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The Hitler Youth was established in 1933, replacing the traditional German Boy Scouts, with the intention of indoctrinating German boys with the principles of the Nazi party. It also was meant to prepare those boys for military service; they were schooled in hiking, camping, woodcraft, rifle handling, marksmanship, athletics, camaraderie, and competition, all with a backdrop of strict military discipline. The goal was to create obedient, self-sacrificing, combat ready Germans who wouldn't hesitate to die for Führer and Fatherland. For general use in the field, members of the Hitler-Jugend were issued well made "Hitler Youth" knives for cutting wood, knife throwing, and all of the other creative ways boys could think of to use knives. There are many period photographs of boys in the HJ using their Hitler Youth knives for throwing into trees in obvious competition with one another. This German WW2 HJ Hitler-Jugend C.D. Schaaff RZM M7/56 1939 Hitler Youth Knife is in Very Good Condition, with a bit of rounding to the blade tip, some light sharpening to the blade edge, some cleaning, scratching, scabbard wear, pitting, and patina at each side of the blade, some scattered finish abrading and patina to the guard, tang, and pommel, some loosening to the Hitler Youth insignia within its setting in the middle right handle scale, as is commonly encountered on these knives, and with some scattered age wear evident. Otherwise, the knife is in fine shape, with no other damage. Most interestingly, it features a bright 5 1/2" drop point blade, sports the classic red and white Hitler Youth enamel diamond insignia inset at the middle right handle scale, and is stamped with the familiar "RZM" circular mark along the middle left side of the blade, next to the maker's code "M7/56", denoting manufacture by C.D. Schaaff of Solingen, Germany, and the date, "1939". It boasts the original, crisply checkered black plastic handle scales secured by two domed metal rivets, carries the original downward swept nickel plated metal half quillon, matching nickel plated metal pommel, and the original black leather "bumper pad" at the blade/guard join, and is complete with the original German WW2 HJ Hitler-Jugend Hitler Youth Scabbard in Very Good Condition, with the right end of the handle retention strap having torn away long ago, removing the “male” portion of the snap and rendering the system non-functional, and with moderate drying and surface cracking to the handle retention strap and belt hanger, a sizable area of finish abrading at the lower right back body, some scattered scratching, finish abrading, and spot patina to the rest of the body, and with some scattered age wear evident. Otherwise, the scabbard is in fine shape, with absolutely no dents, cracking, or other damage to the tough steel construction. Most interestingly, it retains approximately 75% of the original black painted finish on the body, bears the original black leather belt hanger and most of the original black leather handle retention strap, and the set is a fine example of a rare, original German WW2 HJ Hitler-Jugend C.D. Schaaff RZM M7/56 1939 Hitler Youth Knife.