Nazi WW2 Army Officer sword / dagger

[farmgirlIN]

My son is doing a 4-H American Heritage project on a sword that was given to my grandmother by her first husband who died in World War II.
Here is what we think we know....

Nazi Germany Army Officer Dagger
Puma Solingen manufacturer mark on blade with puma head



Is there any way to date this piece? What do we need to look for to authenticate it?
Any information you can share would be appreciated.
Heather

[Panzersaurus]

I'm not a super expert on these but I can tell it is indeed an original. You can't usually date these to an exact year from my understanding, but there are certain styles of the components which can suggest a time period. I will let the more experienced dagger collectors norm you on that.

[Larry C]

Hello FarmgirlIN.......I assume Indiana? I have been in a little sleeper of a town there called Wanamaker. Anyway..Welcome to the forum...a great starter of an answer to your question..was exceptional by member Panzersaurus....and I will move your thread to the Heer ( Army ) forum which is the type of dagger ( not sword ) this is. No worries you will find it....and I will leave a redirect to were you first opened your thread.

The Puma trademark belongs to the producer Lauterjung Co. Est. 1769..making Political and Non Political daggers. The dagger you have brought to the forum..is a Non Political dagger....and has no Nazi affiliation..to the Political branches of Ie: SA, SS,Hitler Youth. Im glad you came here..to ask about this dagger..and after my post..there will be more qualified answers to be given concerning the dagger the pattern...types of fittings..the producer..and the year it was made.

Many new collectors..tend to Stereotype anything with a swastika and call it Nazi. There is some truth to the swastika..as this was the originating symbol of the Nazi party..who controlled from Political to non political items. The men in the German Army were just Army and ordinary soldiers..with no Nazi party affiliation. This Puma Heer ( Army ) dagger is not Nazi.

Your dagger has a rare logo..and is not so seldomly seen among German Army dagger collectors...but they are out there. The last photo shows the dagger reveresed in the scabbard..by the signs of the carrying rings on the opposite side..and the decades old shadow that the swastika wreath of the crossguard eagle left on the upper part of the scabbard. Your first photo shows the correct carry of this dagger.

If you may could you give more detail of the acquisition by the grandfather..of the dagger .....or any story that the grandmother may know....and without further adieu I will turn this thread over to the more knowledgeable Heer dagger collectors on this forum. Enjoy your stay..and ask questions. Best Regards Larry

[farmgirlIN]

I'm about three hours from Wanamaker. West of South Bend. As the story goes, he mailed it home from the front just after the war. No one is sure where he was when he got it but they were attacking from two sides and he ended up behind enemy lines. They won that battle and as a result he had this dagger. He sent it home but no one knows from where because shortly after that the war ended. During a routine mission the plane he was flying in crashes into the side of a mountain and he died so the dagger was put away and no one talked about it for years.

[maximus71]

Wow that is a tragic story, the dagger was most likely removed from a POW or given to him by a surrendering german officer, or he picked it up out of a pile of war booty items that local townspeople were ordered to turn in after the war, what town or when nobody will ever know, great item of history to have in your family, please do not try to take it apart of clean it, but you can use a soft cloth to wipe the fingerprints off the blade, over time they will corrode into the steel.

[Larry C]

You have a great piece of History Farmgirl..from both sides......the German dagger..and your Grandfather who liberated it. Hopefully you will pass it on to your son..in memory of your grandfather..and his service to his country..and allies.

John "Maximus" provides the best course of preservation.....and wipe down the blade of any fingerprints that recently touched the blade. You want the blade to be kept as it left the factory..and within a clean blade is a story of history. The salty oils in a persons hand will do irreparable damage. Preserve it...the way that your grandfather brought it home. Later on if your son does not want it for himself..this dagger in its preserved condition will be a nest egg for you one day.

Your son will be enlightened here by the amount of research that has already been placed at his finger tips to complete his project..not just in the dagger forum..but through out the whole WRF website here. The "After the Battle" forum..may be a great place to start....with the involvement of the American forces towards the end of the war. Much easier..is to ask..we have plenty of fine representatives and teachers of history here..that will point you in the right direction..and answer completely any questions you have. Enjoy your stay Regards Larry

[Wagriff]

About all there is to add to the above information and advice, is that the maker of this dagger "Puma" is still in operation today and makes some of the finest hunting knives in the world. Your dagger was carried by a German Army Officer and is a superb momento of your grandmother's 1st husband and his sacrifice.

[heers68]

Heather, I would add that this is a very correct mid to late period (middle to late in Army Officer dagger production, produced somewhere between 1938 and 1941 in my oppinion) produced dagger with the accepted fittings and scabbard used by this producer. The dagger was worn on the left side and as a dress uniform or "walking out" dress accessory. They were not used in combat, much as a Marine officers sword is used today. There was a "portopee" made with aluminum thread wrapped around the hilt when worn and the dagger hung from a cloth "hanger" with metal clips attached to the two rings on the scabbard extending to a clip on the officers uniform under the pocket flap of the lower left pocket or to a clip on a waist belt under the uniform jacket. Hope this info and these pictures attached help with your Sons report! Good luck..Kevin.

[gerrit]

Thanks for showing this beauty!

It has a lovely patina and is in a very collectable state!
Tragic he died this way after surviving the war.

Regards,
Ger

[farmgirlIN]

Part of our project is identifying the value of the article. We have no intention of selling it, so we are looking for the insurance value of the piece. Do any of you have any idea what a dagger in good condition is worth?