Postal Protection Daggers

Commissioned in 1939 and designed by Paul Weyersberg, the daggers issued to the Third Reich’s Postal Protection Service (Postschutz) as part of their official uniforms were similar to the RLB daggers (Reichsluftschutzbund or German Air Protection Federation). However postal protection daggers had a number of interesting features which distinguished them from their counterparts. Unique to the postal dagger and chief among its features was its distinctive crossguard. Fashioned from solid nickel, the crossguard incorporated the head of an eagle where it met the grip. Directly below the eagle’s head in the center of the crossguard was a disc containing a swastika made from black enamel. Additionally the crossguard contained a single line dividing top from bottom and a subtle sloping design at its ends (upward at one end and downward at the other). Other notable features include silver plated fittings and a silver portapee with a cord that incorporated interwoven orange threads for a distinctive design touch. Another distinguishing characteristic unique to the postal protection dagger is its nickel plated chain clip. The dagger’s blades were made from carbon steel and contained no markings other than the maker’s mark. The postal protection daggers also were quite heavy owing in no small part to their solid nickel fittings.