A very rare Hitler Youth dress bayonet manufactured by Tiger, Solingen, featuring a black chequered grip inset with an original-style enamel Hitlerjugend diamond.
The nickel-plated hilt retains attractive period wear, while the bright short blade carries the distinctive TIGER SOLINGEN maker trademark. Complete with its black-painted steel scabbard and heavily age-toned black leather dress frog, this unusual example represents a particularly interesting variation of the German private-purchase Extra-Seitengewehr.
€ 3.000
This Hitler Youth dress bayonet is an exceptionally unusual Third Reich edged weapon based upon the short-pattern German Extra-Seitengewehr or private-purchase dress bayonet.
Most importantly, one black chequered grip plate carries an inset red, white and black enamel Hitlerjugend diamond. Unlike the ordinary military dress bayonet, this feature gives the weapon its distinctive HJ association.
The overall configuration differs considerably from the standard Hitler Youth Fahrtenmesser. Consequently, collectors generally describe pieces of this form as HJ dress bayonets, HJ Extra-Seitengewehre or Reichsjugendführung-associated dress bayonets rather than standard issue Hitler Youth knives.
A comparable converted Extra-Seitengewehr is currently catalogued by Weitze as having been adapted for personnel of the Wachgefolgschaft des Reichsjugendführers, the ceremonial guard associated with the Reich Youth Leadership.
The blade carries the clearly visible:
TIGER
SOLINGEN
maker trademark at the ricasso.
Tiger was the commercial trademark of Lauterjung & Co., Solingen, one of the established Solingen edged-weapon manufacturers. Reference listings associate Lauterjung & Co. with the later RZM manufacturer’s code M7/68.
That identification is particularly useful because Tiger manufactured a variety of military and political edged weapons during the Third Reich period.
Rather than having a combat finish, this blade retains the bright polished appearance expected on a privately purchased dress bayonet.
A deep central fuller extends along much of the blade. Meanwhile, the point retains its original symmetrical profile.
Visible runner marks and scattered dark spotting appear mainly toward the ricasso. These features correspond with genuine use and prolonged storage rather than an artificially aged surface.
The hilt follows the classic German short Extra-Seitengewehr configuration.
A nickel-plated bird’s-head pommel forms the upper section. In addition, the original bayonet locking button remains present within the pommel.
The guard curves downward before terminating in the characteristic rounded quillon.
Age-related contact marks occur across the plated surfaces. However, the wear appears naturally distributed across projecting areas rather than artificially concentrated.
Small areas of plating loss and oxidation add considerably to the untouched appearance of the weapon.
Black moulded grip plates display the deeply cut diamond chequering associated with German dress bayonets of this period.
One side remains plain.
In contrast, the opposite grip contains the principal distinguishing feature: an inset Hitler Youth enamel diamond.
The badge incorporates:
Minor surface ageing is visible under magnification. Furthermore, the emblem sits within a purpose-made recess rather than simply resting on top of the grip.
This feature gives the Hitler Youth dress bayonet its immediately recognisable appearance.
Dress bayonets fitted with HJ insignia are extremely uncommon.
Significantly, Weitze currently catalogues another German Extra-Seitengewehr converted for members of the Wachgefolgschaft des Reichsjugendführers. That example also incorporates an HJ badge into the weapon and demonstrates that this general type of converted dress bayonet is recognised in the specialist market.
The Reichsjugendführer maintained a dedicated guard or Wachgefolgschaft, which performed ceremonial and headquarters duties. Weitze’s research records the formation and later designation of this guard in connection with the Reich Youth Leadership.
Nevertheless, these pieces should not be confused with the ordinary regulation HJ knife.
No surviving regulation presently establishes this exact Tiger configuration as a standard general-issue Hitler Youth edged weapon. Therefore, the most academically defensible description remains a rare HJ-attributed or Reichsjugendführung-associated Extra-Seitengewehr unless direct provenance accompanies the individual piece.
That distinction strengthens the catalogue entry because it avoids making claims beyond the surviving documentary evidence.
The bayonet retains its fitted black steel scabbard.
Much of the dark finish survives, although small contact marks and age-related surface changes remain visible.
The scabbard mouth fits the bayonet correctly. Furthermore, the proportions correspond closely with the short-bladed dress-bayonet configuration.
A rounded finial completes the lower end.
Importantly, nothing visible suggests aggressive modern refinishing.
Also present is the substantial black leather frog.
Its leather displays extensive genuine ageing, including:
The broad rear belt section remains intact.
Meanwhile, the front retaining section closely follows the outline of the scabbard throat and securely carries the bayonet.
This degree of wear contrasts naturally with the protected areas beneath the scabbard and fittings. Consequently, the frog provides an important part of the overall period appearance.
