This example was made for Prussia, in 1917, by Mauser at their Oberndorf plant. It was reworked for use during the Weimar Period and is one of a small number of 98/05 bayonets to see service with the Luftwaffe during the Nazi Period.

The rework included bluing the metal and cutting slots in the screwbolts securing the grip scales and press stud.

The "P.W. 1078." marking is a Prussian police (Schutzpolizei) property marking believed associated with the Westfalen Police School.

The "R.L.M." marking is an abbreviation for Reichsluftfahrtministerium (State Air Ministry). This terminology was used during the pre WW II years, since Germany was not permitted an Air Force (i.e., Luftwaffe) under the Treaty of Versailles. I suspect that the tiny "3" and "6" flanking the Imperial proofmark on the scabbard's ball finial may indicate the year (1936) the bayonet was taken into Luftwaffe service.

Spine: Crown over "W" over "17" and proofmark

Crosspiece: "P.W. 1078."

Flashguard: "R.L.M."

Scabbard (ball finial): "3" proofmark "6"

The third pattern bayonet is typically blued overall. The steel flashguard only extends partially under the grip, so is not visible at the lower tang. The third pattern scabbard lacks the second pattern's D-shaped throatpiece. The frog stud is plain, without the second pattern scabbard's decorative cuts.

During the 1933–1945 period, Germany used three different marking systems on M1884/98 Third Pattern bayonets to identify manufacturers: 

• First was the Number Code (Zahlencode) used officially from 1925–1940 (e.g., S/155);
• Second were Commercial Trademarks used, unofficially, from 1937–1940/41 (e.g., E u F. Horster); and,
• Third was the Letter Code (Buchstabencode) used officially, from 1940–1945.(e.g., cof).

The Number and Letter Codes were devised to conceal the identities of manufacturers. They were widely used on all manner of war materiel. As Germany began rearmament, the Number Code made it more difficult for the Allied Powers to monitor compliance with arms manufacturing restrictions imposed under the Treaty of Versailles (and facilitated Germany's feigning compliance as they rearmed). After Germany renounced the Treaty of Versailles, some manufacturers unofficially reverted to using their commercial trademarks. Following the outbreak of war in Europe, Germany again had need to conceal the identities of manufacturers, this time in order to prevent their factories from being bombed. However, the Number Code could not accomodate the vastly-increased number of manufacturers, so was replaced by the Letter Code in 1940. It took until 1941 to complete issuance of the Letter Codes, so some manufacturers continued using the Number Code or their commercial trademark into 1941.

The Number Code included a single letter used to denote the year of manufacture from 1925–1936. This changed to a two- or four-digit year, with some manufacturers adopting it as early as 1936. M1884/98 Third Pattern bayonets and/or scabbards were produced by 20 manufacturers. n addition to manufacture for the Wehrmacht, M1884/98 Third Pattern bayonets were produced commercially for German civil organizations and for export (most notably to China, Portugal, and Spain). Export bayonets were made by the same manufacturers, one the same production lines, as those made for the Wehrmacht. Some export bayonets and scabbards include German manufacturer and/or acceptabce markings, while others do not. This inconsistency suggests that manufacturers may have occasionally taken bayonets and/or components intended for Wehrmacht production in order to complete export shipments. Many countries used the M1884/98 Third Pattern bayonet post-War (most notably, East Germany, Israel, Norway, and Yugoslavia).

The following includes a listing of manufacturers, codes, and trademarks. Additional information can be found in my article on the M1884/98 Third Pattern bayonet.

The M1884/98 Third Pattern bayonet is a collecting genre of its own. There is much more to know about these bayonets than I can relate here. The following are a few examples that illustrate the different marking systems and some of the more common variations encountered by collectors today.

The bayonet lacks any German markings. It was made in the white without a flashguard.

The scabbard was made in 1936 by Richard A. Herder of Solingen. The scabbard is unusual in that it is a German-made scabbard that has the maker mark and year, but was never serialized like examples made for the Wehrmacht. The scabbard has an illegible Waffenamt on the ball finial.

