WWII GERMAN DAGGER - RAD SUBORDINATE HEWER
The German economy went through a depression during the early 1930's. The German government created an organization called the RAD to boost the economy through employment generated by the inception of massive public works projects. As a result of such effort the German infrastructure was rebuilt producing things such as the Autobahn.

It is about this time that Hitler had launched an expansion of the armed forces. Service in the military was deemed mandatory. The RAD was employed as a means to breach the time between graduating from school to entering military service.
Service in the RAD included military style drills such as marching, obeying orders, etc. In 1934 a dagger was issued to be worn by all members of the RAD organization. That dagger is featured on this page.

The RAD dagger is one of the most interesting looking daggers of the Third Reich. Its roughed appearance makes it look more like a utilitarian knife, closer related to a bolo knife than a presentation dagger to be worn at parties, parades and special events. however, that is all it was. A symbol of status among the members of the RAD organization. The meaning of the word "hewer" which is "to make or shape with as or as if with an ax" evokes the design of the dagger itself. It is very large and heavy. The handle is made of a thick sheet of stag held together by two large screws. The pommel is rounded and has a protrution similar to the beak of a bird. The handguard resembles a toboggan. one end is straight while the other curves up. It is composed of three lines that roll up into one. The blade is heavy. Sligthly curved upwards and has a very irregular point. A blood groove covering roughly 50% of the body of the blade is carved starting near the base. The photos (right) show the RAD dagger in the scabbard and outside the scabbard. This is one of the heaviest and most rugged daggers of the third reich. The blade is very heavy duty and can hold an edge.

The scabbard of the dagger is very ornate. It is outfitted with two large nickel fittings; one on the neck of the scabbard. In the shape of a broad arrow pointing downwards. It has the portral of a Celtic swirl pattern. Formed with double lines so as to allow space in between the lines which is filled with a rich grooving pattern for further visual effect. Another added touch was the use of a line of beads to follow the shape of the tip of the arrow of the fitting.

The throat section also comes with a wire bracket design so that the dagger hanger can be attached, allowing the owner to secure the dagger to the uniform.

The fitting placed on the tip of the scabbard follows the shape of the scabbard and has a point in the upwards direction. The fitting displays the RAD symbol in a very prominant manner. Consisting of the head of a shovel standing up. A swastika is placed in the center of the head. A wheat spear spreads outwardly from the left and tight side of the shovel head. A pattern of beads trails the shape of the point of the fitting.

The shape of the mouth of the scabbard is triangular. This design matches the shape of the blade with a blunt, thick back and a narrowing edge. The screws to the side of the fitting serve a dual purpose. One is to make sure the fitting remains in place. The other is to secure the runners that reside inside the scabbard. They hold the blade in place when it is inserted in the sheath.

The serial number is only located on the left side of the handle. The two pictures to the left illustrate the way in which the handle is held together. The right side looks like a regular screw while the left side is closer to a nut. The handles are made of a thick sheath of stag. RAD DAGGER HANGER Just like the hewer itself, the hanger for the RAD dagger is very large and of irrefular shape. It consists of black leather straps with two heavy aluminum clips. Both are spring loaded. one large leather section is built at an angle. This allows the dagger to be worn pointing forward while the hanger remains straight. Built with heavy duty stitching. Some of the brackets that secure the clips to the leather straps were wire-type design. Others had a more robust square frame. The back of the clips were often marked. The Assmann company (symbol "A") was a common manufacturer for this part. Additional markings may include the RAD logo.

A unique characteristic of the RAD dagger was the angular shape of the blade tip. The blade was marked at its base with the manufacturer's logo which consisted of two vertical oval shapes, one inside the other, forming a space between the ovals where the name "Ed Wusthof" is scrolled. This is the name of the company that manufactured the dagger. The name of the town "Solingen" is placed in the lower section of the oval group.

Additional markings include a downward facing triangle with the letters RJAD placed inside the figure and arranged themselvesin a triangular shape. The words "Ges Gesch", indicating trademark, are placed just below.

The blade has a blood groove on both sides. The right side contains a couple of German words. The blade shown below has been sharpened on a wheel. This is unfortunate because it reduces the value of the piece. Daggers should never be sharpened.

The blade of the hewer displays the RAD's motto "Arbeit adelt" which translates to "Labor enobles". It is written in large gothic letters and placed in the center of the body of the blade.

Many German edge weapons are currently reproduced. It is becoming more difficult to be able to tell the fake ones from the real ones because the quality of the reproductions is improving. The collector must become familiarized with the construction style and materials employed in the manufacturing of this item. Attention to the details is critical in order to be able to determine the authenticity of the collectible.