M500 - ANTHROPOID 1942

Product detailed description

Limited Edition M500 ANTHROPOID 1942 – Mercedes-Benz 320 Cabriolet B

The limited edition M500 ANTHROPOID 1942 annually commemorates the events connected with Operation Anthropoid and pays tribute to the men who stood up against Nazi power during one of the most significant operations of the Czechoslovak resistance. Each edition combines the historical legacy of Operation Anthropoid with precise craftsmanship, modern materials, and respect for the men who resisted Nazi tyranny.

This year’s edition is dedicated to the Mercedes-Benz 320 Cabriolet B – the open service vehicle used by Reich Protector Reinhard Heydrich. This luxury automobile symbolized the power and confidence of the Nazi elite. Heydrich used it during his journeys through Prague and its surroundings, often without significant protection, as he believed himself untouchable. It was precisely this arrogance that became his downfall.

On May 27, 1942, this very automobile became the target of the assassination in a sharp turn in Prague’s Libeň district during Operation Anthropoid. After Gabčík’s submachine gun failed, Jan Kubiš threw a specially modified grenade at the passing Mercedes, which exploded near the vehicle’s right rear wheel. The blast tore apart the car’s bodywork and severely wounded Heydrich. A photograph of the destroyed Mercedes with its doors blown open later became an iconic symbol of successful resistance against the Nazi regime – proof that even “Hitler’s executioner” was not untouchable.

Reinhard Heydrich was among the highest-ranking representatives of the Third Reich and is often described as the third most powerful man of the Nazi regime after Hitler and Himmler. As the head of the SS security apparatus, the Gestapo, and one of the principal organizers of the Holocaust, he bore responsibility for the deaths of millions of people across Europe. In the Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia, he unleashed brutal terror against the Czech population and was directly responsible for the executions and persecution of thousands of people.

The successful elimination of Heydrich represented an extraordinary achievement of the Czechoslovak resistance and carried major international significance. Until the end of the war, the Allies did not manage to eliminate a higher-ranking representative of the Nazi hierarchy. To this day, Operation Anthropoid remains one of the most significant acts of European anti-Nazi resistance.

The design of this year’s edition traditionally draws from the standard M500 ANTHROPOID model – a modern interpretation of the famous British Fairbairn–Sykes dagger. The connection to Great Britain, from where the paratroopers were deployed, is reflected in the modern robust fulltang construction. The characteristic feature of this year’s edition is the engraving of the iconic Mercedes-Benz 320 Cabriolet B, whose silhouette has forever become part of the history of Operation Anthropoid.

The massive guard, the 3D-machined handle made from red G10 material with a distinctive texture, and the precise workmanship ensure a secure and reliable grip. The knife pommel is finished with a glass breaker.

The package includes a self-locking Kydex sheath with a MOLLE system and a thematic card telling the story of this year’s edition. Only 100 pieces will be produced, and each knife is individually numbered.

This year’s M500 ANTHROPOID 1942 therefore commemorates not only the assassination itself, but also the moment when a symbol of Nazi power became a symbol of its vulnerability.