Diplomatic Corps Dagger Knot

Subject of much talk and speculation the dagger for the Reichs Ministry for the Occupied Eastern Territories comes up again and again. Hoping to shed some credence on the dagger, hanger and knot the following information should be of great value to the collector/researcher.

The standard State service dagger in gold, with hanger straps of gold braid was projected for use by Eastern Officials in 1941. The hanger fittings were also gold.

The portepee to be worn with this dagger is said to be the standard version long cord of aluminum for officer grades however, the ball is smaller than the standard version.

In 1942 the special Eastern Official's dagger came into use, along with a completely new uniform. This is the prescribed dagger in Dienstkleidungsvorschift fur den Geschaftsbereich des Reichministeriums fur die besetzten Ostgebiete ( Service Dress Regulations for the Departmentof the Reichs Ministry for the occupied Eastern territories) dated 1942. The portepee for this particular dagger is said to be the standard aluminum one. The hangers have fabric straps with yellow facings and velvet backing.

Some new and very interesting information concerning the often misunderstood and confusing dagger for the Nazi government officials has come to light via Mr. C. R. Davis a well-known collector of Eastern Territories memorabilia. His source of information concerning this subject is an original source: Uniformvorschrift des Reichminister des Innern zum Erlass des Fuhrers un Reichskanzlers uber die Einfuhrung einer Beamtenuniform ( "Uniform Regulations from the Reich Secretary of the Interior for Release by the Fuhrer and Reich Chanellor Concerning the Introduction of an Official's uniform) dated 1940. This particular document describes (not illustrates) the standard State Service dagger as strictly silver. No mention is made of a gold design, A silver knot is mentioned but the hangers are not described.

Beschreibung des Grauen Tages - Dienstanzunges des Auswartigen Amtes ("Description of the Grey Day-Service-Dress of the Foreign Office'') gives the following details concerning the Diplomatic daggers. Hanger and knot style depended on the rank of the wearer. No mention is made of a ''gold'' dagger. The description in each case is silver. Also, no mention is made of a gold knot. The Diplomatic ranks (service grades) were divided into four levels:

"Beamte des Horeren Dienstes" (Official of top level service): Had some 20 ranks within it. Of these 20 ranks, the top four grades wore a silver dagger and knot with gold hangers that had gold fittings. The remaining ranks wore the same dagger and knot but on a silver hanger which had gold fittings.

"Beamte des mittleren Dienstes" (Official of upper middle level service) had 9 grades. They all wore the silver dagger and knot on a silver hanger which had silver fittings.

"Beamte des mittleren Dienstes" (Official of middie level service) wore the same hanger fittings knot and dagger as those officials listed in Number 2 above.

"Beamte des einfachen Dienstes" (Official of lower level service) has three ranks. These wore the silver dagger with a black and silver knot. The hangers were black leather straps with silver fittings.

Since several different ways of wrapping the portepee have been observed in original source photographs there does not seem to be an "official" manner of affixing the portepee on the dagger.

The knot that was wrapped around the guard lower part of the handle and crossguard of the Diplomatic official's Degen had the following pattern: A cloth strap having two silver stripes on each edge, a pock pattern between these stripes. The slide, stem, crown and ball were all made of aluminum braid (see page 168 Volume I Johnson).

Heinrich Kreutz, Rolf Hofmann, Thomas M. Johnson, J. Rex Reddick, "Edged Weapon Accouterments of Gemany 1800-1945, Reddick Enterprises, 2002

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The Reich Ministries

The uniform for officials of the ministries of the Reich was awarded, by an edict of the Fuhrer, on March 30, 1933. The officials of the highest Reichs and State administration were obliged to appear in uniform when they were present during state occasions or similar events at which they would serve as representatives of their office. One exception to this was that officials who belonged to Party organizations were permitted to wear the N.S.D.A.P. uniform, upon permission being granted by the Deputy Fuhrer through the Ministry of the Interior. Officials could also appear in uniform on non-official occasions such as during private or social events. The highest Reichs administration, in collaboration with the Ministry of the Interior and the Ministry of Finance, determined exactly which officials would be permitted to purchase a uniform. The officials of the following departments here to receive a uniform:

I. Highest departments of the Reich. Prussian State Ministry, Prussian Rnance Ministry: Reich Ministers and chiefs who were equal to them, state secretaries, ministerial directors,ministerial section heads, ministerial councilors personal sides of the Reichs Ministers and state secretaries. Prussian Ministry of Finance, and also the Prussian Ministry of State were distinguished from other ministerial officials by the use of silver twisted cord piping around the collar of their tunics and greatcoats.

