Red Cross Hewer with Frog

Product Description: This Red Cross Hewer with Frog is a nice, clean example, in excellent condition. The saw-backed blade retains lots of original luster, and good crossgraining, with some scattered light freckling. The original leather buffer pad is still pleasant on the blade. The handle is very nearly pristine, with only extremely slight age toning. The metal fittings on the handle retain 100 percent of the original plating, and the grips are undamaged, with no chips or cracks. The German Red Cross eagle and swastika emblem on the crossguard is crisp, with nice, smooth surfaces. This Red Cross Hewer with Frog is complete with the original scabbard. The scabbard also retains the full original finish to the plated metal fittings, as well as about 95 percent of the original glossy black enamel paint. The smooth leather frog is really nice and totally intact. It’s marked on the reverse with the three-letter manufacturer code “jkh” and dated “41.” This is a nice complete rig, in much better than average condition.

Historical Description: The German Red Cross (Deutsches Rotes Kreuz, DRK) was given organizational status by the Nazi Party in 1938. As with all official organizations, it fell under the auspices of the NSDAP; the DRK fell under the German Ministry of the Interior.  In 1938, a special and unique edged weapon, the “Hauer für Mannschaften” (known to collectors as the Red Cross EM Hewer) was introduced for enlisted personnel of the DRK. It was a blunt-pointed tool, with one cutting edge, and one saw edge on the blade spine. It was intended not only as a dress dagger for ceremonial and formal wear, but as a practical knife for preparing splints, casts and bandages. The purpose of the blunt tip was to avoid violating Geneva Convention prohibitions against medical staff carrying offensive weapons. Unlike most German blades intended for dress purposes, the Red Cross EM Hewer was not a private purchase item but was issued from unit stocks as needed. Officers in the DRK wore a different dagger. Manufacture of the enlisted hewer ceased in 1940.

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