Commemoration Monument for Georg Luger

[stammbaum]

Dear Members,
As collectors who care about guns and history you have all heard of Georg Luger. Georg Johann Luger, a native Austrian, had the center of his life here in Berlin, Germany. Here he made the famous design of the Luger pistol. His name is well known all over the world.
Georg Luger died in a small village on the outskirts of Berlin in 1923. He and his wife have been buried in a cemetery of that town. In 1945 their graves were levelled due to the urgent need of gravesites for huge amounts of bodies of German and Russian soldiers. Since that time no more site exists that bears his name.
With a couple of friends we have the opportunity to change that. We conceived of a gravestone with Lugers name and probably some important dates of his life. One option was a gravestone upfront on the grounds of exactly that same cemetery he was originally buried at.
We now have an opportunity to make this reality. Recently I sent emails and letters to well-known Luger researchers, authors, collectors, and historians to ask them for letters of support for this project we could present to the mayor of this town in Germany.
I am now following that up with a request for financial support to make this project a reality with those same people. And I wanted to include the members of this forum and kindly ask for your support as well.
Below is a copy of that letter which includes the information for those that wish to donate. Thank you!

Kind regards,
Wolf-Dietrich Roth



Interessengemeinschaft zur Errichtung eines Gedenksteines für den weltbekannten Waffenkonstrukteur Georg Luger.
(Interest Group for the Establishment of a Commemorative Monument for the Internationally Renowned Handgun Designer Georg Luger)
(Wolf-Dietrich N. Roth, Christian Bogdan, Heinz Krauß)

Dear Sirs,
We recently informed you about our effort to honor Georg Luger here in Berlin, where he accomplished his design of the Luger pistol, and it is now on the verge of success. We give thanks to all who supported us with compassion and their endorsements.
After long lasting consultations, Mr. Ralf Steinbrueck, the Mayor of the Berlin suburb of Schoeneiche, where Georg Luger spent his final years and is his final resting place, has agreed to permit a commemoration stone in the cemetery where Luger and his wife were interred (attached is a scan of the Mayor´s letter). The actual gravesite was levelled during the final days of World War II, and replaced by mass graves for those sacrificed in the defense of the Capital.
A space for the Luger commemoration stone is now offered to us not far from the originally assumed grave location of Georg Luger and directly opposite the official local War Graves memorial.
All is prepared!
Yet, the details of a dignified commemoration monument will determined by the financial means at our disposal. It includes the purchase of the space for 25 years and the purchase of the commemoration stone. We are therefore appealing to internationally renowned Luger collectors, researchers, authors, and all those who are interested in the support of our endeavor. We are a private association. So we cannot guarantee that your potential donation will be tax-deductible in your country.
The offer for the space is based on a limited time frame and only available until the 30th of April 2018. We therefore appeal to you to inform us as soon as possible in advance whether you will be able to donate, and if so, to what extent. If you trust in us you can transfer the amount you want to donate to the bank account below. We hereby guarantee to you a refund, and will transfer the exact donated amount back to you if the project fails. I am appointed to manage a discretionary bank account to accept donations. Bank statements will be published regularly.
We will be glad to honor each and every donation with a Personal Certificate and we plan, if desired, to publish the names of those that donate in the professional German journals like “dwj” and “Visier”.
We ask you for your written response not later than the 30th of April 2018.

We thank you in advance

For the interest group:
Wolf-Dietrich Nikolaus Roth

Berlin, 04.05.2018

00493074302052
00491723108208

Attachment (letter of the Mayor of Schoeneiche)

Bank account:
Wolf-Dietrich Nikolaus Roth
Berliner Sparkasse IBAN: DE38 1005 0000 1068 1737 49 BIC: BELADEBEXXX

[Ron C.]

Let me first say that what a worthy cause this is and I thank Wolf for doing this.

I would be proud to be a part of it and wish to donate $50.00 USD.