The pommel has darkened and exhibits an unusual serial numbering that has been attributed to Spain. During the mid-1930s, Spain was an export customer for both German rifles and bayonets. This bayonet was known as the Cuchillo Bayoneta Standard Modelo Alemán (German Standard-Modell Knife Bayonet) in Spain.

Scabbard (body): "S/239" over "36"

Scabbard (ball finial): illegible Waffenamt mark.

This example was made in 1935 by H. Mundlos & Co. AG of Magdeburg, as indicated by the Number Code of 244 and Year Code G. Mundlos was a peacetime manufacturer of sewing machines. The Mundlos factory was heavily damaged by a January 16, 1945, bombing raid. Following the cessation of hostilities, the factory’s surviving machinery was taken to the Soviet Union as war reparations.

Export bayonets are typically unmarked, except for serial numbers added later by the purchasing government. Finding this example that bears full German markings is most unusual. The bayonet shows no evidence of ever having been blued, suggesting that it may have failed German government quality control prior to bluing and been diverted for use in fulfilling export contracts. It was also made without a flashguard.

Spain was known to have received some M1884/98 bayonets with a full muzzle ring. The scabbard with this example is of Spanish manufacture. Although well-preserved, this bayonet has seen heavy use, something also consistent with Spanish service.

Pommel: two partial Waffenamts "WaA2??"

Crosspiece (face): illegible partial Waffenamt

Press stud (side of catch): "2962"

This example is marked with the maker’s trademark, as was customary from 1937–1940.  1937 Richard A. Herder trademarked bayonets are uncommon.

This example has wood grips.

Diamant used an attractive script font for their trademark. Some trademarked examples are marked Elite Diamant, while others are just marked Diamant.

This example has plastic grips. The plastic grips found on some M1884/98 III bayonets are made of a phenolic resin. Collectors sometimes refer to these as Bakelite, however, this is erroneous. These exhibit the pre-1943 appearance of pure phenolic plastic without inclusion of any woodflour filler material.

Before the Second World War, the Elite Diamant Werks (Elite Diamond Works) produced bicycles. The first Diamant bicycles were made in 1885.  During the War, they also produced small motorcycles. Post-War, the Works fell into Russian hands and became part of the East German State.  The company continued producing bicycles and developed alloy bicycle components, including the first alloy bicycles.  Diamant bicycles won world road race championships in the late 1950s. Diamant was privatized in 1992, following German reunification, and, today, is the oldest bicycle factory still operating in Germany.

The blade and scabbard are marked with the Letter Code, as was customary from 1940–1945.

This example has wood grips. I found this example mounted on this Kar 98k Zf 41 sharpshooter's rifle brought back by a returning veteran.

According to M1884/98 researcher Andrej 'Andy' Blazicek, the serial number suffix is an "N".  WKC used a special German Sutterlin font which is difficult to decipher.

This is a late-war example with the plastic grip scales secured by rivets.

Because of a shortage of phenolic resin in Germany during the war, a new type of molding compound containing only 20 to 25 percent resin was adopted in January 1943. Known as type 41, it contained woodflour as a filler.

Ricasso (right): "2424" over "dd"

Pommel: "WaA519"

Scabbard: "44 ASW" and "2424" over "dd" and illegible waffenamt on ball finial.

Three different FG 42 rod bayonets were used. The first is believed to be a shortened French M1936 bayonet. This was followed by two German-made variants. This example is of the second German-made variant, which is slightly shorter than the first two types and lacks the knurled grip section.

The metal end cap is missing on this example, although the four staking marks are visible. No scabbard was issued. When not in use, the bayonet was reversed to stow between the bipod mount and forestock.

I was able to compare my example with another bayonet that was still paired with its Heinrich Krieghoff-manufactured rifle (in Canada). Both bayonets were identically marked, with "2" on one rocker and three illegible letters on the other. It was good fortune that my bayonet had the upper half of the marking and the other bayonet the lower half.