Overall condition is very good for an extensively carried period dress bayonet.
The blade remains bright and retains a clearly legible Tiger Solingen trademark. Some surface spotting occurs around the lower blade, while longitudinal runner marks confirm repeated insertion into the scabbard.
Nickel fittings retain substantial original finish.
Likewise, the grip plates remain sound with strong chequering.
The HJ diamond presents particularly well and retains strong red, white and black enamel.
Scabbard paint remains substantially intact. Finally, the leather frog shows heavy but attractive age-related character without destroying its overall form.
No attempt should be made to polish the hilt, clean the blade aggressively or condition the leather with modern oils.
Several characteristics visible in the photographs support period manufacture of the underlying bayonet.
The Tiger Solingen trademark, blade geometry, short Extra-Seitengewehr construction, moulded grip plates, nickel-plated fittings and black steel scabbard all correspond with German dress-bayonet manufacture.
Tiger is independently documented as the trademark of Lauterjung & Co. of Solingen.
Additionally, the wear visible across the blade, fittings and leather appears naturally accumulated.
The HJ diamond also displays period-style enamel characteristics from the supplied photographs.
However, proving that the diamond was installed during the Third Reich period rather than added later requires either documented provenance or examination of the grip with the emblem removed. Removal is not recommended, because doing so risks damaging both the grip and badge.
Accordingly, the safest catalogue conclusion is:
Original period Tiger Solingen dress bayonet with period-appearing HJ insignia, traditionally identified as a rare Hitler Youth / Reichsjugendführer Wachgefolgschaft dress-bayonet variation.
The standard Hitler Youth knife was a substantially different weapon. It used a short single-edged blade, black chequered grip and HJ diamond and was worn as part of the organisation’s uniform equipment.
An original Hitler Youth knife preserved by the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum demonstrates this familiar regulation form and its close visual relationship to military bayonet styling.
This Hitler Youth dress bayonet, by comparison, uses the German Extra-Seitengewehr pattern. Therefore, its importance lies in its unusual HJ modification rather than representing another version of the normal Fahrtenmesser.
Ordinary short German dress bayonets survive in considerable numbers.
Examples carrying an inset Hitler Youth diamond appear only occasionally.
Furthermore, surviving examples show variations between manufacturers, grip treatment and hilt construction. Their rarity, together with continuing specialist debate concerning their exact function, makes them particularly interesting research objects.
A comparable WKC example attributed by Weitze to the Reichsjugendführer Wachgefolgschaft is presently offered at €650, although that example displays noticeably greater condition issues.
The Tiger manufacturer, complete scabbard, surviving leather frog and stronger overall presentation justify a higher retail level for the present example.
Item: Hitler Youth dress bayonet
German designation: Extra-Seitengewehr / HJ-attributed dress bayonet
Organisation: Hitlerjugend / Reichsjugendführung attribution
Manufacturer: Lauterjung & Co.
Trademark: TIGER
Location: Solingen
Grip: Black chequered composition
Grip insignia: Inset enamel Hitler Youth diamond
Hilt: Nickel-plated metal
Pommel: Bird’s-head pattern with locking mechanism
Blade: Bright short single-edged fullered blade
Scabbard: Black-painted steel
Frog: Black leather
Period: Third Reich era
Condition: Very good, naturally age worn
Rarity: Very rare configuration
Explore related listings: Hitler Youth Knives & Edged Weapons; Original Hitler Youth Membership Badge RZM M1/52 by Deschler & Sohn – Numbered No. B 79642; Original Militaria and Edged Weapons – Nordmenn Militaria.
Weitze Militaria comparable Reichsjugendführer Wachgefolgschaft bayonet:
Weitze – Extra-Seitengewehr for Reichsjugendführer Wachgefolgschaft
United States Holocaust Memorial Museum:
USHMM – Original Hitler Youth Knife and Case
Hitler Youth Militaria and Research Forum:
HJ Research – Hitler Youth Militaria Research Forum
These links provide both institutional historical context and specialist comparison material.
No. The standard HJ Fahrtenmesser has a different hilt and blade design. This example uses a German Extra-Seitengewehr dress-bayonet pattern.
The blade carries the TIGER SOLINGEN trademark. Tiger was the trademark of Lauterjung & Co. of Solingen.
Its principal feature is the inset enamel Hitler Youth diamond fitted into one of the black chequered grip plates.
Their exact status remains debated. Comparable examples have been attributed to personnel connected with the Reichsjugendführer Wachgefolgschaft, although surviving documentation does not establish them as a standard general HJ issue.
The supplied photographs show extensive natural ageing, stitching wear, compression and surface crazing consistent with an old leather frog. A final assessment should still include examination in hand.