II. State governments (state ministries) except Prussia: State secretaries (state councilors), ministerial directors, ministerial councilors as heads of independent subdivisions.

III. Governmental departments under the jurisdiction of the Reichs Ministry of the Interior:

1. President and vice president of the Reich Department of HeaIth.

2. President of the Reichs Department for Land Survey.

3. Director of the Reichs Archives.

4. Director of the Central Locator Office for War Casualties and Graves.

5. Presidents and vice presidents of the highest administrative courts of the states.

6. Chief presidents and the city President of the Reichs Capital Berlin.

7. State Attorney Generals at the highest administrative courts of state.

8. State governors.

9. President of the Prussian Construction and Finance Agency.

10. Vice presidents of the Supreme Pressia.

11. Vice president in the office of the City President of the Reichs Capital Berlin.

12. Lieutenant state governors.

13. Vice president of the Prussian Construction and Finance Agency.

14. Provincial governors.

b) Reichs Finance Ministry:

1 . President and vice president of the Reichs Fiscal Court.

2. Chief President of Finances.

3. Presidents for Finances.

4. Heads of the Reich Schools for Finances.

5. Head of the Academy for Finances.

6. Superintendents of Revenue and Customs Offices.

c) Reich Ministry of Justice:

1. Presidents and, as far as they existed, vice presidents of the Reichs Court, the Peoples Court, the Supreme Court and Court for Patents in Vienna, the Reichs Patent Office, the State Court for Hereditary Farms in Celle and the State Supreme Courts.

2. Chief Reich Attorneys at the Reichs Court and thePeoples Court.

3. The Procurator General in Vienna.

4. Seat: Attorney General (in Austria: Chief State Attorneys)at the Supreme Coups.

5. Presidents of the State Courts.

6. Chief State Attorneys (in Austria: Leading State Attorneys)at the State Courts.

7. State Attorney General at the State Court in Berlin.

d) Reichs Ministry of Economics:

1. President and vice president of the Reichs Office of Statistics.

2. President and vice president of the Reichs Court for Economic Affairs.

3. President of the Control Beard for Private Insurance Companies.

e) Reichs Ministry for Nutrition and Agriculture:

1. President and vice president of the Reichs Court for Hereditary Farms.

2. Chief State Representative of the Ministry.

f) Reichs Ministry of Labor:

1. President and vice president of the Reichs Insurance Agency.

2. Presidents and vice presidents of the State Employment Agencies.

g) Reichs Ministry of Sclence, Education and Culture:

1. Presidents and vice president of the Reichs Institutefor Physlcs and Technology.

2. President of the Reichs Institute for Chemical Technology.

3. Curators of the universities.

4. President of the Bureau for the Testlng Of Materials.

5. Director General of the Prussian State Library.

6. Director General of the State Museums in Berlin.

7. Director of the state castles and gardens in Berlin.

8. President of the Academy of Fine Arts.

h) Reichs Ministry of Transportation:

1. Presidents and vice presidents of the Reichs Rallroad Directorates, the Reichs Railroad Construction Directorates and the Reichs Railroad Central Offices.

2. Chief Director for Construction and Directors of Constructionas heads of the chief construction administrations of the Reichs Autobahnen.

i) Reichs Postal Ministry:

1. Presidents and vice presidents of the Reichs PostalDirectorates,

2. President of the Reichs Central Postal Administration.

IV. General Accounting Office of the German Empire:President and vice president.

V. Presidium of the Reichs Parliment Director.

VI. Governor of Prussia: Director of the State Archives.

Two forms of dress could be worn by ministerial officials, and it was the responsibility of each person to inquire at the appropriate high administrative department in order to insure that all officials would be correctly dressed. For example, if an official were to attend an event sponsored by the Party, he would inquire at the highest Party office. Officials who retired from service could obtain permission from their superior department to continue wearing their uniform, but no special insignia denoted their retired status. The ministerial officials were provided with two uniforms: 1) a dark navy blue uniform, which has often been confused with the black uniform of the Foreign Office. A field grey uniform, which was also similar to the field grey uniform worn by Foreign Office officials.

The manner in which the uniform was worn denoted whether it was for a formal occasion (Service Dress 1), or an informal occasion (Service Dress 11). Service Dress I consisted of:

a) Tunic,

b) appropriate trousers,

c) greatcoat or cloak,

d) visored hat,

e) white shirt with long black tie,

f) grey or white suede gloves,

g) brocade belt,

h) dagger.

