabotage, espionage and larceny. The first dagger allegedly worn by this organization was an Army configuration, equipped with black grip. Whether it was actually a Railway dagger is still speculation. Original examples were usually marked with the Robt. Klaas "Kissing Cranes" logo.

Deutsche Reichsbahn (1937 to 1945)
With the Act for the New Regulation of the Conditions of the Reichsbank and the Deutsche Reichsbahn (Gesetz zur Neuregelung der Verhältnisse der Reichsbank und der Deutschen Reichsbahn) of 10 February 1937 the Deutsche Reichsbahn Gesellschaft was placed under Reich sovereignty and was given the name Deutsche Reichsbahn.

World War II and military use
The Reichsbahn had an important logistic role in supporting the rapid movement of the troops of the Wehrmacht, for example:

In all the occupied lands the Reichsbahn endeavored to incorporate the captured railways (rolling stock and infrastructure) into their system. Even towards the end of the war the Reichsbahn continued to move military formations. For example, in the last great offensive, the Battle of the Bulge (from 16 December 1944), tank formations were transported from Hungary to the Ardennes.

The railways managed by the "Eastern Railway Division" (Generaldirektion der Ostbahn) were initially run from that part of the Polish State Railways within the so-called General Government gelegene Teil der Polnischen Staatsbahnen (PKP), but from November 1939 by the Ostbahn (Generalgouvernement).

In the campaigns against Poland, Denmark, France, Yugoslavia, Greece etc. the newly acquired standard gauge networks could be used without difficulty. By contrast, after the start of the invasion of Russia on 22 June 1941, the problem arose of transferring troops and materiel to Soviet broad gauge lines or converting them to German standard gauge. Confounding German plans, the Red Army and Soviet railways managed to withdraw or destroy the majority of its rolling stock during its retreat. As a result, German standard gauge rolling stock had to be used for an additional logistic role within Russia; this required the laying of standard gauge track. The price was high: Reichsbahn railway staff and the railway troops of the Wehrmacht had to convert a total of 16,148 kilometres of Soviet trackage to German standard gauge track between 22 June and 8 October 1941.

During the war, locomotives in the war zones were sometimes given camouflage livery. In addition, locomotives were painted with the Hoheitsadler symbol (the eagle, Germany's traditional symbol of national sovereignty) holding a swas. On goods wagons the name "Deutsche Reichsbahn" was replaced by the letters "DR". Postal coaches continued to bear the name "Deutsche Reichspost".

The logistics of the Reichsbahn were crucial to the conduct of Germany's military offensives. The preparations for the invasion of Russia saw the greatest troop deployment by rail in history.

Expansion
Characteristic of the first six and a half years of this period was the exponential growth of the Deutsche Reichsbahn, which was almost exclusively due to the takeover of other national railways. This affected both parts of foreign state railways (in Austria the entire state railway) in the countries annexed by the Deutsche Reich, as well as private railways in Germany and in other countries:

The logistics of the Reichsbahn were also an important factor during the Shoah. Jews were transported like cattle to the contingent and extermination camps by the Deutsche Reichsbahn in trains of covered goods wagons, so-called Shoah trains. These movements using cattle wagons, for example, from the goods station of the great Frankfurt Market Hall thus played a significant role in the genocide within the extermination machinery of the Shoah.

Breakup of the Reichsbahn
With the end of the Second World War in 1945 those parts of the Deutsche Reichsbahn that were outside the new German borders laid down in the Potsdam Agreement were transferred to the ownership and administration of the states in whose territory they were situated. For example, on 27 April 1945, the Austrian railways became independent again as the Austrian State Railway (Österreichische Staatseisenbahn or ÖStB), later renamed as the Austrian Federal Railways (Österreichische Bundesbahnen or ÖBB) on 5 August 1947.