gau marks

[MILITARYMAN1000]

what do the gau marks on SA, and NSKK dagger represent? is there anyway to research these?
thanks
john

[ivbaust]

The stamping on the cross guard of an early SA or NSKK dagger denotes the SA group (Gruppe), NOT the Gau

[ivbaust]

Here a map of the SA Gruppe (SA groups)

[ivbaust]

... and here a map of the NSDAP Gaue

[ivbaust]

Here the abbreviations for the SA groups:

Bo = Bayerische Ostmark
B = Berlin-Brandenburg
Fr = Franken
Ha = Hansa
He = Hessen
Ho = Hochland
Mi = Mitte
Nrh = Niederrhein
Ns = Niedersachsen
Nm = Nordmark
No = Nordsee
Ost = Ostland
Om = Ostmark
Oe = Österreich
P = Pommern
Sa = Sachsen
S = Schlesien
Sw = Südwest
Th = Thüringen
W = Feldherrnhalle
Wf = Westfalen
Wm = Westmark

[Br. James]

Many thanks to ivbaust for this most helpful information. The earliest or 'first issue' SA, NSKK and SS Standard Service Daggers included a code stamped to the reverse of each crossguard. In the case of the SA/NSKK, this code represented the Group to which the dagger's owner belonged; the SS used a different system (intended to quietly state that the SS was separate from the SA, though at the time of the first major dagger orders the SS still served under the SA-Stabschef, as did the NSKK). SS Standard Service Daggers from the same early period will be found with one of three codes stamped to the reverse of their crossguards, representing the three Distribution Districts through which SS daggers and other uniform parts were ordered:
I = Munich
II = Dresden
III = Berlin

In the case of the SA, there is a reason for why there are fewer Gruppen than Gau: the territory overseen by each SA-Obergruppenführer of each Gruppen always included more than one Gau. This meant that, even though the SA was present and organized to assist the political purposes of each Gauleiter -- thereby making the Gauleiter a senior officer to the local SA leadership -- the SA-Obergruppenführer controlled the SA regiments in more than one Gau and thereby maintained his superior oversight against domineering Gauleiters to whom the SA was subsurvient! This was one of Hitler's many convoluted leadership tricks developed to maintain his overall control of a vast and unwieldy organization.

Br. James