The best seller "In the Garden of Beasts" by Eric Larson describes Germany through the eyes of American Ambassador Dodd and his family during the 1930s. The book notes the American consul in Stuttgart (50 miles from Mauser/Oberndorf) sent a secret communique to the American Embassy in Berlin, September 1933, saying that Mauser had sharply increased arms production. In August 1934 Dodd's correspondence includes a cable to Washington stating that Germany was re-arming "feverishly".
Whether the K and G and manufacturer code subterfuge confused anyone I don't know, and I see no reference in the book to Lugers specifically, but clearly the U.S. Govt. was generally aware of German rearmament as early as 1933-34 time frame.
I highly recommend the book to anyone interested in 1930s Germany.
I had wondered the same thing myself and your question made me dig out the book and search for "Mauser", thanks
|