Article about: Here is a great early maker also known for making Rohm daggers. The overall appeal of the dagger itself is in great condition and also rates a “3” on a rarity list. This dagger is the heavie
Here is a great early maker also known for making Rohm daggers. The overall appeal of the dagger itself is in great condition and also rates a “3” on a rarity list. This dagger is the heavier type attributed to the crossguards, which internally they are marked St & St both sides of the guards upper and lower. The Tang close to the blade shoulders has the normally seen “O” that is seen with this maker. The anodizing and laquer is all there with a little bit of spidering. The reverse blade has no remnant signs of the dedication lettering ,, but there are signs of the spine having that “Slight wave” to it in a couple of places,, so it is possible that this was a Rohm at one time. The blade itself has been cleaned but I think it comes with the territory once you read further in my description,, and where it has been!
Now the surprise part,,,the chances of finding a $100 bill on the ground these days,,is next to nothing and one would have better luck finding a penny on the ground. That slim next to none chance had just made itself possible by me being at the right place at the right time. The $100 bill chance turned out to be an “Oe” gruppe mark that is ever so rarely seen!! For the gruppe mark type collectors of SA daggers, this is a dream come true. There is a ton of History surrounding this elusive gruppe mark and the SA gruppe itself!
I researched this gruppe and the information is endless,,I could not find any information on the gruppe mark itself but I did get some on the SA Leader in charge in Austria by the name of “Hermann Reschny” and his years of duty in the SA. Seems as though this guy was the “Ernst Rohm of Austria” during the early 1930s,, as Hitler himself had problems with Hermann Reschny`s authority in Austria and his political overthrow thoughts. 5 years before the Anschluss,, this guy wanted to take Austria in 1933.
The number 2629 is untraceable and it is my opinion that the this was not the original number as there is a slight trace of another number barely visible beneath the #6. The areas around the numbers are slightly depressed as of a removal of what was once there. .
In Ralf Siegerts SA book ,, it is quoted on page 78 concerning the “Oe” gruppe mark ..”Already before the annexation of Austria intio the Third Reich in 1938,, daggers for SA men who were involved in “illegal actions were stamped with the “Oe” letters.”… What these particular illegal actions were except going against Hitlers wishes not to overthrow that Government,,I do not personally know. I am hopeful that when Tom Wittmanns SA book comes out,, that he will be able to shed more light into the gruppe mark itself. Below is a dossier of Hermann Reschny ,, theSA High Leader in Austria.
I am thankful to Adam 777 of the GDC for helping me with this information concerning the birth of this gruppe and the amount of Rohm daggers awarded to these men.
(founded) 1934 -02-01 in Munich,
SA Rohm inscription daggers supplied to this group: 3,200
I can only speculate the reason why we don’t see a lot of “Oe” gruppe marked daggers is maybe the same reasoning that the removal of the Ernst Rohm inscription on his honor daggers were to remove the memory of the same with the Ostereich Gruppe itself. This is just my opinion.
All this information would not be possible ( nor this thread would have been created) if I have not been fortunate enough to be at the Lakeside and found this rare gem,, when I contacted that Trader guy Paul Hogle. Thanks again
I am also thankful to the Axis history forum in help with the Hermann Reschnys dossier, and insight into the Hilfswerk-Nordwest gruppe.
Hermann R e s c h n y
SA-Obergruppenführer
[02.04.1931-02.08.1934: Führer of SA-Gruppe Österreich (HQ: Linz).]
Born: 15.06.1898 in Stammersdorf bei Wien / Österreich.
Died: 07.01.1971 in Graz / Österreich.
NSDAP-Nr.: 52 036 (Joined 03.09.1926)
SA Promotions:
15.07.1926 Führer der SA-Österreich
01.01.1931 SA-Oberführer
14.10.1931 SA-Gruppenführer
01.07.1932 SA-Gruppenführer (reinstated at this rank with lifting of the government ban on the SA)
20.04.1933 SA-Obergruppenführer
[00.00.1941] Oberleutnant d. R.
00.00.194_ Hauptmann d. R.
01.10.1944 Major d. R.
Below are the dates when SA Gruppe Osterriech was placed under another Gruppe identity only to re-establish itself in 1938. There are no known Nw gruppe marks for this SA gruppe.
1.7.33 - 30.6.34 F SA Obergruppe VIII (Osterreich) which became on March 1934 SA Obergruppe XI
1934 - 13.3.38 F SA Hilfswerk Nordwest
14.3.38 - 31.5.38 F SA Gruppe Osterreich
Below is a small paragraph ( link included) of the Ostereich actions including Hermann Reschny taken from the online book “The Unmmaking of Adolf Hitler” The Unmaking of Adolf Hitler - Eugene Davidson - Google Books
The Austrian National Socialists like the Dolfuss government were ridden with factions. One of Habichts chief rivals in a party without central leadership was Hermann Reschny, an SA Obergruppen fuhrer who had the ten thousand Austrian legion under his control as well as a sizeable SA group in Austria itself. Reschny made preparations to order the Austrian legion to march into Austria in October 1933, a date postponed until early 1934 when, with other SA leaders, he considered whether the SA should be summoned home to join the battle then being waged between the government and social democratic forces.
Reschny told Habicht nothing of these plans, but Hitler heard of them through the German military attache in Vienna and he forbade Reschny to continue with any projects that would involve a rising SA. Nevertheless the possibility of a takeover in vienna remained an alluring prospect, and still another Nazi group, this one in the Vienna police department, separately plotted a strategy for the seizure of power that would be adopted by the actual putchists in July.
The pre-Anscluss and all the way up to the actual date in 1938 is some very exhaustive reading and study. After the Ostereich gruppe was disbanded in Austria a good number of men flew back to Germany and form the Austrian legion “OST” which from that point took on the name of “Hilfswerk Nordwest” unitl the actual Anschluss.
Having a dagger with a gruppe mark always tells of its whereabouts in the Reich it was desiganted to,, but having a gruppe mark that tells a story of political turmoil and eventual overthrow,, is something tightly packed into 2 small letters on a crossguard ,, which opens a door into the past that not too many people just don’t know about,, due to the lack of “Oe” marked daggers. If one does not see it then they don’t know about it,, except the collector who collects these types and knows the connection between the two!
Below is just a comparison of crossgurd styles,, with Eickhorn being on the left and Ed Wustoff on the right. Cool History! Larry
Very interesting and a great dagger. Thanks Larry!
Cheers Ade.
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Well you certainly had a "bee in your bonnet" with this one and it is nice to see that your efforts have paid off insofar as you have a really neat dagger in good condition with a unique history all of its own.
Early SA Ed Wustoff w/ Surprise
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and well worth it in my opinion 
what a brilliant find 
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