I would also like to say that John D. has blessed this project and graciously allowed Wolf to post this here. For those of you that don't know me I am a moderator over on the P.38 Forum. I am good friends with John D., Ed Tinker, and Ron Wood. Wolf is also a friend, collector, researcher, and co-author, of mine. I don't need to tell you guys how important Georg Luger was to this hobby and the history involved. And I hope many of you will want to be involved with this.

A donation in any amount would really help this project!

Lastly, I will volunteer to make this as easy as possible for the members here that don't want to hassle with a bank transfer.

You may donate via PayPal using my email address of 1clarin@integra.net

Please enter the PayPal as a "gift" or transfer to "friends and family". Whatever works to give the full amount to the cause.

You may also donate via a check or money order and send them to me at:

Ron Clarin
PO Box 65
Lakeville, MN 55044

At the necessary cut-off date I will transfer all funds to Wolf in one lump sum including my donation to help this very important project. Georg Luger is a very important person from a historical perspective and deserves our consideration.

If there are any questions please feel free to ask.

Thanks,
Ron

[Edward Tinker]

Bank transfers are common in Europe, but not as common in the USA. I was wondering about other means of payment, and being international, thought of Paypal.

Good option.

Although I do not need recognition, will you give Wolff a listing of those who donate under your name?


Ed

[stammbaum]

Ed,

I agree with you. PayPal in Europe is not used for payment as much as bank transfers.

So, no problem.

Anybody who would like to send his donation by PayPal is welcome.

Wolf-Dietrich Roth
Email: wdnroth@googlemail.com

Thank you

and best regards

Wolf

[Ron C.]

Ed,

Paypal received. Thank you!

Ron

[stammbaum]

Ed,

thank you in advance!
I really appreciate it.

With thankful regards

Wolf

[Ron C.]

Still time to donate to this very worthy cause. Please consider it.

Ron

[stammbaum]

Members,

It´s clear now, the memorial for Georg Luger will definitely be implemented.
The inauguration will take place in the autumn this year.
Donations (see above) are still needed and welcome, this is the last call.

Thank you beforehand.
Wolf-D. Roth

[stammbaum]

Dear members,

this is the final announcement for the celebration.

Thank you all for your support.


Regards, Wolf

[Vlim]

I was looking forward to being present. Reservation made, prepped the CL 500 for a nice road trip to Berlin, looking forward to meeting Wolf and the Luger family.

And then I collapsed at home and spent thursday evening at the hospital after an ambulance trip.

Extreme exhaustion, mostly due to an overactive rheumatic condition, made my brain decide to switch off the left side limbs for a while. Still walking like a drunk old fart, but slowly recovering. Tired like hell. Also found that, although not threatening, my heart rhythm is not playing by the book. Which does screw up diagnostics though. Glad I don't smoke.

I hope the unveiling was a success and to visit the memorial when things improve.

Sorry for any spelling mistakes. I can't sit behind a PC and my smartphone not always agrees with my impaired finger movements.

[gunnertwo]

Best wishes for a quick recovery.

G2

[stammbaum]

Gerben,
it is a pity that you could not attend the unveiling.
I hope for a quick recovery.
Our thanks to you will become expressed as well with the next thread!!!
Thank you,
Wolf

[stammbaum]

Dear members,

The unveiling ceremony of the Luger monument took place on the 29th of September.
It was a beautiful ceremonious event.

Lots of visitors took part including well known personalities from all over Europe, including Dr. Geoffrey Sturgess and his wife from Switzerland and Stephen A. Petroni of Malta, chairman of the FESAC. We also had a great support from Wolfhart Fritze (Switzerland) and Brad Simpson (USA).

We are grateful for all the donations which helped to bring this campaign to a full success. We would not have been able to collect the amount of money we needed without some very generous donors.

The monument is located on a cemetery in the small town of Schoeneiche near Berlin.

Address: Friedensaue, 15566 Schoeneiche bei Berlin, Germany

Now everybody knows where to honour this magnificent personality GEORG JOHANN LUGER

Thank you all
Wolf Roth