Organisation Information - Felderrnhalle

The SA Standarte Felderrnhalle was formed in 1935 and renamed Felderrnhalle 1936. It had its headquarters in Berlin but had battalions stationed at 8 other key cities in Germany.

It was the elite unit of the SA and primarily used to guard Victor Lutze (head of the SA) at ceremonial occasions and important SA buildings such as party offices, key state buildings etc. It is most famously know for the guarding of the memorial to the failed 1922 putsch started by Adolph Hitler. Hitler celebrated the date of the putsch each year at the Felderrnhalle memorial in Berlin which was the area where the dead of the SA were shot during the failed attempt to gain power in Germany.  (see the picture above of the memorial).

The Felderrnhalle had a unit under the control of the Wehrmacht and entered Austria with the army in 1938. In 1938 most of the original SA Felderrnhalle units were transferred to the Luftwaffe and integrated into the Fallshirmjager divisions. 

The Felderrnhalle had a number of other combat units briefly discussed below.

Felderrnhalle Combat Units

 The Felderrnhalle division was formed in France in 1943 as a Panzergrenadier division. The division was sent to the front in 1944 when it underwent a major decimation of its ranks at Minsk in July 1944. 

It was rebuilt in September 1944 and went back to the front in January 1945. The division was captured at Deutsch Brod in May 1945

It was commanded by Otto Kohlermann (Generalleutenant), Fredrick Carl von Steinkeller (Generalmajor), Gunther Pape (Generalmajor).

Combat Organisation

Panzergrenadier - Regiment Felderrnhalle

Fusilier - Regiment Felderrnhalle

Artillerie - Regiment Felderrnhalle

Panzer Abteilung Felderrnhalle

Panzer Aufklarung - Abteilung Felderrnhalle

Felderrnhalle Divisional Support Units

The dagger was instigated by Victor Lutze in 1937, designed by Paul Casberg. It was produced exclusively by Carl Eickhorn and distributed to Felderrnhalle officers and selected members of Victor Lutze's personal staff.

The dagger was 45 cm long with a plain SA wood style grip. The pommel was based upon an eagle with wings spread open, the talons clutching the swastika emblem. The key to the period made dagger is the detail in the neck feathers and head area. The cross guard had the SA emblem at its center. The key to the period made is the detail of the wings and center SA roundel The hilt fittings are made of Aluminum and are Very light. This dagger is very impressive in pictures but once held in hand they loose something as its just so light, one expects this dagger to have a weight to it like a Postal dagger. The hilt fittings are coated with a Rose gold anodized finish. The pommel nut is very distinct on this dagger as it forms a cross and is inset into the pommel so that it is flush with the upper fitting. Its reputed that a silver finish existed, but to date I have never seen one that was not a parts dagger made up in the 1960’s.

Grips are made of a wood and have a dark brown dyed finish. It’s bland in colour on all period made daggers, on all I have seen, the grips have been the same with out exception. It’s reputed that a Dark brown bakelite grips exists, I have never seen one so I can't comment on this. As to the Ivory grips, It’s noted that two exist - one was given to Herman Goring, and one was given to an Italian General. I have seen a few of this style of dagger fitted with Indian Ivory so I can only make the assumption that the grips were added POST WAR.

The blade has the motto " Alles fur Deutschland " (Everything for Germany) etched onto the blade and the Eickhorn 35 style trademark. There is a variation of this dagger with a damast blade and Ivory grip that resides in the Bob Weits collection. I have never had the dagger apart and can’t quote anything about what the blades construction is, it is either Real pattern wield or artificial Damast. Tom Johnson shows one of these daggers with the Damast blade in vol. 6, of his series on collecting Third Reich daggers.

The scabbard was made from aluminium with two hanger suspension bands fitted with small headless recessed setscrews that were incorporated into the design of the band; these held the rings for the hanger. The finish is a rose gold anodised finish. Again silver finish is reputed to exist though I have never seen one that was not a post war made dagger. There is a slight flaw on the scabbard design that is a good point of observation to look for. The throat is held in place with a single centre set screw like an Army dagger by this maker.

The dagger had a dual straphanger made from fabric with gold brocade and brown coloured strips on the front. The rear of the hangers was backed with brown velvet. The fittings are gold in colour and tend to be rather dull, looking more like the brass colour gold like the gold GO, NSKK marine etc.

Reputedly there are less than 50 of these daggers that were made, making it one of the rarest and most valuable daggers of the 3rd Reich. There are only about 10 of these daggers in collections around the world. There are many post war made daggers, perhaps a few hundred, and when encountered this dagger should be looked at under a microscope and held to a degree of intense examination.

Edited by Bruce Petrin