The dark navy blue uniform had a double-breasted tunic which had two rows of four embossed silver buttons. The tunic exhibited French cuffs and a pocket to each side. The flaps of the pockets were not secured by buttons, but had a loose flap. The status of the wearer was denoted by the use of sleeve insignia, collar piping, and for a time, shoulder straps. Officials of the highest state offices, the Prussian Ministry of Finance, and also the Prussian Ministry of State were distinguished from other ministerial officials by the use of silver twisted cord piping around the collar of their tunics and greatcoats.

Jill Halcomb, Uniforms and Insignia of the German Foreign Office and Government Ministries 1938-1945, Agincourt Publishers, 1984

Uniforms of the Eastern Occupied Territories

Reichsministry for the Occupied Eastern Territories

The Ostministerium, or Reich Ministry of the Occupied Eastern Territories (Reichsministerium flir die besetzten Ostgebiete-RMBO), was the German governing body of the occupied Soviet territories. It was under the control of Reichsminister Alfred Rosenberg, with Alfred Meyer as his Deputy Minister.

Knowledge of the organizational structure of the RMBO is essential to better understand the rank structure. Headquarters of the Ministry was located in Berlin. Each occupied eastern area was administered by a Reichskommissariat with a Reichskommissar at its head. Each Reich Commissariat was subdivided into at least six General Commissariats (Generalbezirke), each headed by a Generalkommissar. Each Generalbezirk was in turn subdivided into districts (Kreisgebiete-up to 20 throughout the entire RMBO), each headed by a Gebietskommissar. Each district was composed of a series of villages, or Rayon, but there was no German administrative official below the district level.

The uniforms of the RMBO, like those of the Foreign Ministry, underwent continued, and sometimes radical changes.

In Order Nr. 1 dated 2 September 1941 Rosenberg specified the uniform for the general membership in the cut of the uniform be that of the official's uniform as prescribed by the Reichsgesetzblatt of 8 March 1940, but in a dark brown uniform cloth. His order directed the following:

Order Nr. 1: Concerning: Uniforms of male personnel of offices in the Occupied Eastern Territories.

Cut of the Uniform

All male personnel in occupied territories must wear uniforms of dark brown uniform cloth (giving rise to the derisive description of "The Golden Pheasants" in concurrence with the gold rank insignia). These are to be made in cut and style of the uniforms in accordance with the order of introduction of uniforms for the (Reich) officials dated 8 March 1940, Reichsgesetzblatt I p.463. Part of No. 43 of Reichsgesetzblatt 1940 part I, in which these uniform regulations were published, is added. (NOTE: The uniform pattern for 1940 was that of a double-breasted tunic.)

Personnel already sent into the occupied territories were issued uniforms of Ordensjunker (High Schools of the NSDAP) as these uniforms were available. For the same reason other personnel sent to the occupied territories in the future will be issued those uniforms. Uniforms of the new production have to be manufactured after the regulations (8 March 1940) of the uniforms of the officials.

Headgear of the new production are to be with insignia in accordance with the above mentioned regulations (8 March 1940).

All members under my authority have to wear the uniforms as mentioned in paragraph 1, above, without exception. The order of the Fuhrer for the Altreich (that territory of the Reich within the boundaries of 1939) that officials with ranks of Kreisleiter or Standardenflihrer and above have to wear their respective uniforms of the NSDAP, but not the uniforms of officials is not valid for members under my authority. (NOTE: It is interesting that Rosenberg took it on himself to countermand Bitler's order, an act that Hitler was not to allow to go unnoticed.)

Rank Insignia

Rank insignia are determined by the respective pay grades of the personnel .Shoulder boards and shoulder straps are not allowed. Rank insignia are worn on the lower left sleeve of the tunics and greatcoats. They are in gold embroidery. Rank insignia are as determined by the added summary (Annex 2).

Officials of uniform Group 1 (Reich Minister to Ministerialdirigent) wear greatcoats with lapels of dark brown velvet. Officials of the high grade, elevated and medium grade services and the employees (Angestellte) of corresponding ranks wear caps with gold cord; officials of the lower grade service, employees of corresponding ranks and personnel on salary (Lohnempfiinger-workers, etc.) wear caps with a leather chin strap.

Trousers

Varying from the uniform regulations, breeches are without piping and long trousers without lateral stripes. Long trousers are with light brown lateral piping.

Belt, Pistol and Side Arms

All personnel are uniformly equipped with a leather belt (color not identified) and a pistol (thus a holster). Daggers are allowed only for those officials which were permitted to wear the uniform of officials (Beamtenuniform) according to the Uniform Regulations dated 8 March 1940.

