12 SS HITLER JUGEND DIVISION MEMBER HITLER YOUTH KNIFE WITH AN SS MOTTO ON ITS BLADE AND A SWASTIKA ON ITS POMMEL

The item is a well used Hitler Youth Knife that has the distinction of having the SS Motto "Meine Ehre Heisst Treue" acid etched on its blade, as well as a swastika in an oak leaf pattern etched onto its pommel. The knife is complete with a standard, black painted, metal Hitler Youth Knife scabbard with a leather belt loop strap attached by two (2) metal rivets. The metal scabbard still retains most of the original black paint common to late war items, with minor scratches and age cracks in several places which only serve to further confirm its authenticity.

The leather belt loop is also fully intact and functional, to include the cross strap which is fitted with a single, large, black colored snap button that is designed to hold the top of the knife in place when it is sheathed. The front side of the knife's pommel bears an acid etched swastika in a circle, which is then surrounded by a number of oak leaves. While still very visible, the pommel has seen much handling over the years which has resulted in a significant wearing down of the swastika and oak leaves. Despite this wear, which also serves to demonstrate the obvious age of this item, the swastika and oak leaves on the pommel are still both highly visible, particularly when held on the right angle in light.

The knife's handles on both sides are made out of standard, black checkered plastic commonly seen on Hitler Youth knives and Army dress bayonets. The grips are held in place by two brass screws that are slotted to permit their removal by use of a screw driver. In the center of the front handle is the well known standard red/white/black enameled Hitler Youth diamond, which although demonstrating age, is still fully intact without any visible chips or cracks. Between the guard and the blade is a leather separator which again shows its age, but is also still very much intact.

The front side of the blade has an oak leaf bordered box which is four (4") inches in length by one (1") inch in width that runs from its hilt almost to the blade point. The SS motto, "Meine Ehre Heisst Treue", appears centered in that oak leaf box in two (2) lines of text.

While the entire motto is still completely visible, the "heisst treue" portion of its motto has experienced a greater degree of wear than "Meine Ehre" portion, apparently due to simple scabbard related wear and tear. The blade was also sharpened, obviously for field use by its original owner, and still maintains an edge that could cut the skin if it were run over the blade edge quickly. The reverse of side the blade also demonstrates considerable age and wear, and has an RZM mark in a circle, under which appears the number "M7/34", which denotes the maker of this knife as being "C. Rud Jacobs" of Solingen-Grafrath.

As a foot note, this item was obtained from a US Army veteran who had served as a surgeon in Normandy in 1944. There he reported that he had operated on a German POW with severe intestinal wounds who was a member of the 12 SS Hitler Jugend Division, who, in appreciation later gave him this knife as a personal souvenir of their meeting.

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