Overview
- Brief Narrative
- The bayonet (a) has a grooved blade and attaches to a rifle by a deep groove in the handle. The sheath (b) has a leather upper that can be attached to a belt and a metal bottom that covers the bayonet blade. The leather and metal parts can be separated. The bayonet and bayonet sheath relate to Knud Dyby and his involvement with several Danish underground organizations during World War II
- Date
-
1944-1945
- Credit Line
- United States Holocaust Memorial Museum Collection, Gift of Knud Dyby
Physical Details
- Classification
-
Weapons
- Category
-
Daggers and swords (edged weapons)
- Object Type
-
Bayonets (lcsh)
- Dimensions
- a: Height: 15.120 inches (38.405 cm) | Width: 1.750 inches (4.445 cm)
b: Height: 16.750 inches (42.545 cm) | Width: 2.370 inches (6.02 cm) - Materials
- overall : plastic, cloth
Rights & Restrictions
- Conditions on Access
- No restrictions on access
- Conditions on Use
- No restrictions on use
Keywords & Subjects
- Topical Term
- Anti-Nazi movement--Denmark--Biography. Holocaust, Jewish (1939-1945)--Denmark--Personal narratives, Danish. World War, 1939-1945--Jews--Rescue--Denmark--Personal narratives. Journalists--Denmark--Biography. World War, 1939-1945--Underground movements--Denmark--Personal narratives.
- Geographic Name
- Denmark--History--German occupation, 1940-1945.
Administrative Notes
- Legal Status
- Permanent Collection
- Provenance
- The knife bayonet was donated to the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in 1989 by Knud Dyby.
- Record last modified:
- 2022-07-28 18:28:35
- This page:
- https://collections.ushmm.org/search/catalog/irn514398
Also in Knud Dyby collection
The collection consists of artifacts and documents relating to the experiences of Knud Dyby and his involvement with several Danish underground organizations during World War II.
Date: 1944-1945
German military identification tag given to a Danish resistance member
Object
The German military dog tag was acquired by Knud Dyby while he was a member in several Danish underground resistance organizations during World War II. The dog tag originally belonged to one of five German Wehrmacht soldiers who surrendered their uniforms, weapons, and identification tags to Dyby in 1944 or early 1945. These men were originally international circus artists who wished to become refugees in Sweden rather than fight the Soviets during the winter along the Eastern Front. They and Dyby agreed that the uniforms could be useful to the resistance movement. The tag has a row of three, horizontal slits cut across the center line, allowing the tag to easily be snapped in half. This would create two identical tags used to identify a deceased or unconscious soldier; one half kept with the soldier and the second used for administrative purposes. Dyby worked with the Danish underground during the German occupation of Denmark. He used knowledge and skills gained from his prewar printing and advertising business, sailing expertise, and King’s Royal Guard service as well as his wartime position with the Danish police force to transmit intelligence data and arrange for boats to ferry refugees, including Jewish families, from Denmark to Sweden. He immigrated to the United States after the war.
Leather pouch for a dog tag given to a Danish resistance member
Object
Leather pouch used to hold a German military dog tag acquired by Knud Dyby while he was a member in several Danish underground resistance organizations during World War II. The dog tag and pouch originally belonged to one of five German Wehrmacht soldiers who surrendered their uniforms, weapons, and identification tags to Dyby in 1944 or early 1945. These men were originally international circus artists who wished to become refugees in Sweden rather than fight the Soviets during the winter along the Eastern Front. They and Dyby agreed that the uniforms could be useful to the resistance movement. Dyby worked with the Danish underground during the German occupation of Denmark. He used knowledge and skills gained from his prewar printing and advertising business, sailing expertise, and King’s Royal Guard service as well as his wartime position with the Danish police force to transmit intelligence data and arrange for boats to ferry refugees, including Jewish families, from Denmark to Sweden. He immigrated to the United States after the war.
Armband with a royal coat of arms issued to a Danish resistance member
Object
Blue, red, and white armband with a medallion issued to Knud Dyby, a member of the Danish underground resistance, on May 4 or 5, 1945. The armbands, which appeared abruptly throughout Denmark, were issued by the Danish Freedom Council, Denmark's unofficial government-in-exile in England from July 1944 to May 1945. The armbands were meant to identify resistance members as legitimate combatants, rather than guerilla forces, to ensure they were protected under Geneva Convention rules defining combatants and how they should be treated by military forces. Denmark was occupied by Germany on April 9, 1940. The Danes were allowed to retain control of civil affairs, until the Germans declared martial law on August 29, 1943. The Danish Freedom Council was formed that September to coordinate the resistance movement. Dyby worked with the Danish underground during the German occupation of Denmark. He used knowledge and skills gained from his prewar printing and advertising business, sailing expertise, and King’s Royal Guard service as well as his wartime position with the Danish police force to transmit intelligence data and arrange for boats to ferry refugees, including Jewish families, from Denmark to Sweden. German forces in Denmark surrendered on May 5, 1945. Dyby immigrated to the United States after the war.
