German Police NCO's Sword by Weyersberg, Kirschbaum & Co.
CATEGORY: Version
SKU: 52.GOR.04.02.02.003.000
Estimated market value:
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A Police Sword with Portepee by Weyersberg, Kirschbaum & Co. - Measuring 1,006 mm, with the scabbard on, this sword features an 850 mm long, nickel-plated steel blade, magnetic, fullered on both sides, with a blade spine and a single dull edge, remaining bright and crisp, and having an extremely sharp tip. The blade's obverse ricasso is maker marked "W K C" (Weyersberg, Kirschbaum & Co.) with the company's knight emblem above, while the reverse ricasso is marked with the SS runes. It retains its crossgraining, with light wear and exhibits scratching overall, common to extraction and return to the scabbard, natural shine, measuring 850 mm in length, better than very fine. Brown leather buffer pad at the blade's base, the face of which is dyed black, remains relatively supple and is intact. Handle consists of a D-shaped guard with quillon, a traditional built in step fitting, nickel-plated hilt fittings, magnetic, with most of the plating remaining intact, the ferrule with a six oak leaf design encompassing it. Black celluloid grip exhibits light contact with some chipping, along with missing its solid nickel wire that was once wound in the thirteen grooves of the grip. Finely-detailed aluminum Police insignia centred on the handle's obverse, complemented with a large period Police portapee wrapped around the crossguard and base of the blade in the appropriate fashion, the knot in aluminum wire with green felt on its recessed end, the attached cord in brown and black embroidery and interlaced with red threading and silver bullion wire, without interruption in the fabrics. The sword measures 983 mm in length and weighs 496 grams overall. The scabbard has a durable black painted metal body, magnetic, with flattened u-shaped finial and locket, suspension ring and bracket protruding from the wrap-around loop, nickel-plated ornate-designed fittings at the throat are held in place via single screws on either side, weighing 398 grams and measuring 26 mm x 867 mm, exhibiting paint loss and wear overall but is free of dents. A terrific WWII collectible, better than very fine.
During the Third Reich, an effort was made to unite all of Germany’s disparate provincial police forces and agencies into a single cohesive national unit. To attain this goal, Reichsführer-SS Heinrich Himmler was named Chief of the German Police in the Ministry of the Interior in June 1936. That same month, Himmler implemented new standardized uniforms, headgear, and insignia. The uniforms worn prior to Himmler’s appointment were often navy blue, particularly in what had been Prussia. The new uniforms were green, in a shade that was then dubbed “Police green”.
The German Police were divided into two main units, the Ordnungspolizei (Orps or Regular Police) and the Sicherheitspolizei (Secret Police); the Ordnungspolizei were unofficially called the green police (Grüne Polizei) as a result of their uniform colour. The Sicherheitspolizei were made up of two main organizations, the Gestapo and the Kriminalpolizei (Criminal Investigation Police). At the beginning of the Second World War, the Sicherheitspolizei were brought under the auspices of the Reich Main Security Office.
The swords worn by members of the German Police did not have a standardized design until 1936. The German Police Sword was worn by Officers and Non-Commissioned Officers (NCOs) within the German Police when they wore their mess dress, service uniforms, or parade uniform.
The general design of the Officer and NCO swords are very similar. The main differences between the two sword versions are in the shape of the pommel button and the use of aluminum wire between the grip grooves.
The handle of the sword is made up of the pommel, the grip, the knuckle bow, and the crossguard. The pommel design varies depending on the wearer’s rank. For Officers, the pommel has a large oblong button with corrugated edges, while for NCOs, the pommel button has a flat oval shape without corrugated edges. The grip is composed of black wood or plastic with horizontal groves. A silver-coloured (silvered aluminum) police eagle insignia should be mounted on the grip obverse. On Officer swords, aluminum wire is wrapped within the grip grooves. The knuckle bow has a “D” shape. The crossguard has an extending arm/quillon, and there is often a leather blade washer below the crossguard. Also, the Officer swords feature a mount at the bottom of the grip, while the NCO swords do not.
The blade is straight and composed of nickel-plated steel. The obverse and reverse of the blade ricasso generally feature acid etched manufacturer marks. The manufacturer’s logo/trademark may be featured on the obverse, while the full name and location of the manufacturer may be on the reverse. Also, presentation blades may feature an ornate inscription on the blade celebrating a specific event or person.
The scabbard is made from sheet steel painted black. At the top of the scabbard there is a silver-coloured mouthpiece and throat piece/locket. The throat piece/locket features ornate geometric designs. Below the throat is a lacquered iron band with a suspension ring that facilitates the sword’s attachment to a saddle or belt. At the bottom of the scabbard there is a crest.
The silver, red, and black portapee/sword knot was permitted for wear with the Police Swords.
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