Gun Permit- Berlin 1923
 

Here is something you don't see every day.

This permit to allow possesion of a 'small handgun' was issued by the police of Berlin in 1923.

Otto's last name is difficult to read. But I found him in the 1925 Berlin address book. He lived on Alt-Moabit 53 and his last name is Simson.

If I am correct he worked as a typesetter.

Very cool! :thumbup:

Is there any chance he was related to the Simsons who manufactured/refurbished Lugers during that period??? :)

Alas, no. Simson was a very common name back then.

That being said, Simson in Suhl did have a sales office in Berlin. Found it on the same page :)

The address Unter den Linden 75/6 refers to the Schulte commercial building, in which Simson probably rented an office. Strategically located in the power district of Berlin, not far away from DWM/Loewe/Mauser's trade offices.

The building was destroyed in WW2.

At some other time, I read or saw a weapons permit from the 30's. Uncommon for sure, but if you were a good, upstanding person and later a good nazi you could get one.

Have one of those too. A bit more restrictive. Will look it up.

This one was issued in 1943.

Gun permits were reintroduced in Western Germany in 1951.
This permit was issued for 2 hunting rifles in 1954, one of them was a Simson.

The vast number of guns that resurfaced in Germany after 1945, a complete ban on guns and attempts to disarm the population proves that attempts to disarm a population are completely pointless and useless.