Gentlemen,

This is a picture taken in Wuilhelm Saris's new book that just came out, " Headgear of Hitler's Germany - Vol. 4 " on page 480.
This is a very interesting picture because it shows NSKK Leader Hühnlein, inspecting an NSKK Olympiade-Kraftfahrstab that were assigned for assistance during the Berlin's Olympic games in 1936.
Here's my question and I know that it is a tough call as the picture is not very clear.
Is Hühnlein wearing a regular 1936 Chained NSKK service dagger or is he wearing a Chained NSKK High Leader Honor dagger ?
The reason I'm asking you this is because everyone has always assumed that the Chained NSKK dagger was issued AFTER the introduction of the Chained SS dagger on August 25th. 1936.
If this picture reveals that Hühnlein is indeed wearing a Chained NSKK service dagger, instead of an Honor Chained NSKK, it would prove that the Chained NSKK dagger was first introduced BEFORE the Chained SS dagger.

For some reasons, I'm incapable of down loading any pics.

Will try later on !

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Pat,

Looks like the Top Three link "Field Ugrade" type variety ....

Look's like standard crossguards, and normal scabbard fittings.

Pity the clip cant be made out properly.

Very interesting....

Very interesting observation !
I hadn't noticed that there were only 3 upper box links to his Chained dagger.
It does seems like a "classic" filed upgrade to me.
If we can prove that a Chained NSKK Honor Leader dagger had 4 upper box links, then we would be certain that Hühnlein is indeed wearing a regular "fieldupgrade" Chained NSKK service dagger.
Very interesting.
Would anyone know how many box links does a Chained NSKK Honor dagger is supposed to have ?

Just find out that the NSKK Honor dagger could also have 3 upper box links.
However, we can actually notice that Huhnlein's center ramp is quite different from the Chained NSKK Honor dagger.
Huhnlein's center ramp is plain and much larger than the Honor one.
I don't think Huhnlein would have an Honor dagger with a "plain" center ramp on his Chained NSKK Honor dagger, which makes me beleive that he is actually wearing a classic Chained NSKK service dagger.

I was just trying to find that photo
you beat me too it.. as i have seen various combinations.

Looking at the photo the crossguards / scabbard fittings all look like the standard type.
Which suggests its not a honor dagger.

Which would still put it in the early upgrade type variety

See my one...

NSKK Leader Hühnlein is wearing the Chained NSKK High Leader Honor dagger in the picture. There are better pictures of Hühnlein wear this dagger around this time period.

How could this be ? I was under the impression that the NSKK was introduced after the SA High Leader Honor dagger issued in 1938 ?

http://www.germandaggers.com/Dagger%20Reference%20Guide/sahighleader.htm

Perhaps, someone would have some pictures or documents that could solve this mystery, as I'm not convinced that Huhlein is wearing aa NSKK Honor dagger.
Perhaps the clip being showned in the picture is very similar to an Honor dagger but everyting else look just like a regular NSKK Chained dagger.
No leather scabbard, doesn't seem either that it has any fancy scabbard's fittings and any oakleafs crossguards.
I sure hope his blade would be damascus, or else, what makes it an Honor dagger ??????? Just the clip ?

I would find it hard to beleive that the NSKK High Leader dagger was introduced before the SA Honor dagger.
The SA was a much bigger and important paramilitary organisation under Lutz than was the NSKK under Huhnlein.

Pat,
The SA Chained High Leader dagger was issued from 1935 to 1938 with several different styles of chains. In 1938 the SA standardized the chain. The orginal SA High leader daggers (no chain) were described in period newspaper as early as March 1934.

The post 1938 NSKK High leaders dagger was patterned after the Sa Feldherrnhalle dagger, and did nt have a chain.

Thanks Jon,
I didn't know that the High Leader Honor Chained dagger were issued as early as 1935.