# Need help with a German bayonet. **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [November 23, 2015, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-help-with-a-german-bayonet/738377 "2015-11-23T19:03:09Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Brodi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/cc9497/32.png) [@Brodi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Brodi)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2015, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-help-with-a-german-bayonet/738377/1 "2015-11-23T19:03:09Z")
This had been in my family’s possession since WW2 when a relative brought it back to the states. The relative never talked about were he got it (traded for something, off a dead body, etc) and I would love to know what our WW2 tech experts can tell me about it. Here are three inlaid Iron Crosses. The first, all black one, has something I can’t make out on the top, a capital W in the middle and a date, either 1914 or 1917 in the middle. The second is a cross with a wreath and crossed swords, it’s gold and has the dates 1914-1918. And the third is a wreath, cross on top and a swastika on top of that. So this guy might have been active in WW1. [https://www.flickr.com/photos/99746822@N03/22623923704/in/dateposted/](https://www.flickr.com/photos/99746822@N03/22623923704/in/dateposted/) The bayonet (sheathed) [https://c2.staticflickr.com/6/5765/22858295687\_8c332834b3\_k.jpg](https://c2.staticflickr.com/6/5765/22858295687_8c332834b3_k.jpg) Unsheathed. [https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/573/22624144494\_639bb2844d\_k.jpg](https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/573/22624144494_639bb2844d_k.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2015, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-help-with-a-german-bayonet/738377/2 "2015-11-23T20:08:10Z")
Well, it’s a standard World War 2 era Short Dress Bayonet. My guess would be that it belonged to an officer who saw combat in WW1 and picked up an Iron Cross or two. ---
**Author:** ![Mk\_VII](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Mk\_VII](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mk_VII)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2015, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-help-with-a-german-bayonet/738377/3 "2015-11-23T20:59:27Z")
Blades of this type were privately purchased by individuals as part of their ‘walking out’ dress - bayonets being part of one’s uniform. The market tends not to value them as highly as government-issue ones. They are fairly common as bring-back souvenirs. ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2015, 1:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-help-with-a-german-bayonet/738377/4 "2015-11-24T01:44:46Z")
Not standard issue. Kinda “tricked-out” by the owner. Probably as said owned by a soldier who got medals in WWI. The mini-medals are not official. ---
**Author:** ![Walken\_After\_Midnight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/b487fb/32.png) [@Walken\_After\_Midnight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walken_After_Midnight)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2015, 2:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-help-with-a-german-bayonet/738377/5 "2015-11-24T02:59:19Z")
I’m no expert on German medals, but a bit of googling suggests the inlaid symbols might be, from left to right: i) [World War I Iron Cross](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iron_Cross#Early_awards), which had three grades, the highest being the Grand Cross of the Iron Cross. ii) [The Honour Cross of the World War 1914/1918](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Honour_Cross_of_the_World_War_1914/1918), awarded to German veterans of WWI and made in three styles, with the crossed swords version for front-line combat troops. iii) [Civil Service Faithful Service Medal](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Civil_Service_Faithful_Service_Medal), to reward civilians in the employ of the German public services for long and faithful service. ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2015, 3:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-help-with-a-german-bayonet/738377/6 "2015-11-24T03:42:15Z")
There are a ton of them on ebay [They look to run $50 - $200 based on condition.](http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_sacat=0&_nkw=Short%20Dress%20Bayonet%20german%20wwii&LH_Complete=1&LH_Sold=1&rt=nc&_trksid=p2045573.m1684) Yours looks kind of rough compared to the others so probably in the in the 50-100 range.