I have small collection of swords; maybe 40, several of them are of German mfg.several have small engraved items such as flowers on the blade. Do these have any significance or where they merely a whimsy of the manufacturer? If there are any forums on this topic could you help me find them This is my first post, thank you.

Germany supplied most of the blades throughout Europe in the 19th and the 20th century.
It would be foolish for high ranked officers to slash down each other on the battlefield with very expensive blades, so these were more likely presentation swords.
They were awarded for officers for absolving an academy, promotion in rank or simply as a birthday gift. These swords were the private property of the officer in fact one could have as many as 4-5 swords, some of them ordered by the officer himself and strongly personalized. There were some certain standards to respect, but many swords were unique, adapted to the owners personal needs. Swordmakers could etch any desired text or decoration on the blade.
If you're interested in German swords I would strongly recommend the following page specialized in the subject:
http://www.blankwaffen-forum.com
Don't worry, you don't need to speak German, you can use English.
Please post some pictures on this forum too.

Thank you I will check out the site and send photos of some of my blades.