Officer sword of Third Reich [Paul Seilheimer].

Following the restoration of the German armed forces, the saber was reintroduced as a ceremonial edged weapon for officers, continuing the traditions of the Imperial Army and the Reichswehr. Unlike the army dagger model of 1935, officer sabers were produced in numerous design variations by different Solingen manufacturers. In May 1943, saber production was discontinued due to wartime industrial demands; however, examples already in service continued to be worn with dress uniforms. In late 1944, the wearing of ceremonial edged weapons was definitively abolished, and officers were instructed to carry a pistol instead of a saber or dagger.

The blade was manufactured by Paul Seilheimer, Solingen, a German edged weapons producer that made sabers, daggers, bayonets, and knives. Of particular interest to collectors is the fact that original Paul Seilheimer catalogs from the Third Reich period have survived to the present day, featuring illustrations of sabers, daggers, and equipment elements; some catalog copies have even preserved the original company price lists. This makes it possible today to compare surviving pieces with the manufacturer’s original product range. Paul Seilheimer blades are encountered considerably less frequently than products from the largest Solingen factories and represent sustained collector interest.