Service dagger M 33 (Sturmabteilung SA) GAU MI

Created in 1921, the Sturmabteilung (SA), or “Brownshirts”, was the first paramilitary wing of the Nazi party (NSDAP).

Composed mainly of World War I veterans and Freikorps (volunteer German military or paramilitary units), the SA's main function was to provide protection for Nazi rallies and assemblies.

The SA played a key role in Hitler's rise to power.

The organization was co-founded by Adolf Hitler and Ernst Rohm, then placed under the latter's direction.

In 1934, Hitler ordered the “bloody purge”, i.e. the removal of the SA's powers, later known as the “Night of the Long Knives”.

Like most branches of the NSDAP, the SA wore paramilitary garb and carried daggers.

The SA dagger was originally produced in large quantities by 123 different artisan manufacturers.

Initially, these daggers were made to the highest quality, with hand-mounted nickel fittings, hardwood handles and brown or “bluish” anodized scabbards.

Blades were engraved with “Alles für Deutschland”, or “Everything for Germany”.

Pre-1935 SA daggers bore the SA group stamp on the reverse of the lower crossguard.

Later models were marked RZM and used less expensive zinc-plated fittings and painted scabbards.

Given the size of the SA, we sometimes see other, rarer daggers carried by this branch of the service, including the dagger of the top SA and NSKK officer, the Feldherrnhalle, as well as some very special display pieces.

On May 19, 1936, NSKK korpsführer Adolf Hühnlein ordered that all NSKK dagger scabbards be painted black or factory-anodized to differentiate them from SA scabbards.

Some members chose to paint their scabbards black (homemade), while others bought new scabbards in the authorized color.

Shortly afterwards, factory-made NSKK daggers were delivered with the correct scabbards painted black.

The M36 NSKK Chained Leaders Daggers were intended for the ranks of NSKK-Sturmführer and above.