Swords of the Reichswehr

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I thought I would start a thread on the swords of the Reichswehr.  These are swords used by the German military between 1919-1933.  This is an interesting time period after the abdication of the Kaiser during the rule of the Weimar Republic government.  Imperial weapons were destroyed and It was largely illegal to make new edged weapons during this time period. However, some edged weapon companies were given authorization by the Allied Occupation authorities to refurbish some weapons and to manufacture new ones for the 100,000 man Reichswehr.  

 

It is these swords that we are looking at.

 

German officers traditionally bought their own military kit, including swords.  This is a common practice among most military establishments.  During Imperial times these swords were designated for different officers such as Infantry, Artillery, Cavalry, etc.  These designations largely remained in use after the end of WWI and military and police forces allowed their officers to continue to wear swords they had honorably worn during the war.  

 

Let us look at a few of these.

 

First, the Prussian Infantry Officer sword (IOD).

 

 

This sword was newly made during the time of the Weimar Republic and is similar to the Imperial Prussian IOD.  It was made by Alcoso (Alexander Coppel Solingen) and is shown in their between the wars catalog.  It differs from its Imperial brother by having a nickel plated scabbard and a straight nickel plated blade with only one fuller.  It also has no Kaiser Wilhelm cypher on the obverse grip and an entirely different eagle on the folding guard.  This is not the crowned eagle of the Prussian King Wilhelm but is the Weimar Republic eagle of the 1919-1933 government.

 

 

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Another variation is this Weimar Republic period IOD that has no Wilhelm cypher on the obverse grip and the change to the folding guard eagle having the cypher removed from the eagles breast.  This sword was made by WKC.  

 

 

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Another Weimar Republic sword is a generic "Offizier-Einheitssabel" (Officer Sword) such as the sword shown as their Nr.3 in the period WKC catalog.  This sword is a standard P guard shaped sword with a curved nickeled blade and a black steel scabbard with one ring.  It has a polished brass plain hilt with a black Celluloid grip and a leather finger loop.  The P guard has a reinforcement block inside the guard at the juncture of the knuckle guard and cross guard.  The guard also has plain languets drooping over the ricasso on the blade.   

 

WKC also marketed another almost identical sword without the leather finger loop as their Nr.29 "Glatter Kavall.-Offiz.-Sabel" (Polished Cavalry Officer Sword).  Notice the above Infantry swords with straight blades are classified as a Degen while the swords with curved blades are Sabel.  

 

This sword, now shown below, is an Imperial sword made by WK&C that was the property of the Weimar Republic Government. This is shown by the "1920" marking on the obverse guard just above the languet.  This date is not the date it was made but was a property marking placed on weapons such as swords, bayonets, pistols and rifles that were legal property of the Government.  1920 represented the date a law was passed that restricted the ownership of various weapons and this marking was placed on the item by Police and RW armorers.

 

This officer sword has a curved nickel plated blade that is etched with foliate designs on both sides and the spine.  The scabbard is nickeled steel with one suspension ring and the hilt is polished brass as described above.  This Imperial sword has a sharkskin grip with wire wrap.  Any Imperial sword with this "1920" property marking is from the time of the Weimar Republic.

 

 

 

 

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Another item of re-issue is this EM/NCO "1920" marked mounted troop sword.  An Imperial Mounted Artillery sword re-issued to the Mounted Police during the time of the Weimar Republic.  These were also re-issued to mounted troops of the Reichswehr and later Wehrmacht.  All steel blued scabbard, curved bright blade, and steel hilt with wood or hard rubber grips.  All components with inspection markings as well as property markings.  A heavy no nonsense weapon wielded by a trooper astride a horse.