Mauser M1896

[Colette]

Higuys, I bought this today from the guy I got the gas mask from, it's a model 1896 model mauser bayonet , I dont really know much about these, but it looks way ahead of it's time for a knife bayonet., feels great & well balanced in the hand.

This is a Swedisch bayonet, in service for a very long time, probably well after World War 2. I ordered a K.98 bayonet once from a mail order firm, which dealt in firearms, etc. They sent me this as a "K98". So I called them up and explained that this was not a K98 bayonet and they told me they have sold out of K98 bayonets, so I returned this and got my money back. I hope you did not pay too much for this, they are basicly surplus. As you said, a "fighting knife", rather than a classical bayonet.

No , it was well below retail dealers price , I just wanted one in my collection. I read that some branches of the army still had these in the 60s. Why the heck did the company think it would be ok to send a much lower value & less desirable item would be ok with a customer , that's outrageous. Order a luger & receive a .38 webley ! It's just not on .

That was in the late 80s or early 90s. Kettner in Cologne has several branches around Germany and Austria. They basicly deal in new weapons and clothing for hunters, sporters and outdoor activities, and also dealt with used vintage and historical weapons, which were postwar surplus., as well as having a gunsmithing department. The person in charge of the department apparently did not have much knowledge in the field of bayonets and vintage weapons, so it was easy to convince him that this was not a German K.98. The Swedish bayonet was only for a rifle with a "Mauser" type bolt action system.

The Swedish army did not modernise postwar till very late and only had a moderate defence system, as they are considered a neutral country. However, the danger of a Soviet invasion was always present during the Cold War. I remember when I visited Stockholm in 1975, there were Soviet ships in the port and Soviet soldiers in uniform walking around.

Up till 1943, it had been usual to return personnel interned in Sweden to Germany. After Stalingrad, Sweden changed it's policy and sent internees to the Soviet Union. At the end of the War after May 1945 many thousands of refugees were deported to the Soviet union. Under the refugees were many Germans from the eastern territories and former Soviet soldiers, who had either been prisoners of war or had deserted for political reasons. When they arrived back in the ports in Soviet Russia, many were slaughtered on the spot after leaving the ships. All remaining received harsh sentences with life long forced labour in one of Stalin's many camps. The Soviet Union also occupied the Danish Island of Bornholm in 1945. Denmark also handed over thousands of German prisoners of war and also Russian volunteers in German uniform to the Soviets. The Soviet Union put both Sweden and Denmark under pressure.

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