GERMAN LUFTWAFFE SWORD WITH OFFICER'S UNIT NUMBER - SCARCE

This interesting Luftwaffe officer's sword by Alcoso is marked FEA 23 on the scabbard throat, indicating that the officer who owned it belonged to the Flieger Ersatz Abteilung 23, a unit deployed extensively in the Eastern Front against the partisans in the Belarus region of Soviet Union. This undoubtedly was one of the most dangerous assignments of that period in the war. According to the internet research the unit operated in the Gorodok and Vitebsk-Nevel areas, as well as near Brjansk, the hotbed of the Soviet partisan warfare against the occupying German armed forces. The unit was transferred to Denmark in 1943.
http://www.axishistory.com/books/160-germany-military-other/schools-of-the-wehrmacht/4620-schools-of-the-wehrmacht-flieger-ausbildungs-regimenter

The sword itself is an early variant, with white metal hilt mounts, now nicely patinated. The scabbard is aluminum, covered in leather, with several scoffs and losses to leather from field-wear. The sword measures 91 cm. overall, with a 73 cm blade. Blade is in perfect condition, retaining virtually all of its factory mirror-bright polish. Pommel exhibits minor play. An excellent, historic World War II sword with the Eastern Front provenance, in untouched, uncleaned condition, and just came out of the American WWII veteran's estate!