Unusual WW2 Belgium or Dutch POW made Wooden Bayonet Shaped Letter Opener - Fallingbostel 24 Mei 1940 - Stalag XI-B

Here on offer is an original and unusual WW2 Belgium or Dutch POW made wooden bayonet shaped letter opener, engraved, Fallingbostel 24 Mei 1940.

The letter opener has been well made in the image of a WW2 period bayonet from one piece of light wood, possibly pine.

It has been carved with a muzzle ring, a grooved grip and even a metal pin has been fitted to look like a release button. The tip of the blade has been crudely shaped at the tip. The whole piece has been coated in a thick dark varnish, probably all that would have been available at the time.

On one side of the blade has the POW camps name and date engraved and highlighted in red ink:

Fallingbostel
24 – MEI - 1940

Now “MEI” is Dutch for May, hence I believe this was made by a Belgium or possibly Dutch POW who was detained in the WW2 German POW camp, Stalag XI-B located just to the east of the town of Fallingbostel in Lower Saxony, in north-western Germany.

The camp was built in 1937 as accommodation for workers building the barracks at the nearby Westlager for the Military Training Area Bergen.

In September 1939 the huts were fenced in and designated Stalag XI-B, Stalag being the shortened version of "Stammlager" or "central camp" and the XI refers to the Hannover defence district.

The first prisoners to arrive were Poles in late 1939.

In May 1940, as Germany moved west, Dutch, Belgium, French and British POWs were added to the camps, 40,000 arrived in Stalag XI B.

Therefore, this letter opener probably denotes the date the POW arrived at the camp and was kept by them as a dark reminder of their time in that camp.

It measures 11.3” (28.8cm) long and weighs 26g.

Please see my pictures for the details of the condition, which complement this description.

Please see my TERMS OF BUSINESS regarding Deliver Charges and Insurance regarding additional insurance cover, should you require it, BEFORE the item is dispatched.

The responsibility lies with the customer to check with your Customs restrictions that this item can be imported into your country.

Code: 51232