[Edward Tinker]

German Police Lugers And Their Markings 1918—1958
By Edward B. Tinker
and
Dwight Gruber

Has been sent ot our publisher Brad Simpson, Brad has produced numerous excellent books, Don Maus', Simson Lugers, my Veteran Bring Backs, The Parabellum Luger by Gerben and Mauro, and many others not gun related (to include the new Sturgis Masterpiece).

from our first pages: (there is a forward from my good friend Jan C. Still)

Introduction

It is important for the reader and collector to understand that a reference to German police should not bring to mind the customary picture of the relatively small, civilian-raised, community-based groups dedicated to “protect and serve” as experienced in North America, the United Kingdom, and like societies. Based on the model of the nineteenth-century French Gendarmerie (a result of acculturation from 400 years of French hegemony), German police forces were large, often barracked, quasi-military organizations which drew most of their members from the cadres of Army veterans. In the years before WWII the newly-created Landespolizei (State Police) was transferred whole and absorbed into the Wehrmacht to become regular Army troops. Members of the Schutzpolizei and other municipal police forces sometimes served the army as Feldgendarmerie (Military Police); and German Schupomen formed the Police Battalions which were responsible for maintaining order and subsequent atrocities in the occupied territories during WWII.

Germany was the archetypal police state. Municipal functions, which we take for granted as performed by the civil service, were police matters in Germany. License and control of businesses; street lighting; control and upkeep of road surfaces; night watchmen; wells & water conduits; fire fighting; street begging; public health; passport, registration, and aliens’ affairs; the Theater Police; the Market Police; servants office; embezzlement; control of gambling; the Morals Police; trade affairs; issue of hunting licenses; control of mentally ill and insane, and facilities for them; supervision of trucking matters; construction matters; and supervision of insurance pay-out offices, are only a few of the everyday matters which were responsibilities of the Ordnungspolizei, the Order Police.


It is a fascinating book and one that is different than many, with facts and figures and interesting comments (if I say so myself)

Overall, it am pleased to have been a major part of it over the last 3.5 years.

I expect it to be out in about four months, perhaps on the market in August or September....


Ed