Superimposing images of the two confirms that the letters are "gcy". The letters are tiny, unreadable to the unaided eye. The flat upon which the marking is stamped measures only 5 mm. wide by 3.5 mm. high. The pink shape in this superimposed image of the partial maker markings illustrates the actual size of the flat on which the marking is stamped. This close-up image was taken through a 20x stereo microscope.

The Letter Code "gcy" identifies the bayonet's maker as the firm of L. O. Dietrich & Co. of Altenburg, a peacetime maker of sewing machines. L. O. Dietrich produced M1898/05 bayonets during the First World War and machine guns (including the FG42) during the Second World War. After the Second World War, the firm's property was seized by the East German State and the firm disappeared. The firm was re-privatized in 1990 following German reunification, but failed soon after.

Gewehr 24 Tschechoslowakei [G 24(t)] was the official German nomenclature for the Czech VZ–24 rifle. Similarly, the VZ–24 bayonet was designated Seitengewehr 24(t) [Sidearm 24 Czechoslovakia].

This example was originally made for the Czech Army in 1926 by Ceskoslovenska zbrojovka, a.s., Brno (roughly, Czechoslovakian Arms Factory, Inc.). The scabbard was made in 1927 by contractor Karel Schultz, in Kormorany, Moravia. Schultz is believed to have produced approximately 300,000 scabbards from 1924–1929.

This represents the first S 24(t) variant, a bayonet and scabbard taken from Czech military stores and modified to German specifications. Modifications include:

The muzzle ring is ground away, leaving protruding "ears";

Screw slots have been cut in the grip-securing nuts and in the nut securing the press-stud;

A serial number has been applied to the ricasso;

The rivet securing the scabbard throat has been deleted, the throat reversed and secured at the side by a screw; and,

Both bayonet and scabbard are blued.

This represents a second S 24(t) variant, originally manufactured to German specifications. No Czech government markings are present. However, the bayonet has the Czech Povazska Bystrica factory mark and and the German waffenamt acceptance mark, WaA80, which was used at Bystrica. The scabbard also has a waffenamt acceptance mark.

Bystrica Werke production shifted to the Kar 98k rifle in 1942 and continued until cessation of hostilities in 1945.

Unlike earlier S 24(t) bayonets, this example has no Czech markings. Instead, both bayonet and scabbard are marked the same as German-made bayonets, with the Letter Code (dot = Waffenfabrik Brünn Werke) on the ricasso and two-digit year of manufacture. 137,000 bayonets were manufactured at Waffenfabrik Brünn Werke during this period.

This represents the final S 24(t) variant. Waffenfabrik Brünn Werke production shifted to the Kar 98k rifle in 1943 and continued until cessation of hostilities in 1945.

Ricasso (left): "6196"

Blade (spine): "42"

Crosspiece (left): "8119"

Pommel: "WaA63"

Scabbard (frog stud): "WaA63"

Scabbard (body): "dot" over "43"

A huge quantity of small arms fell into German hands when Yugoslavia capitulated in April 1941, including some 250,000 Yugoslavian Mauser M1924 rifles.

The Yugoslavian M1924 bayonet and its derivatives (e.g., M1924Б) were collectively designated Seitengewehr 109 Jugoslawien [S 109(j)].

The Second World War German S 109(j) modifications to the M1924 bayonet were to blue the metal and delete the muzzle ring. Sometimes the blades were shortened (as with this example), however, full-length examples are more common.

The Yugoslavian scabbard on this example was shortened by cutting off the bottom, forming a new point, and adding a new ball finial. Scabbards often had a German-style throatpiece screw added to replace the original rivet.

This example was originally made 1931–41 at the Vojno Tehnicki Zavod (Military Technical Institute), Kragujevac, Serbia. The grips are walnut, so are probably originals of Yugoslavian manufacture. The Yugoslavian markings remain intact. However, Germany applied a new serial number to the bayonet, scabbard body, and throatpiece.

