History

The so-called Damascus blades feature an intricate weld pattern. Damascus-bladed Honour Swords are extremely rare. They were awarded to a select few by Himmler personally, usually to high-ranking SS leaders, or important businessmen or statesmen who held an honorary SS rank of at least Oberführer. Since they were often given to recipients on their birthday (usually their 50th), they are also known as Birthday Honour Swords. The Damascus blades were forged by mastersmith Paul Müller.

The blade generally features a dedication and the recipient’s name on the obverse. The dedication varies from blade to blade. It is flanked by a swastika on both sides. The reverse always reads “Meine Ehre heißt Treue!” (My Honour is Loyalty!), flanked by SS runes on both sides. The inscriptions are gilded.

The hilt, as well as the scabbard mounts, were cast in “800” silver, and the sword is marked accordingly. The other parts of the sword that, on Officer Swords and NCO Swords, were made from nickel or nickel-silver, were also made from silver on Damascus-Bladed swords, including the SS button, the ferrule, the grip wire, and the back cover strip plate.
The scabbard was made of steel and painted black.