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Czechoslovakia. Czech Vz-24 bayonet manufactured in 1935 and reused by Germany during the Second World War.
The Czech Vz-24 bayonet was manufactured during the 1930s for the Czechoslovak Army. Both the tang and the scabbard bear the struck-out marking «E (lion) 35,» referring to the year of manufacture 1935. The blade is marked «CSZ N» from the Československá zbrojovka factory in Brno.
During the German occupation of Czechoslovakia, the Wehrmacht was equipped with captured ZB vz. 24 rifles due to their similarity to the Mauser Kar 98k, sharing the same training and maintenance procedures as well as the same 7.92 × 57 cartridge. Some of the captured bayonets were modified to be used with the Mauser Kar 98k, while others, such as this example, were kept without significant modifications to be used with the captured ZB vz. 24 rifles.
In addition, in 1940 Germany ordered the production of new Vz-24 bayonets and the reuse of existing ones to be delivered to the Romanian Army, Germany’s ally during the Second World War. Both the bayonets reused by the Germans and those newly produced for the Romanians were blued and appeared in a darker finish, as is the case with this bayonet.
The grip bears the carved letters P and D., whose meaning remains unknown.
Czechoslovak bayonet used by Germany during the Second World War.
Bayonet length: 44.7 cm
Length without scabbard: 43.3 cm
Blade length: 29.8 cm
