ME FECIT SOLINGEN (SOLINGEN MADE ME)

The Solingen Weapon Industry in the National-Socialistic State

By Engineer Heinz Auelmann, Solingen "Die Klinge" June 1936

"Solingen made me." thus our old masters used to perpetuate themselves on the blades of the swords they created. As early as a thousand years ago, but mainly in the 16th century, thanks to the artistic and technical skills of the inhabitants of our "Blade City" at that time, the foundation was laid for what was to become the German Armory of Solingen. With justified pride the City of Solingen may remember their ancient masters as the creators of their industry today, who without knowledge of modern techniques and on their own, created works of art that are still exemplary today.

The free man's defense, the sword, is like no other weapon intimately tied to the German people. The Teutons used to place a sword by the new-born's side in the cradle to provide him with courage and a warlike spirit in defense of his soil. By the ceremony of buckling on the sword, the adolescent became a consecrated warrior. Finally, a man was laid to rest in the grave with his sword to his right.

Sacred oaths were taken by placing hands on the sword blade. Saxons, Franconians, Danes and Normans thus gave the oath of peace and loyalty. With many a German tribe swords enjoyed godlike veneration, being considered a symbol of justice and jurisdiction, a sign of sovereign authority, of power and might. Until deep into the Middle Ages it was the preferred weapon which, for protection or defiance, the free man always carried at his side. We can only measure the high value of the sword when we consider how the wealand woe of each individual fighter depended upon the skilled command of the sword, the quality of its steel and its manufacture. It is a fact that before the invention of firearms, the sword was the principal weapon on which rested the decision of the battles, as has been the case even in more recent times during hand-to-hand combat. From ancient times the sword has maintained its use as the noblest honor gift. On its presentation a lasting relationship of loyalty and friendship was sealed.

Also edged weapon dedications and inscriptions have been kept alive until our time. Mostly applied to the blade, solemn epigrams are to remind the bearer and owner of his duties. The Germanic peoples called these inscriptions the "sword blessing". Characteristic of people and time are the pithy sayings of the 16th century which above all manifest deep piety and were carried by devout lansquenets, who before the beginning of the battle were on their knees in ardent prayer and then, a moment later, knew how to reconcile it with their conscience when emptying the farmer's purse and chicken-coop.

Full of genuine war-spirit are the admonitions on the swords during the Thirty Year War: "Victory or Death" - '"Under the Weapons the Law's areSilent." - "Neither Foolhardy Nor Fearful." A word of exhortation to the entire German people is the sword epigram of "Hermann" in the Teutoburg Forest: "German unity my strength, my strength Germany's might."

Si vis pacer, para bellum! (If you want peace, prepare for war)

Never had peace been more ominously threatened than at the time when mutineers and deserters knocked Germany's weapons out of her hands and placed her, defenseless, at the mercy of foreign powers. As far as Germany was concerned, disarmament, as stipulated in the Treaty of Versailles, was carried out scrupulously, as ascertained even by the Interallied Control Commission. However, the former enemy states disregarded their own treaty,which was to initiate an international general disarmament, and escalated armament according to most modern viewpoints.

Germany was near internal decay. Led by incompetent governments, the people were tearing themselves to pieces in class struggle and party disputes. High treason was elevated to an "affair of honored." Born from the spirit of our undefeated army, moulded and fought for by the Fuhrer, the idea of National Socialism arose, and a new belief in an eternal Germany with honor and freedom. In the auditorium of the Hofbrauhaus in Munich, Adolf Hitler on February 24, 1920, proclaimed for the first time the program of the NSDAP. Point 22 of the program says" "We demand the abolition of the mercenary troops and the formation of a people's army"

Imperturbably the Fuhrer fought for the soul of the people. The NSDAP was ridiculed and jeered, then persecuted and prohibited and combated with all means of vileness. Through misery and self-denial and with enormous blood sacrifices one position after the other was conquered. The appointment of the Fuhrer to Chancellor of the German Reich on January 30, 1933, finally broke the spell. Germany received her honor back, and her freedom brought along the law for the reconstruction of the armed forces on March 16, 1935.Point 22 of the NSDAP program was thus accomplished.

As fighters for an ideology today's boys and men of the different organizations of the NSDAP carry the daggers bestowed on them by the Fuhrer. It isproudly worn as an outward sign of constant readiness to valiantly stand up forAdolf Hitler and his idea and, if need be, sacrifice one's life.

Displaced through modern war techniques, the sword, for army, navy and air force, is not to be primarily a weapon, but rather a symbol of the desire for military preparedness of its bearer who knows how to protect the borders of his country.

Thomas M. Johnson, "Collecting the Edged Weapons of the Third Reich - Vol. II", Author Published, 1976