[Jim McDougall]

This is an outstanding hirschfanger, as noted clearly using the repurposed blade of a very old 'sword of justice' which served as a bearing sword in many of the principalities of the Germanic states.

From the middle ages, where there were no police forces etc. and of course notable lawlessness prevailed, justice and accountability were the business of courts, often termed Fehmic courts.
The League of the Holy Court, the Vehmgericht (callef the vehm) were comprised of the 'free judges' and they would decide the culpibility, fate and execution of wrong doers.

These notorious courts and free judges were much feared and naturally could become out of control, becoming in sense,'kangaroo courts', and leading to the typical embellishments and lore sensationalizing them.

The secretive character of these groups of 'enforcers' and use of esoteric and sometimes religious or occult symbolism was often seen on the blades of many of the weapons they used.
The dark symbols of the wheel and noose were often found on the sword of justice, not actually used as execution swords typically, but as the bearing sword, signifying the magistrate's ultimate authority to impose death as required.

Often when an execution was carried out, there are references that suggest a knife with cabalistic letters or such symbolism was left by the corpse to indicate this was an act of justice and not a murder.

In my opinion this old blade, probably 18th century or earlier, was taken from one of these old swords, and used dramatically in this hirshfanger. The Vehmic courts, though primarily prevailing in Westphalian regions, were finally formally abolished in 1811, and had continued more in traditional sense.

While I see the caution as noted by the sellers as far is not seeing this as a sword of justice, the blade as noted may well have been cut down as often the case. As far as these inscribed markings, they seem crude, ersatz versions of the more familiar cross and gallows devices on 17th century 'execution' type swords (usually with rebated blade tips and the three hole piercing at blade end).

In noting the gallows, the intended meaning is obvious...with the wheel, breaking ties to a wheel was also a means of capital punishment.