Edged weapons used by non-military Organizations-Polizei etc.

[Gordon Craig]

Gentlemen,

I'd like to start this thread with a knife that came into my possession a few months ago. It is a knife used by the PP Berlin. I would suggest that it probably came into use from around the 50s or 60s. It is quite heavy and was probably only carried while deployed in the field rather than while on patrol in inhabited areas although this is only a guess. The grip plates are made of a grey/green plastic and as you can see have suffered, like the rest of the knife, from a fair amount of use. It has a sharpened blade, bottle opener/screw driver, cork screw and a saw blade. The silver piece of metal you see in the centre of the handle when all of the blades are open is a spring which locks the sharpened blade into position so it will not fold onto your hand. There is a number, 24 108 on one side and I do not know what this number signifies. Possibly a serial number when the knife is signed for upon issue.

Regards,

Gordon

[Gordon Craig]

The blades open.

[Gordon Craig]

Script on the blade.

[Gordon Craig]

The locking spring for the sharpened blade.

[SCHUPO]

An interesting knife that I have not seen before Gordon. The trademark indicates it was made by Robert Klass & Co. I hope this is helpful.

[Gordon Craig]

SCHUPO,

Thanks. I had not gotten around to researching the maker so you have saved me the time there. The knife came with a service dress uniform and a field uniform for a member of the Freiwillige-Poliei-Berlin Reserve. Very early uniforms in virtually unworn condition. I do not have any provenance that this group all belonged to the same person. It would be nice if I did. I did not know that this knife existed until it was offered to me.

Regards,

Gordon

[Gordon Craig]

Moving on to the knife used by the GSG9. They used the Austrian Feldmesser 78.
At a later date unknown to me, the GSG9 is said to have adopted the Feldmesser 81. More of a survival knife than the Feldmesser 78. I do not know what colour knife they used. Possibly the black one to to be more in tune with the uniforms and equipment they wore. I have never seen a picture of a member of GSG9 wearing his Glock knife. If anyone else has a picture of the glock knife in wear I appreciate it if you would post it to this thread.

Regards,

Gordon

[Klaus1989]

SCHUPO,

Thanks. I had not gotten around to researching the maker so you have saved me the time there. The knife came with a service dress uniform and a field uniform for a member of the Freiwillige-Poliei-Berlin Reserve. Very early uniforms in virtually unworn condition. I do not have any provenance that this group all belonged to the same person. It would be nice if I did. I did not know that this knife existed until it was offered to me.

Regards,

Gordon

nice knives!

btw would you be able to post the early Frw. Polizei-Reserve Berlin uniforms in another thread? I (and maybe others?) would be interested to see them.

Regards
Klaus

[Reibert-Austria]

Moving on to the knife used by the GSG9. They used the Austrian Feldmesser 78.
At a later date unknown to me, the GSG9 is said to have adopted the Feldmesser 81. More of a survival knife than the Feldmesser 78. I do not know what colour knife they used. Possibly the black one to to be more in tune with the uniforms and equipment they wore. I have never seen a picture of a member of GSG9 wearing his Glock knife. If anyone else has a picture of the glock knife in wear I appreciate it if you would post it to this thread.

Regards,

Gordon

Hi, Gordon !

The first knife you showed is not an FM78, it´s an AES, Solingen, Germany, marked knife !

[Gordon Craig]

Reibert-Austria,

Thanks for picking that up. I must have clicked on the wrong file in my archives. I should have noticed that when I did it. Mia culpa!

Now to post the correct FM 78 from my collection.

Regards,

Gordon

[Gordon Craig]

#2 with the Austrian Army markings on the blade.

[Reibert-Austria]

Moving on to the knife used by the GSG9. They used the Austrian Feldmesser 78.
At a later date unknown to me, the GSG9 is said to have adopted the Feldmesser 81. More of a survival knife than the Feldmesser 78. I do not know what colour knife they used. Possibly the black one to to be more in tune with the uniforms and equipment they wore. I have never seen a picture of a member of GSG9 wearing his Glock knife. If anyone else has a picture of the glock knife in wear I appreciate it if you would post it to this thread.

Regards,

Gordon

Gordon, as far as I know the GSG9 used the Bundeswehr-Kampfmesser 1968 pattern as an utility knife from 1973 till 1976.
Later, the FMsr 78 in black and olive was adopted in the GSG9.

Cheers,
R.

[Gordon Craig]

Reibert-Austria,

Thanks for your comments on the colours of the FMsr used in GSG. That would seem to indicate that they used the civilian marked model rather than the Austrian Bundesheer marked ones.

Regards,

Gordon

[Reibert-Austria]

Gordon, I´m almost sure that the GSG9 used "civilian" marked FMSr78, made by GLOCK.

There wasn´t a reason why, foreign police units to carry Austrian Army marked knives.

Cheers,
R.

[Gordon Craig]

R,

I am glad to see that we agree.

Regards,

Gordon