Hey Fabian,
Sounds like you have the same basic questions as I. Fortunately we have both come to the right place for answers. There is so much collective knowledge here that all I can tell you is read as much of it sa you have time for. here is an exerpt from a recent excange I had with one of the best.
I asked-
How do I release a cocked empty Luger to avoid dry-firing? Can or should it be un-cocked while 'geladen'?
Dwight Gruber replied-
'A Luger should never be de-cocked with a round in the chamber!!
With the gun safely unloaded, pull back the toggle and slowly let it come back to battery. At some point, roughly 1/4 inch from closure, you will feel a 'catch' or an increase in resistance as the sear engages the striker and holds it in position to be cocked. At this point depress the trigger; the sear will come out of engagement and the firing pin will continue forward with the breechblock. The technique is a bit of a trick; the exact point, amount of resistance, and amount of trigger pull necessary varies a bit from gun to gun. Once you get the hang of it, it will become second nature.
The breechblock continues forward with the firing-pin tip protruding through the breech face; if there is a cartridge in the chamber it can be touched off.'
I asked-
What is the nature of the risk of breaking the striker when dry-firing? Is it similar to racing an engine in neutral, i.e. it needs a load to push against?
Dwight replied-
'The short answer is, yes. Dry-firing is a solid metal-to-metal contact of the striker with the breechblock, a particularly egregious battering of two metal parts. Your Luger is more than 85 years old, much closer to the end of its operational lifetime than the beginnig. A broken numbered part will reduce the value of your Luger substantially.'
These guys may not necessarily agree on everything but you can tell what they say is well researched and based on years of experience. IMHO
Russell
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