Hitler Youth Knife

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bikerdoc

bikerdoc

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hitler-youth-knife-anton-wingen-jr-3.jpg

I got one of these. That is a stock photo, and mine is in rougher shape than that. Like the photo mine doesn't have the retention strap and my blade is in worse condition. my scales are in great condition.
Whoever it was issued to didn't take care in sharpening and there are deep gouges in the blade. It is sharp but could be sharper. I never touched it.

Interesting oral history. (Forgive any inaccuracies)

With the absence of "Blood and Honor" etching on the blade it was made sometime after 1942. It was "liberated" in 44 by my Uncle Tony, a medic with the 26th "Yankee division".
The YD was an activated National Gaurd division from Mass.
Tony , my dad and 3 buddies joined in 38 for the simple reason that they wanted the money paid for going to drills.
Going ashore at Normandy in the 10th wave they didn't see action until a few days later. According to them the division was on the right flank of the push to Berlin. Dec of 44 found them in Czechoslovakia when the Battle of the Bulge began. The whole division turned 90° north and pushed to relieve Bastonge
They encountered fierce fighting the whole time and when they got closer they encountered Hitler youth troops, mere boys around 14, dressed like soldiers but untrained. One kept taking inaccurate pot shots at Tony instead of running away. Reluctant to return fire and kill a kid Tony just shot close hoping he would run away. Another medic and one of the original 5 opened up on the kid with a 45 grease gun.
That's how they got the knife and my dad won it in a poker game.

Any way that a long way of asking should I leave it alone, or clean up the blade?
 
That is a solemn story. My great uncle was infantry Dday +6, and also in Bastogne. He was in a hospital recovering from a wound that earned a purple heart when the famous orders for "anyone that can walk and carry a rifle" were given to relieve the troops in the Battle of the Bulge.
I dont expect you will ever sell the knife. I know you are a knife enthusiast. I would suggest that you clean it up, as you like. I would also suggest that you display it in a shadow box or similar display creation, along with the story that you just related to us.
The next generation needs reminded of the price of freedom, and the wages of evil.
 
I guess I'd just keep it oiled and leave it be. It seems the more you mess with historic or collectable knives the more you damage the value.

Though if you aren't planning to sell it maybe it doesn't matter to you.

I have always struggled with Nazi paraphernalia. I believe it's an important part of history that should be preserved, but I just don't want it around. If I inherited something though as a part of a family member's WWII plunder history, I'd keep it for sure.

Several years ago I was at a gun show. I shaved my head for about 20 years, and I was bald as an egg that day. I also happen to be white. I saw a display of WWII artifacts, and a Nagant revolver caught my eye. I was looking closely at it through the glass, when another person started looking also. I said "Oh you spotted it too hey?" His response was "Oh actually I was looking at these Lugers from the Nazi army." He then proceeded to make a comment about rich Jews being the only ones who could afford the prices. My jaw dropped, and I literally just turned and walked away without a word.

I wasn't thinking but I am guessing this guy who obviously had Nazi leanings saw a bald man near Nazi items and assumed I was of his ilk. I am not, and I learned to be careful around that kind of stuff that day, especially as a bald guy.

Anyway, sorry for the off topic story. I find it interesting that there were Hitler Youth knives. Honestly I'd never even heard of them prior to this thread. I will need to do some reading.
 
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bikerdoc said:
@460Shooter

You were nice. I would have knocked him out.
Click to expand...
Honestly I was shocked and just couldn’t believe what happened. I always new that neonazis were out there but I’d never encountered one before. I tend to avoid people in general though. So it was a growing moment for me. Bigotry like that is disgusting and unAmerican in my opinion. Millions died fighting the nazis, many of which were Americans, and this jackass embraces the ideals of the enemy?

Anyway, back to knife talk. I like the idea some others have about a shadow box. I’ve done that with some guns and think it looks nice.
 
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Dad brought one back, no inscription on blade. "Friend" insisted on trying to stick it in telephone pole, and broke one scale and bent tip. Not hard blade metal, and chrome on butt was beginning to flake. Memories, yes, but not particularly pleasant. Sold at a gun show.
If you want shiny, replica can supply that. I would neutralize rust, protect what remains with wax, and write down the provenance for those who acquire it later. Display or not, but conserve.
 
doc

I'm pretty much in the same frame of mind as everyone else here who say clean it up to preserve it but don't go any further by refinishing it. It's a piece of history just as it is, albeit from the enemy's side of things, and the story behind it should be remain as a reminder for future generations to take note of.

My Dad was in Europe during WWII and was wounded during the Battle of the Bulge. He was a POW til the German Army hospital he was in was liberated in April, 1945. After the war he was very active in numerous Veterans organizations as well as his Army division's association, which with the help of a nearby college, organized and opened their own museum nearly 20 years ago.

As part of the college's involvement their history students recorded many living history recollections from the veterans, my father's included. This was done so others might know first hand what actually happened to those soldiers back then instead of reading something written by someone who never experienced wartime conditions or being in combat.
 
bikerdoc said:
ny way that a long way of asking should I leave it alone, or clean up the blade?
Click to expand...

If you don't know how to clean it up to preserve it you should leave it alone. Nothing more than oil, terry cloth and elbow grease...lots of elbow grease. Basically, coat the blade in penetrating oil and wrap in an oiled cloth overnight. Take a terry towel to it and keep applying light machine oil until it comes clean. Once the terry cloth comes clean from the oiled blade you can wipe it down and use an anti rust oil on the blade.
 
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I think the most important thing is writing down the story and keeping it with the knife and keeping the knife from rusting .
 
That blade looks somewhat dark, and is it a carbon steel vs. high shine steel? The Buck (brand) #121 knife that I sold after 40 years- blade looked about like new.
 
And it is a fahrtenmesser. I once thought that meant youth knife, but learned that it is a generic term for sheath knife or what we call a fixed blade knife. This particular model is a fahrtenmesser hitlerjugend.
 
A bit off, but does ts this scout knife, stamped Solingen Germany, related in any way? Repurposed perhaps. scout knife 2.jpg
 
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