The German Labor Service (Reichsarbeitsdienst, RAD) was organized in 1934 to provide work for German men during the depths of the Great Depression. They worked strenuously on public projects across Germany, including building some 7,000 kilometers of the massive autobahn freeway system. Akin to the US Works Progress Administration in organization and purpose, the RAD differed from the WPA in one obvious aspect, that RAD laborers were expectedly imbued with the tenets of National Socialism. During the war, the RAD helped build the Atlantic Wall, manned anti-aircraft flak batteries, and later committed troops to combat. As with most German organizations during WW2, they were paramilitary in nature, and RAD enlisted men wore military style uniforms and carried impressive "hewers" as a mark of rank and status. The hewer was more than just ceremonial, it had a practical purpose for clearing brush and use as an ax. With its impressive size and overt Germanic design, the RAD EM hewer was a favorite war souvenir among US Army troops in the ETO. This German WW2 Reichsarbeitsdienst RAD Labor Service Carl Eickhorn Stag Handle EM Hewer Dagger is in Very Good Condition, with a sizable chip in the upper blade edge, some light sharpening and nicking to the blade edge, some light cleaning, scratching, scabbard wear, and pitting at each side of the blade, some light scattered scratching and pitting to the guard, bolster, tang, and pommel, some light stripping to the handle scale screw heads, the handle scales remaining a bit shy of the tang in spots, though they remain “tight as a drum”, and with some light overall age wear evident. Otherwise, the dagger is in fine shape, with no other damage. Most interestingly, it features a bright plated 9 5/8" clip point slightly upswept scimitar blade with a thin fuller running most of the length at each side, sports gorgeous genuine stag handle scales with deep, elegant, and dark natural stippling secured by two darkened brass screws, and is etched at the ricasso with the classic ca. 1941-45 “squirrel” logo of its maker, the famous “CARL EICKHORN / SOLINGEN”, along with “GES. GESCH.” above, and “RADJ” in a triangle even further above. The hewer carries the motto of the RAD, “Arbeit adelt” (translating to “Work Ennobles), etched in Gothic script along the lower right side of the blade, boasts a bright nickel plated steel full guard, bolster, tang, and “bird’s head” pommel, and exhibits the original owner’s initials, “J.W”, artfully engraved along the upper spine of the bolster. It’s complete with the original German WW2 RAD EM Hewer Metal Scabbard in Good Condition, with a small hairline crack in the bottom right side edge of the throat, some denting to the bottom end tip, moderate patina at the front and back body, some cleaning, scratching, and polishing to the throat and end tip, missing all of the side screws from the metal throat and end tip, and with some overall age wear evident. Otherwise, the scabbard is in fine shape, with no other damage. Most interestingly, it retains approximately 65% of the original glossy black painted finish on the body, bears the original bright nickel plated metal throat and end tip, with decorative intertwined lines embellishing each side of the throat, the traditional German RAD “swastika and shovel head” design embellishing each side of the end tip, and a line of rings embellishing both, and the set is a fine example of a rare, original German WW2 Reichsarbeitsdienst RAD Labor Service Carl Eickhorn Stag Handle EM Hewer Dagger.