Upon issue to their unit, most bayonets were stamped across the hilt with a series of initials and numbers denoting the unit it was issued to and an individual weapon number ("Waffe Numer").

For example a bayonet marked "III.SB. 2.66." belonged to the III. Seebatallion, 2nd company, weapon number 66 and a bayonet marked "Sch. D.O.A. 1116." belonged to the Schutztruppe of German East Africa, weapon number 1116.

There were many variations on unit markings but the most common for overseas troops were-

KS- South West African Schutztruppe (Kaiserliche Schutztruppe)
SchDOA- East African Schutztruppe (Schutztruppe Deutsch Ost Afrika)
SchK or SK- Cameroon Schutztruppe (Schutztruppe Kamerun)
PT- Colonial Police (Polizeitruppe)
SB- Marine Infantry (Seebataillon)
OR- East Asian Infantry (Ostasiatische Infanterie Regiment)

When company, battalion and regimental numbers were used. companies and regiments were always referred to in Arabic numerals (eg. 1, 2, 3, 4) while battalions were designated with Roman numerals (eg. I, II, III, IV).

The weapon numbers usually ran in consecutive order from the first issue of that type of bayonet to that unit. From surviving examples it seems that when new models of bayonet were introduced the series of weapon numbers started over again. In some cases it seems from surviving examples that gaps were left in the numbering system, perhaps starting new batches on the nearest rounded up number.

For example S71/84 bayonets were issued in East Africa before kS98 bayonets and yet a S71/84 has been recorded with the markings "Sch. D.O.A. 1116." and a kS98 has been recorded marked "Sch D.O.A. 208.". So it would seem that the weapon number system started again either when each new batch of bayonets arrived in the colony or at least when the kS98 was introduced.

The unit numbers on bayonet hilts and their scabbards matched when first issued but it is not unusual to see mismatched numbers in modern collections. It seems that some of these mix ups may have been made by recent traders but the quantity of mismatches leads one to believe they were often used like that perhaps when one blade broke and another scabbard went missing.

It is not uncommon to see colonial bayonets with previous regular army issue markings cancelled out.

These unit and weapon number markings were also used on bayonet scabbards and on other weapons such as rifles, pistols and swords.

The name of the manufacturer and sometimes their town was usually marked on the flat of the blade near the hilt. The factory markings appeared upside down to the hilt markings. Occasionally bayonets have two different manufacturer markings on each side of the blade. This is sometimes due to one factory making the blade and another assembling or modifying the bayonet.

Many factories produced bayonets for the German imperial army as well as small companies making privately tailored edged weapons mostly for officers, NCOs and one year volunteers. Most of these factories were in the Central German industrial areas of the Ruhr in the West or Thuringia in Prussian Saxony.

Some of the most notable manufacturers were-

Erfurt
The most commonly seen factory markings on bayonets of the Imperial German era are those of the Royal Prussian Army works at Erfurt in Prussian Thuringia. The Royal Prussian armoury had been established at Erfurt in 1862. Their marking had the Royal Prussian crown above the word Erfurt.

Simson and Company
Simson and Co. was founded in Suhl, in Prussian Saxony by brothers, Löb and Moses Simson in 1856. They made firearms and edged weapons as well as bicycles and motor vehicles. After the Treaty of Versailles limited the German army to purchasing firearms only from one outlet, Simson & Co was chosen. The Jewish family owners were forced to flee Nazi persecution in 1936 and the factory was from then run as part of a larger group of metal works as the "Berlin-Suhler Waffenwerke" or BSW (which was jocularly known by locals as "Bis Simson Wiederkommt" or "until Simson returns").

From 1945 the Soviets took control and part of the factory was dismantled and taken to the Soviet Union. In 1952 the company began operating again under the Simson name producing hunting rifles, bicycles and motorbikes (including the famous Simson Schwalbe moped). Like many East German companies it did not survive the transition to a market economy in the 1990s and was forced to declare bankruptcy in 2003.
Recommended External Link - Wikipedia Page on Simson & Co.

E & F Hörster
The Hörster factory was in Solingen, near the Ruhr. Solingen is famous for its knife manufacture to this day. They originally made bayonets marked as F Hörster and from the mid-1870s the company became E & F Hörster.

One particular batch of E & F Hörster bayonets are of special interest to colonial collectors. Every 1913 Hörster kS98 with wooden grips that has so far been noted with a unit mark, belonged to the Schutztruppe of the African colonies. This particular model of kS98 was probably the first to have the wooden grips with two screw bolts which became standard soon after, as they were cheaper than the old chequered leather grips and showed less tendency to rot in tropical climates.

VC Schilling
VC schilling were one of several arms factories based in Suhl, in Prussian Thuringia along with Erfurt and Simpson & Co. Schilling is of especial interest to colonial collectors as the as the factory that made the Pfm71/98 conversions for the East Asian Pioneers.

The markings showed a crowned monogram of the reigning monarch above the last two digits of the year. For example a bayonet marked "W00" was made in the reign of Kaiser Wilhelm II, in the year 1900.

As most overseas troops were imperial forces they usually bore the imperial monogram. Kaiser Wilhelm II ascended to the royal Prussian and imperial German thrones in 1888, before the first Schutztruppe were formed and abdicated a few days before the last Schutztruppe surrendered so his monogram features on the vast majority of bayonets used by Imperial German overseas forces.

Bavarian, Saxon and Württemberg army units serving overseas sometimes carried bayonets marked with their own king's monogram.

Having said that, an example of a bayonet used by a Bavarian company in the the East Asian Expeditionary Corps show it to have the German Kaiser's monogram, rather than that of the Bavarian king. So it seems that as the East Asian Expeditionary Corps were issued new bayonets before their departure for China, they may all have had the German Kaiser's monogram rather than those of the kings of Bavaria, Saxony, and Württemberg.

Bavarians, Saxons and Württembergers in the Asienkorps and other army units in the Ottoman Empire and Central Asia (most notably the largely Bavarian Georgian Expedition) during the First World War may have carried state monograms. Although as the war dragged on, bayonet markings became less common and fewer state distinctions were seen in army use. Prussian or imperial insignia became common to many state armies.

On rare occasions bayonets from other German state armies were re-issued to the Schutztruppe. Two examples so far been seen in modern collection, one a King Ludwig III of Bavaria marked Cameroon Schutztruppe kS98 bayonet and the other an East African Schutztruppe S71/84 with a monogram for King Albert of Saxony.

An exception to the imperial and royal monogrammed date markings is seen on some naval S98 bayonets between 1906-07, which are marked with a crowned M (for "Marine") over a two digit date.

Inspection markings to verify the bayonets' quality were often placed directly below the manufacture date, as well as on other parts of the bayonet.

Recommended External Link - See Bajonett for full listings of the different German monarchs monograms.