SS Sword of SS-Oberführer Rudolf Diels’s - Chief of the Gestapo

German WWII > Edged Weapons > Swords > SS Swords

Previously sold by author LTC (Ret.) Thomas M. Johnson. SS-Oberführer Dr. Rudolf Diels (December 16th 1900 – November 18th 1957) was:

• The 1st Leader of the Gestapo – SS Secret Police (Appointed by Hermann Goering and was in office April 26th 1933 – April 20th 1934).
• Diels was succeed by H. Himmler (April 20th 1934) and shortly after Reinhard Heydrich (April 22nd 1934).
• February 27th 1933 the Reichstag fire occurred and Diels was the main interrogator of the principal accused; Marinus van der Lubbe.
• Diels was a survivor of the Night of the Long Knives (see Martha Dodd’s Through Embassy Eyes “But he was under threat of death himself, only surviving the Night of the Long Knives through Goering’s intervention.”).
• Diels was Herman Goering’s brother in law, marrying Goerings cousin ‘Ilse Göring’ (January 17th 1943 - Document No. 3593 PS Office of U.S. Chief of Counsel Interrogation of Hermann Doering).
• After the 20 July Plot - (Bombing attempt on Hitler’s Life), Diels was seized and imprisoned by the Gestapo, which he survived.
• Diels authord his memoirs titled: “Lucifer ante Portas. Zwischen Severing und Heydrich”.
• After the war Diels was the Chief of the Regional Government of Köln.

Included with the sword are numerous photos of Diels and documentation including photocopies of:

• Diels’s information and SS Number in the SS Dienstaltersliste.
• One original photo and description from Tom Johnson's listing.
• Interrogation of Hermann Goering where Diels was publicized.

• Three book written about Diels: “Der Ueberlaeufer: Rudolf Diels (1900-1957) - der erste Gestapo-Chef des Hitler-Regimes” by Klaus Wallbaum, “Through Embassy Eyes” by Martha Dodd and “Leaders and Personalities of the Third Reich” by Charles Hamilton.
• Wikipedia pages of Diel’s and List of SS personnel.
• Information pertaining to Diels’s life and location of his gravestone.

Diels was an experienced fencer (receiving numerous ‘badge of honor’ scars to the face) making it only obvious that he would give preference to an SS Sword over a SS Dagger.

The SS Sword - Leopard Head Pattern Nr 1695 by Carl Eickhorn of Solingen is stamped with Diels’s SS Number “187116” to the underside and is monogrammed with his initials “RD” to the reverse languet. Prior to the introduction of the standard 1936 pattern SS Sword members of the SS were permitted to carry an Army pattern such as this. The swords description written by Tom Johnson is provided in the last photo. He sold this piece approximately 15-20 years ago. It is a one and only piece that I feel privileged to own...