BACKGROUND: Traditionally German Army Officers had worn a sword/saber as part of the uniform dress and this tradition was carried on through the Weimar Reichswehr, (National Defence Force, Circa 1919-1933), era and on into the Third Reich. The sword/saber is an age old military tradition, that evolved from a functional weapon into an item of uniform dress ornamentation by the start of WWI. This strong tradition continues in many armies to this day as a symbol of strength and power. After Hitler’s rise to power in January 1933 and the reintroduction of conscription in March 1935 a wide variety of new sword and saber designs were introduced to outfit the rapidly growing Wehrmacht, (Armed Forces). This revival in sword/saber production resulted in the numerous blade manufacturers, mainly located in Solingen, to develop a wide variety of ornate designs in an attempt to compete for the lucrative manufacturing contracts which resulted in over one hundred different patterns of the army sword/saber being produced during the Third Reich era. Dress regulations for Officers and senior NCO’s prescribed wear of side arms as a component of particular forms of dress. Along with the newly designed swords and sabers corresponding new portepees were also introduced. The sword/saber portepees were originally introduced in the Prussian army in 1808, and continued to be worn with the Dress uniform, as a tradition and identifying item through WWI, the Weimar Reichswehr era and on into the Third Reich, with minor modifications. Originally designed as a functional item to secure the blade sidearm to the holders wrist the troddels and portepees evolved into a purely decorative accessory. The Third Reich era Officer’s sword/saber portepee was permitted for wear by Senior NCO’s, Officer Candidates, Officers and Officials with comparable ranks. Production of the sword/saber portepees was discontinued as per regulations of April 1ST 1943 and, as a result of the war situation, further regulations of May 27TH 1943 discontinued manufacture of swords and sabers although those already in service could still be worn on ceremonial occasions. Additional regulations of December 23RD 1944 indicated that all Officer’s ranks were to wear a more practical, loaded, pistol in place of the sword/saber or the dress dagger.

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: The portepee consists of the main components of, strap, slide, stem, crown, and ball. The roughly, 29", (73.6cm), long, 1/2", (1.2cm), wide, field-grey leather strap has dual, staggered, vertical, parallel, rows of decorative, bright, silver/aluminum wire stitching. The bottom edge of the strap has a dual strand, horizontally interwoven, field-grey leather slide, with interwoven, fine, bright, silver/aluminum wire threads in a repeating, horizontal, "V" pattern. The strap attaches to a flat stem of finely embroidered, bright, silver/aluminum wire threads in a repeating, opened, checkerboard pattern overlaid on a silvered piece of metal alloy. The ball crown is constructed of horizontally laid, twisted, bright, silver/aluminum braiding while the actual ball is in vertically laid, twisted, bright, silver/aluminum braiding and both are mounted on an internal, formed base. The ball has a recessed oval dot to bottom with an inset piece of charcoal grey wire threads.