DWM's Werk Wittenau and Martinikenfelde, Berlin
 

Hi,

Recently acquired a set of original photographs of DWM's Berlin-Wittenau plant. It was erected in 1907 and enlarged during 1914-1918.

Originally, it was intented as a new accomodation to replace the Karlsruhe-based ammunition plants. Problems with enlarging Berlin's Martinikenfelde plant changed that and they decided to relocate all Martinikenfelde operations to the new Wittenau location.

This also was never fully completed, because of the production increases during WW1. So in 1918, the Karlsruhe plant, the martinikenfelde plant and the Wittenau plant were all in use.

Part of the Wittenau plant later became part of DWM's spin-off, the 'Deutsche Waggon- und Maschinenfabriken'.

Parts of the Wittenau plant were completely renovated some years ago and are currently in use as the Berlin state archive, they were also in use earlier as military archives.

<a href="http://forums.lugerforum.com/lfupload/wittenau.jpg" target="_fullview"><img src="http://forums.lugerforum.com/lfupload/wittenau.jpg" width="400" alt="Click for fullsize image" /></a>

Interesting Gerben, any inside pictures?

thanks!

Ed

Hi Ed,

I'm working on more inside-info on arms production. Have a good documented view of the Karlsruhe ammunition production, administration, education and even the company restaurant.

If all goes well, I'll have some more in my hands next week. It will mainly be photographic evidence of pre-WW1 German rifle-manufacture, along with some contemporary 1912 ads from Mauser and Krieghoff, to name a few.

This is one of the pictures the seller sent me, showing 2 pages of the publication, with a photo of Mauser riflestock production.

<a href="http://forums.lugerforum.com/lfupload/gewehrfabrikation.jpg" target="_fullview"><img src="http://forums.lugerforum.com/lfupload/gewehrfabrikation.jpg" width="400" alt="Click for fullsize image" /></a>

Hi,

A 1913 published booklet called
'Moderne Gewehrfabrikation' (Modern Arms Production) came in today.

Interesting, as it describes machining of firearms practised by the then modern companies of DWM, Mauser and FN to name a few.

Although it basically addresses the production of rifles, it states that production of pistols is done along similar lines with similar machinery.

Barrel production steps in Berlin-Martinikenfelde, pre-1913.

<a href="http://forums.lugerforum.com/lfupload/gewehrlauf_dwm.jpg" target="_fullview"><img src="http://forums.lugerforum.com/lfupload/gewehrlauf_dwm.jpg" width="400" alt="Click for fullsize image" /></a>

Barrel forging in Berlin-Martinikenfelde, pre-1913.

<a href="http://forums.lugerforum.com/lfupload/hammerschmiede_dwm.jpg" target="_fullview"><img src="http://forums.lugerforum.com/lfupload/hammerschmiede_dwm.jpg" width="400" alt="Click for fullsize image" /></a>

And a word from our sponsor. It appears that Loewe's name was still associated with arms production machinery, almost 10 years after the forming of DWM. Later DWM would furbish equipment for arms and ammunition production under it's own name.

<a href="http://forums.lugerforum.com/lfupload/loewe_advert_small.jpg" target="_fullview"><img src="http://forums.lugerforum.com/lfupload/loewe_advert_small.jpg" width="400" alt="Click for fullsize image" /></a>