Guns International #: 101810464
Seller's Inventory #: CBP21-75

Category - Collectibles - WWII - Military Collectible Non US

Category
Collectibles - WWII
Military Collectible Non US

WW2 German E&F Horster Single-Etched Dress Bayonet from 1st Panzer Regiment ** All-Original & Historically Important Dress Bayonet *

Description:
This is a very neat and rare all-original WW2 German Dress Bayonet made by the E&F Horster Company with a special-order single-etched blade commemorating a German tanker's service in the 1st Panzer Regiment.  This is a "short pattern" dress bayonet with a 9.75" inch blade that is complete with it's original dress-pattern black leather frog.  These dress bayonets were typically worn with a dress uniform for parades, rallys, and any number of special occasions that a German soldier might have participated in.  They were usually private-purchase items in that the German Military did not issue them, and they could be ordered by the soldier with any number of special features offered by the numerous manufacturers at that time.  The overwhelming majority of dress bayonets sold were of standard design across the German branches of service, as most soldiers could not afford the additional cost of special order features.  This particular example is a very special piece originating from a member of the 1st Panzer Regiment, an elite tank regiment based in Erfurt within the German Wehrmacht that had an extensive combat history spanning across Europe and Russia and back to Germany again.  The 1st Panzer Regiment was one of the original 3 tank regiments formed under Nazi leadership in 1935.  The 1st Panzer Regiment first participated in the occupations of Austria and Czechoslovakia before taking part in the invasion of Poland in 1939.  From there the 1st Panzer took part in the invasion of Belgium AND France during 1940.  The 1st Panzer was then sent to fight on the dreaded Eastern Front in Russia from 1941 all the way thru to 1945, with only brief periods away from combat to rest and refit during 1943.  At one point during 1944 the 1st Panzer had been in such heavy fighting that it had just 25% of the tanks and men left from pre-Soviet invasion strength.  As the Eastern front collapsed the 1st Panzer retreated west, helping to defend Poland and Hungary before retreating further.  The 1st Panzer was put into action again at Styria in the final month of WW2, ordered to participate in the defense of that area.  With German forces collapsing all around them, the 1st Panzer Regiment retreated across the demarcation line between the Russian and American forces to surrender to the Americans in Bavaria, thus ending their war.  You would be hard-pressed to find any other German Panzer Regiment that fought more than the 1st or were as well-respected.  To think that this bayonet was owned by a member of the 1st Panzer is quite exciting.  There is no telling where this bayonet travelled during the war.  The fact that the 1st Panzer Regiment surrendered to the Americans is also neat in that it explains a very likely way in which this bayonet ended up in the States, no doubt some soldier's war trophy.  This E&F Horster Dress Bayonet is in excellent all-original condition, not altered or "improved" in any way since leaving the factory.  The blade is etched with the phrase "Fur Erinnerung an meine Dienstzeit beim Panzer Regiment No.1 Erfurt", which translates to "For a Reminder of my Service with the 1st Panzer Regiment in Erfurt".  While this is a common phrase on many of the etched dress bayonets of this time, VERY few were for such prestigious regiments like this one.  More description to follow. 

SOLD