Ricasso (right): "BT3" inside a triangle.

Crosspiece (left): "31077"

Crosspiece (right): Cyrillic letter “DJ” (Ђ).

Grip (left): "2" on top edge

Scabbard (body): "BT3" inside a triangle and "254"

Scabbard (throatpiece edge): "254"

Scabbard (throatpiece face): "3"

Scabbard (frog stud): "180056"

A derivative of the Yugoslavian M1924 bayonet, the M1924Б bayonet was also designated Seitengewehr 109 Jugoslawien [S 109(j)] by Germany. Gewehr 293 Jugoslawien [G 293(j)] was the German designation for the Yugoslavian Puska 98. The Puska 98 was a surrendered German Gewehr 98, converted to approximate the FN M1924 Short Rifle.

The Second World War German S 109(j) modifications were to blue the metal and delete the muzzle ring.

This example was originally a German M1898/05 bayonet made by C.G. Haenel in 1916.  The original German markings are still present, confirming its lineage. Yugoslavia altered the blade to approximate the M1924 blade profile, so that the Yugoslavian M1924 scabbard would accept it. The original crosspiece was replaced with a M1924-style crosspiece with a muzzle ring. The grips were replaced with crude facsimiles of the originals, some examples (like this one) have the diagonal serrations running in the opposite direction. Most were crudely marked “M24Б” in Cyrillic (M24B) on the crosspiece.

From 1939–1941, the Užice Arms Factories (known, today, as Privi Partizan) converted surrendered First World War German Gewehr 98's and bayonets to conform to the M1924Б specification. Approximately 20,000 rifles and bayonets are believed to have been converted before the Germans overran Yugoslavia in 1941.

Although these have no provision for mounting to a rifle, they are still classified as bayonets.

The tiger figural is the trademark of Lauterjung & Co., Tiger Stahlwaren-und Waffenfabrik of Solingen.  The Lauterjung family began blademaking in the 1700s, producing knives, razors & blades, scissors, table ware, and, manicure implements. They produced daggers 1935–1945, but were not known to have produced comparable material in earlier years. Lauterjung is better known for its other Solingen factory, Puma-Werke. The Puma trademark dates back to Lauterjung's beginnings in the 1700s and remains in commercial use to the present-day.

This was a privately purchased item. Georg Rieder of Munich was the retailer who sold the piece.

All metal parts are nickel plated.  The scabbard is painted with high-gloss black lacquer. Leather washer is present on blade. 

Black leather belt frog (Carter #293) and Fire/Police troddel (knot). The troddel has a red striped ball, black strap with silver/red thread.

Bayonet Belt Frogs Page

Measures 8.25 in. (210 mm.) long by 2.00 in. (51 mm.) wide.    

Has 4  steel rivets and is of sewn construction, without a hilt strap.

Carter classified this frog as #308. The maker and year marks have been worn away. However, Carter recorded production dates from 1939–43.

This frog came on a Belgian M1916–35 T‑Back bayonet. The bayonet and frog had obviously been together a long time. This pairing suggests that it may have been issued to local Belgian "police" who helped maintain order during the German occupation. As shown in the images at left, there is some damage; and both the frog and the outward-facing wooden bayonet grip show evidence of charring.

Bayonet Belt Frogs Page

This example was made by Gebruder Klinge of Dresden in 1937.

Measures 8.875 in. (225 mm.) long by 2.00 in. (51 mm.) wide.    

Has 4  aluminum rivets and is of sewn construction. Hilt strap is missing.

Carter classified this frog as #311.

Bayonet Belt Frogs Page

Measures 8.375 in. (213 mm.) long by 1.625 in. (41 mm.) wide. 

Carter classified this frog as #316.

According to Carter, the color of these frogs varied, with the earliest type being olive drab in color. As the Afrika Korps only existed for two years, these frogs are very scarce.  Fakes are far more common than legitimate examples. This frog came on the 1939 Elite-Diamant bayonet shown above.

Bayonet Belt Frogs Page