There are few bayonet patterns as recognizable as the M98 Seitengewehr bayonet, also known as the “butcher” bayonet, the bad publicity of which plagued Imperial Germany through the propaganda disseminated during the First World War. Here’s what you should know about it.
The “Butcher” Bayonet
More properly known as the M98 Seitengeweher (sidearm), the “butcher” bayonet was a pattern designed for the equally infamous Gewehr 98 used by the Heer (Imperial German Army). It is best known because of its prominence during combat in World War One.
The Seitengewehr 98 was a sword-pattern bayonet; overall it was 25.6 inches, with a blade that was just shy of 21 inches. This gave a user quite a formidable reach when the bayonet was fixed to a Gewehr 98 rifle.
The bayonet fixed to the rifle via a T-shaped bar that was located under the barrel. Most rifles of the era used a barrel ring; the Germans avoided this because the ring influenced barrel harmonics which had a net deleterious effect on accuracy. According to them, the T-shaped bar was more effective, more secure, and would not degrade the accuracy of the rifle.
The original model has a handle made of a single piece of wood that wrapped around the tang of the bayonet. Later models had two scales of wood that were affixed to the tang.
One of the most distinct features of the Seitengewehr 98 was the fact that it had a rear-swept quillion that trended back towards the operator. This design protected the hands fairly well when the bayonet was used in handheld combat, but it was not nearly as effective at catching or trapping an opponent’s blade as any of the forward-swept quillions used in the design of bayonets of other nations.
However, without a doubt the most distinctive feature of the Seitengewehr 98, at least on relevant models, was the fact that some of them had a sawback edge along the spine. This design typified the pattern, but it also gave the bayonet a great deal of negative press as a result of the Allies’ propaganda. They termed these “butcher” bayonets and lambasted the Germans for their inhumane use of such weapons that caused grievous, heinous injuries, even in war.
In fact, the propaganda was so effective that many of the bayonets had their teeth ground down in order to make the pattern less intimidating, and to stem the tide of negative impressions towards the German Empire arising from the success of the Allies’ propaganda.
Like many other patterns of the era, these sword style bayonets were eventually replaced by smaller, more compact versions later in the war. The second design, known as the Seitengewehr 98/02 had a shorter, 17 inch blade, and the third, the 98/05, had an even shorter blade at 15 inches.
Today, the “butcher” bayonet remains a popular pattern with collectors, especially those of Imperial German weapons and field gear from the era of the First World War.
Where to Get One of These Bayonet Replicas
Want to add a Seitengewehr 98 replica to your collection? Check out BUDK. They carry a wide range of popular bayonet patterns, including modern American patterns like the M7 and M9 along with historically significant patterns like the one mentioned here as well as Enfield, Arisaka, and M1905 bayonets.
Visit their website to get more information and if you have any questions about specifications or anything else before buying, get in touch with them directly.
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