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Unread 12-02-2010, 01:22 PM   #6
Don M
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Barr, thanks for the additional information. The grip strap marking is definitely from the state police of Württemberg. Württemberg was a separate state, like Prussia, in the Weimar Republic. These police were the equivalent of the Schutzpolizei in Prussia and other German states. During the Weimar era, the police were either state or local, not national.

There are several other Lugers with Polizei Württemberg markings listed in Table 16-1 of my book, History Writ in Steel. Where the information is available, none of them has a sear safety. This indicates these weapons were issued to the barracked Bereitshaftspolizei which was transferred to the Landespolizei and then to the military in 1934-36. The Lugers of these police were exempted from the 1933 order to add sear and mag safeties.

You mentioned a "rework program" and I assume you are relating that to the 1920 stamp on the chamber. This stamp did not signify that the gun was reworked in 1920. It indicates that the pistol belonged to a government agency (military, police) in 1920 to exempt it from the requirement for civilians to turn in weapons.
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Don
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Author of History Writ in Steel: German Police Markings 1900-1936
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Last edited by Don M; 12-02-2010 at 01:23 PM. Reason: Correct typo
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