Knud Dyby papers
Document
The Knud Dyby papers consist of correspondence, personal narratives, photocopied records, photographs, printed materials, resistance materials, and subject files documenting the German occupation of Denmark and Knud Dyby’s involvement in resistance work including rescuing Danish Jews and transmitting information. Correspondence includes notes and translations documenting Knud Dyby’s resistance work during the war and include a letter from journalist Leif Hendil, a letter from Dwight D. Eisenhower about Brotherhood Week, and Dyby’s own letter advocating for the collection and display of visual evidence documenting the rescue of Jews during the Holocaust. Personal narratives include Knud Dyby’s memoir, Short Stories from a Long Life, his expression of gratitude for the recognition he received as a rescuer, and a vignette about smuggling an American pilot out of Denmark. This series also includes a copy of Frank Meissner’s narrative about his Youth Aliyah work in Denmark from 1939 to 1943 and being smuggled to Sweden on a fishing boat in October 1943. Photocopied records duplicate unknown source material including records documenting the German occupation of Denmark, Danish resistance, Knud Dyby, and antisemitism and Holocaust denial. Photocopied records documenting the German occupation of Denmark include correspondence, warnings, and regulations from the Danish Commerce Department, Justice Department, Police Commissioners, Nazi party, and the police in Malmö; reports about the Frikorps Danmark, Waffen SS, Sicherheitsdienst, and SS‐Sonder‐Kommando Danemark. Photocopied records documenting Danish resistance include calls for anti‐Nazi action, narratives about Jewish deportations and escapes, articles about Danish resistance and Jewish rescue, and lists of collaborators. Photocopies of letters and articles document Knud Dyby’s participation in Danish resistance and Jewish rescue. This series also includes photocopied articles and brochures propagating antisemitism and Holocaust denial, mostly by Heinz Roth. Photographs include a portrait assumed to be of Knud Dyby, a picture of boats used by the Danish‐Swedish Refugee Service, and pictures documenting an exhibit about Danish‐Swedish underground cooperation. Printed materials primarily consist of issues or partial issues of Danish wartime underground, opposition, and mainstream news publications. The series also includes wartime announcements, flyers, pamphlets, and an airdropped leaflet as well as later clippings and brochures about occupied Denmark. Resistance materials include blank and false identification papers and information for the underground newspaper service and from Swedish partners to the Danish underground. Subject files include a copy of a California resolution recognizing Knud Dyby, a copy of Hitler’s September 1, 1939 Reichstag speech and January 1, 1945 New Year’s speech, information about Wehrmacht uniforms given to Dyby, a ration card for tobacco, and a travel pass.
Underground Danish periodical circulating news from the United Kingdom
Object
An underground newspaper, Nyheder fra Storbritanien, acquired by Knud Dyby while he was a member in several Danish underground resistance organizations during World War II. This was one of many underground publications that grew out of increased demand for information as German authorities increased censorship in the final years of the war. In April 1940, Germany invaded and occupied Denmark, which prompted a growing demand for information about the war and the need for newspapers. Many underground publications were created as part of a robust resistance and sabotage movement in the nation. Dyby worked with the Danish underground during the occupation of Denmark. He used knowledge and skills gained from his prewar printing and advertising business, sailing expertise, and King’s Royal Guard service as well as his wartime position with the Danish police force to transmit intelligence data and arrange for boats to ferry refugees, including Jewish families, from Denmark to Sweden. He immigrated to the United States after the war.
Danish periodical circulating illustrated news about the liberation
Object
An illustrated newspaper, Billed-Bladet, acquired by Knud Dyby while he was a member in several Danish underground resistance organizations during World War II. This was one of many publications that increased circulation due to increased demand for information as German authorities increased censorship in the final years of the war. In April 1940, Germany invaded and occupied Denmark, which prompted a growing demand for information about the war and the need for more newspapers. Many publications went underground for a time as part of a robust resistance and sabotage movement in the nation. Dyby worked with the Danish underground during the occupation of Denmark. He used knowledge and skills gained from his prewar printing and advertising business, sailing expertise, and King’s Royal Guard service as well as his wartime position with the Danish police force to transmit intelligence data and arrange for boats to ferry refugees, including Jewish families, from Denmark to Sweden. He immigrated to the United States after the war.
Danish periodical circulating illustrated news about the post-liberation period
Object
An illustrated newspaper, Billed-Bladet, acquired by Knud Dyby while he was a member in several Danish underground resistance organizations during World War II. This was one of many publications that increased circulation due to increased demand for information as German authorities increased censorship in the final years of the war. In April 1940, Germany invaded and occupied Denmark, which prompted a growing demand for information about the war and the need for more newspapers. Many publications went underground for a time as part of a robust resistance and sabotage movement in the nation. Dyby worked with the Danish underground during the occupation of Denmark. He used knowledge and skills gained from his prewar printing and advertising business, sailing expertise, and King’s Royal Guard service as well as his wartime position with the Danish police force to transmit intelligence data and arrange for boats to ferry refugees, including Jewish families, from Denmark to Sweden. He immigrated to the United States after the war.
