The ''SS-Ehrendegen'' or SS Honor Sword, also ''SS-Degen'' (officially ''Ehrendegen des Reichsführers SS''Dienstaltersliste der Schutzstaffel der NSDAP, Berlin, 1943, p. 106), is a straight dress sword that was worn with a SS uniform from 1935 to 1945. First introduced in 1935, the SS sword was designed by

Karl Diebitsch Karl Diebitsch (3 January 1899 – 6 August 1985) was an artist and the ''Schutzstaffel'' (SS) officer responsible for designing much of the SS regalia during the Nazi era, including the chained SS officer's dagger scabbard. Diebitsch worked with ...

Heinrich Himmler Heinrich Luitpold Himmler (; 7 October 1900 – 23 May 1945) was of the (Protection Squadron; SS), and a leading member of the Nazi Party of Germany. Himmler was one of the most powerful men in Nazi Germany and a main architect of th ...

's personal referent on art and design within the SS. It was originally manufactured by the Peter Dan. Krebs firm of Solingen, Germany.Williamson, Gordon, ''Waffen SS Handbook 1933–1945''. The sword has a long thin straight blade produced at different lengths to accommodate for the height of the wearer. The ''degen'' features a "D" shaped knuckle-bow (

crossguard On a sword, the crossguard, or cross-guard, the individual bars on either side known as quillon, is a bar of metal at right angles to the blade, placed between the blade and the hilt. The crossguard was developed in the European sword around the ...

) as the handle, which also features a black ribbed wooden grip. The grip is bound with silver wire and features an inset disc featuring the SS lightning-bolt runes. The

scabbard A scabbard is a sheath for holding a sword, knife, or other large blade. As well, rifles may be stored in a scabbard by horse riders. Military cavalry and cowboys had scabbards for their saddle ring carbine rifles and lever-action rifles on the ...

is painted in black enamel and has decorative silvered top (

locket A locket is a pendant that opens to reveal a space used for storing a photograph or other small item such as a lock of hair. Lockets are usually given to loved ones on holidays such as Valentine's Day and occasions such as christenings, wedding ...

) and bottom (

chape Chape has had various meanings in English, but the predominant one is a protective fitting at the bottom of a scabbard or sheath for a sword or dagger (10 in the diagram). Historic blade weapons often had leather scabbards with metal fittings a ...

) mounts. It was worn with an aluminium braid sword knot embellished with the SS runes in black on the stem.

Honor award

The officer's sword was officially awarded with a hand-signed certificate from Heinrich Himmler to selected officers of the ''SS- Verfügungstruppe'' and ''SS- Totenkopfverbände'' in recognition of special merit. It was also awarded to officers who graduated from the SS-Junker Schools, the SS officer training centres. The non-commissioned officer (NCO) version is similar to the officer version, but the scabbard has a plain, unadorned chape. The NCO version's handle also lacks the silver wire wrapping and the SS runes are moved from the handle to the pommel cap.

Damascus blade

The 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 SS-''

Oberführer __NOTOC__ ''Oberführer'' (short: ''Oberf'', , ) was an early paramilitary rank of the Nazi Party (NSDAP) dating back to 1921. An ''Oberführer'' was typically a NSDAP member in charge of a group of paramilitary units in a particular geographic ...

''. Since they were often given to recipients on their birthday (usually their 50th), they are also known as "Birthday Honour Swords".

References

Weapons of the interwar period Modern European swords Nazi SS Nazi symbolism {{Germany-WWII-stub