As early as 1922, the SA maintained authority of the German youth under the aegis of the Jugenbund der NSDAP (Youth League of the Nazi Party). The Hitler youth also had a female equivalent, the Bund Deutcher Madel, the League of German Girls. A section called The Deutsche Jungvolk was composed of boys to young to join the HJ; their ages ranging from 10 to 14.

In 1935, the HJ was officially formed and designated as a Party branch. Adolf Hitler appointed a youthful leader named Baldur von Schirach as the initial Reich Youth leader.

The 1939 Youth Service Decree made membership in the HJ mandatory for all German youth between the ages of ten and eighteen, except those whose blood was not pure Aryan. As Germany mobilised for an all-out war effort, the HJ became a convenient way to raise additional manpower. HJ units were formed in the majority of the occupied countries and members of the HJ served with all branches of the Wehrmacht and the Waffen SS.

Initially, the HJ was run by Baldur Von Schirach who supervised the great expansion of the organization. In 1940 Artur Axeman was appointed Reich Youth Leader until the end of the war.

As the war progressed, the premilitary training of the HJ between the ages of 16 and 18 was taken over by the Army with greater emphasis being given to military training in readiness for the Hitler Youth members joining the Wehrmacht.

The SS undertook much of the youth training and encouraged many youth members to join the Waffen SS ranks when they were of age.

In February 1943, the German Army was facing a man power shortage after great losses on the Russian front and developed schemes to draft in Hitler Youth members before the legal conscription age. This involved volunteer enlistment for 17 year olds with the consent of Artur Axeman and Himmler. As a result of this action, a Waffen SS division was formed with Hitler Youth (12^th SS Panzer division) and served with distinction but suffered badly with only 455 of the original 10,000 soldiers left by the end of the war.

After the introduction of the HJ knife in 1933, it soon became evident that a more impressive dagger was needed for the officer staff of the HJ. In 1937 Von Schirach introduced the HJ Leader dagger for leaders form the rank of Stammfuhrer and above.

The dagger was 35 cm long and based upon a stiletto style blade with the raised detailed HJ emblem on the top of the pommel. The blade had the motto Blut und Ehre engraved upon it.

The dagger grip was wood base with silver wire wrapped around it.

The cross guard was inclined upward with a simple grooved design around the edge. On very early made daggers the crossguard is made of a very high quality Aluminium that seemed to hold the silver Anodised finish better. The pommel was made from a medium grade of steel with a light silver plated finish.

The scabbard had silver plated fittings with the HJ eagle on the locket fitting. The standard dagger had dark blue leather with smooth grain. There is a single centre placed setscrew on the back of the upper scabbard fitting that retains the blade runners and throat. Each blade was fitted to the throat so there should be no play in the fit at all.

A dual strap black leather hanger with plain oval buckles, clips and slides, was used to support the dagger.

The dagger could not be purchased and was only obtained by authorisation of the ReichsJugendFurher. The dagger was presented in a case with an official certificate.

Only two firms manufactured the dagger, Carl Eickhorn and E & F Horster.

Production of this dagger ceased in 1942. There is speculation that one other company did produce a few special order daggers. To date only two known daggers have surfaced by this maker Paul Weyersburg. In the RZM style trademark.