German SS Dagger with Vertical hanger - The Schutzstaffel(Protective Echelon), abbreviated SS- or (Runic) was a major Nazi organization under Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party. The SS grew from a small paramilitary unit to a powerful force that served as the Führer's "Praetorian Guard," the Nazi Party's "Shield Squadron" and a force that, fielding almost a million men (both on the front lines and as political police), managed to exert as much political influence in the Third Reich as the Wehrmacht, Germany's regular armed forces.

An SS dagger meant to be worn by all ranks of the SS was introduced in 1933. This dagger was very similar to the SA style. The construction of the SS dagger consisted of black ebony handles with an SS symbol insert located just below the pommel. In addition, a small eagle holding a swastika is placed on the center of the handle. The fittings are manufactured from plated zinc metal. The dagger was usually a special purchase item.

Initially, production of the dagger was not under RZM control. It was not until 1934 that the RZM started overseeing production of the dagger.

The SS dagger is one of the most desirable daggers to obtain by a collector. It is also a difficult one to find. There are many replicas flooding the market so the buyer must be very careful when purchasing one.

The dagger featured on this page comes with the vertical leather hanger. Just as the name suggests, when worn with the uniform the dagger stands upright. This type of hanger is more scarce and difficult to find. One problem with this design is that the clip from the hanger hits the back of the handle repeatedly when worn. This scratches the handle.

The handguard of the dagger has a number 5 stamped on the lowe section near the throat of the blade. The front is stamped with III. These are correct markings for the period.

The manufacturer markings are also applied to the base of the blade. It consists of two vertical ovals, one inside the other, with the figure of a squirrel placed in the innermost oval. The name Carl Eickhorn is crolled in the upper portion while the name of the town Solingen is placed at the bottom.

The basic design of the dagger was shared with the SA and NSKK organizations. It consisted of a black painted wooden handle. Smooth construction. One side has an eagle with spread wings and clutching a wreath with a swastika in the center. Above the eagle is a circle with the SS runned in the center. The letters are silver in color.

The scabbard is painted black to match the handle. It comes with two fittings. One in the throat area and one in the tip. The throat fitting has a ring attched to one side. This is where the leather dagger hanger is secured.

The blade has the inscription "Meime Ethre Heibt Treue" on one side. The other side read "In Herzlicher Freundschaft Ernst Rohm" but the wording was removed by the grinder.

There are a couple of versions of the SS dagger that uses a metal chain for a hanger. These models are known as the chained SS dagger and the Honor dagger

This is the smaller version of the Eickhorn logo, indicating that this is an earlier production dagger.

The reverse side of the clip for the hanger is also marked with the manufacturer's logo. In this case it is the letter "A", which stands for the Assmann company. Just below the logo are the letters DRGM.

The following picture shows a close up view of the SS logo encrusted near the pommel of the dagger. The SA dagger had a similar design except that the logo would be different.