Organisation Information - SS

Until the execution of Ernst Rohm by the SS in "The Night of the Long Knives", the SS were a section under the authority of the SA.

After the execution of Ernst Rohm and leaders of the SA, the SS, under the control of Himmler, came to ensured that Adolph Hitler's will was carried out throughout Germany and the occupied territories of Europe.

As part of the SA organization, they were provided with their own version of the Rohm Honour dagger.

For more information on the SS organization select the following text - SS Organisation. 

Dagger Information - SS Rohm Honour Dagger

The dagger is identical to the standard SS standard EM dagger except for the etched dedication on the reverse of the dagger blade. Refer to the SS Standard EM Dagger for more information on the basic dagger.

The etched dedication was from Ernst Rohm and read "In Herzlicher Freundshaft, Ernst Rohm" (In Cordial Comradeship, Ernst Rohm).

After June 30th 1934 when Ernst Rohm and many of the SA leaders were executed or arrested in "The Night of the Long Knives", an SS order was issued stating that the etching was to be removed from the blade or the dagger disposed of.

If the SS Rohm Honour dagger was not modified or destroyed, severe punishment would be handed out to offending members. Many SA and SS members had the name of Ernst Rohm ground off the blade (partial Rohm dagger). Some SA and SS members did not have the etching removed, these are called "full Rohm" daggers.

About 10,000 of these daggers were produced with most available today being the  "partial Rohm" daggers, the "full Rohm" daggers being much more difficult to find.

It is worth noting that these daggers are commonly faked by modifying standard SA or SS daggers and adding the dedication to the reverse of the blade.