WKC Luftwaffe Miniature Dagger 2nd Model

Product Description: This WKC Luftwaffe Miniature Dagger is a beautiful and nicely made piece, in a very desirable 3/4 size. This is a 2nd model version. The blade is outstanding, with full original luster. The front of the blade is well marked, commemorating 50 years of the firm of “Friedrich Preusse K.G. Braunschweig” with the company name over the dates 1884 and 1934, with a wreath surrounding the numeral “50” between the dates. The reverse of the blade is marked on the ricasso with the commercial type maker emblem of WKC in Solingen. The handle on this one is really attractive. The crossguard features a stylized Luftwaffe eagle and swastika emblem, and the crossguard and pommel both retain original darkening in the recesses. The wood based grip is a desirable pale yellow, with intact, tight grip wire. This WKC Luftwaffe miniature dagger is complete with its original scabbard. The scabbard shows nice detail, and retains nearly all of the original finish, with only slight wear. The overall length of this piece is 9-1/2 inches. This is a very handsome miniature dagger, in excellent condition.

Historical Description: The Luftwaffe dagger was a piece of regalia with a unique history. After WWI, Germany was prohibited from having an Air Force. In 1933, the Nazis formed the Deutscher Luftsport-Verband (DLV), which was a paramilitary aviation organization. DLV officers wore a long dagger. In 1935, in violation of the Treaty of Versailles, Hitler instituted the new German armed forces, the Wehrmacht. One of the branches of the Wehrmacht was the Luftwaffe. Luftwaffe officers at this time wore what we know as the first model Luftwaffe dagger. This was a shortened version of the earlier DLV dagger. It featured a scabbard covered in blue leather, and a blue, wire-wrapped grip. The crossguard featured a round, “sunwheel” type swastika, flanked by down swept, stylized “wings.” The pommel was in the form of a vertical disc, with another, larger “sunwheel” swastika. In 1937, the Luftwaffe instituted a new dagger form, known to collectors as the second model. This new dagger was similar to that worn by officers of the German Army. The second model had a metal scabbard with impressed decoration, and no leather covering. The crossguard bore a Luftwaffe eagle, clutching a swastika. The blue grip was replaced with one that was orange, white or yellow. The various types of grips were a matter of personal preference and did not indicate branch or rank. The pommel of the new dagger featured a swastika within an oak leaves motif. The blades of these daggers were steel, and many but not all were manufacturer marked.

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