Other

It is intended to introduce a uniform for female members. At this time, the problem is under consideration. Orders will be issued at the proper time. (NOTE:There are no subsequent indications that uniforms for female personnel were ever introduced.)

In typical German officialdom fashion, Order Nr. 2: Zu Rk.14915 B was distributed to amplify the already clear Order Nr. 1. It again specified that "The dark brown uniform will be in cut and style of the general uniforms of officials, with corresponding insignia." That "shoulder boards are not under consideration," and that "in variance to the general regulations, the embroidery on sleeve will be in gold in lieu of silver." (NOTE: The pattern of the embroidered sleeve insignia was identical to those of the diplomatic and government officials as prescribed by the March 1940 regulations except that all pay groups prescribed to have the sleeve insignia wore that insignia in gold.)

Hitler responded "politely" to Rosenberg's "oversight" in countermanding his order. A brief letter from the Reich Chancellery was sent stating: "To the Reichsminister: The Reich Minister of the Occupied Eastern Territories issued his orders before he got knowledge of the most recent intentions of the Fuhrer. The Fuhrer wishes to see samples of uniforms and insignia before he gives his approval, and before beginning production of uniforms will be ordered. As the regulations ordered by the Reichsminister of the Occupied Eastern Territories are not in contradiction to the hitherto existing principal intentions of the Fuhrer, especially as shoulder boards are not under consideration, it is assumed that the Fuhrer will give his approval. Everything else will be left to Reichsminister." Apparently, sometime between the issuance of Order Nr. 1 and the issuance of the uniform regulations below dated 25 March 1942, Rosenberg commissioned the noted designer Egon Jantke to create uniform designs for personnel assigned to the Occupied Eastern Territories. While in an article written by him, Jantke takes all the credit for the resultant designs. It should be noted that a great deal of direction came from Rosenberg himself.

John R. Angolia: "In the Service of the Reich", R. James Bender Publishing, 1995

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Eastern Territories Visor Cap

Ministry for the Occupied Eastern Territories Ministerium Fur Die Besetzten Ostgebiete

PERSONNEL ATTACHED to the Ministerium fur die Besetzten Ostgebiete used a distinctive service visor cap in the traditional "saddle" form.

The cap was worn in the 1942 to 1944 period and was of orange-brown cloth with a dark brown cap band. Piping was of gilt or silver wire cord for higher ranks and of brownish-orange thread for lower ranking officials. The coloration of the caps was roughly identical to the SA color, in that much of the material used came from surplus SA clothing depot stocks.

A black polished leather or fiber visor was worn with the service cap and chin cords were dependent upon rank: higher officials of the Ministry wore gilt wire embroidered cap cords with pebbled gilt side buttons; middle ranking personnel utilized silver wire embroidered cap cords with silver pebbled side buttons, and lower ranking officials wore a brown leather chinstrap which was secured by brown enameled metal side buttons.

Cap piping matched the cap cords and was graded accordingly. Official's hat insignia consisted of a diplomatic eagle in gilt or glossy silver wire embroidery mounted on the front of the crown over the vertical seam ofthe cap. An embroidered (wire) national cockade of black-white-red flanked by a stylized oak wreath having "wings" or horizontal oak leaves was attached to the band. Diplomatic insignia was worn because of the close association of this Ministry with the Diplomatic Corps.

Lower ministerial ranks wore metallic insignia in natural-colored finish.

ADMINISTRATIVE PERSONNEL SERVICE CAP

Administrative personnel attached to the Ministry for Occupied Regions wore a visor cap similar to that of ministerial officials for the Eastern Regions.

This saddle-formed visor cap, worn from 1939 until 1941 (and thereafter only to be worn by highest level officials), was made of field-grey cloth. The dark blue cap band was piped with silver wire, as was the leading edge of the cap's crown. A black fiber visor similar to the Army style was worn.

Chin cords were of interwoven silver wire material and were secured to the sides of the cap by pebbled aluminum buttons.

Cap insignia consisted of a silver wire embroidered or silver metal diplomatic eagle mounted under the leading edge of the crown.

A national cockade within a stylized oak wreath and flanked by horizontal "wings" of four oak leaves each was secured to the cap band. This insignia too existed in glossy wire (silver) embroidery or in silver-colored metal, depending on the rank of the wearer.

Following 1940 a variant of this service cap was issued to high ranking officials who were permitted to wear it in conjunction with their dark blue service uniforms. Fittings and insignia remained as before, though the cap body was of dark blue woolen doe-skin with a dark blue cap band. Insignia was silver embroidered with a glossy finish.

Tom Shutt: "Dress and Field Service Hats of the Third Reich", H.S.M. Publications, 1981