Holster info, please

Tom M · 10-17-2007, 10:03 AM

Just got a 1939 S/42 with all matching numbers, including the mag. The holster that came with it is marked:

FROS*****EL
BRESLAU
1940

The asterisks indicate unreadable characters. The holster is brown in color, with white stitching, and has the buckle type closure.

The gun appears to be military issue, but I thought all the military leather was black. Can anyone tell me what I've got here? Thanks so much.

lugerholsterrepair · 10-17-2007, 11:00 AM

Tom, No..it is quite common to come accross Luger leather of this year in brown. Most of it was black by directive but there were services like the Luftwaffe who were not bound by the Army directives. This does not specifically make this a Luftwaffe holster just because it's brown. Jerry Burney

Tom M · 10-17-2007, 12:20 PM

Thanks, Jerry. I didn't know the black leather was an Army thing only.

Thanks, Tac. I was going nuts trying to figure out what that said. The stamping was light in the middle, like there was nothing behind the leather when it was stamped. In fact, I had to use a magnifying glass to make out the "BRESLAU" part. The WaA 182 is very clear.

George Anderson · 10-17-2007, 02:49 PM

Trying to categorize Luger holsters by color to one branch or another is a hopeless endeavor. Most Luftwaffe (E/2) holsters I have seen were black. Some militaries are black some are brown most of those I have come across dated 1940 or later are black but not all.

Nazi police holsters are much easier to designate as either Schutzpolizei (black) or Landes Gendarmerei (brown).

lugerholsterrepair · 10-17-2007, 05:57 PM

Tom, Tac and George are quite correct. The directive was an effort at uniformity. It was not universally accepted.
There were also two different Luftwaffe sections..The flying Luftwaffe and the anti Aircraft section. These Anti Aircraft types were Luftwaffe but in a different World than the flying crews. They manned the AA guns and searchlights. There were many thousands of these guys and many had Lugers issued to them. Most of these fellows were in large cities and not even near an airfield. I suspect some of the brown holsters might have been from this service.
Jerry Burney

Tom M · 10-17-2007, 07:32 PM

Thanks, guys. This holster didn't spend its life on the parade ground. From the wear on the top, it looks like it was worn by a man who sat down a lot, and used it as an armrest; and it has a few dings and scuffs. Maybe some kind of driver, or the company clerk. We'll never know, but it's fun to speculate.

10-17-2007, 10:03 AM	#1
Tom M User Join Date: Dec 2005 Posts: 37 Thanks: 1 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Holster info, please Just got a 1939 S/42 with all matching numbers, including the mag. The holster that came with it is marked: FROS*****EL BRESLAU 1940 The asterisks indicate unreadable characters. The holster is brown in color, with white stitching, and has the buckle type closure. The gun appears to be military issue, but I thought all the military leather was black. Can anyone tell me what I've got here? Thanks so much. __________________ Tom

10-17-2007, 11:00 AM	#2
lugerholsterrepair Moderator Lifetime Forum Patron Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Arizona/Colorado Posts: 7,775 Thanks: 4,995 Thanked 3,133 Times in 1,439 Posts	Tom, No..it is quite common to come accross Luger leather of this year in brown. Most of it was black by directive but there were services like the Luftwaffe who were not bound by the Army directives. This does not specifically make this a Luftwaffe holster just because it's brown. Jerry Burney __________________ Jerry Burney 11491 S. Guadalupe Drive Yuma AZ 85367-6182 lugerholsterrepair@earthlink.net 928 342-7583 (CO & AZ) Year Round 719 207-3331 (cell) "For those who Fight For It, Life has a flavor the protected will never know."

10-17-2007, 12:20 PM	#3
Tom M User Join Date: Dec 2005 Posts: 37 Thanks: 1 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Thanks, Jerry. I didn't know the black leather was an Army thing only. Thanks, Tac. I was going nuts trying to figure out what that said. The stamping was light in the middle, like there was nothing behind the leather when it was stamped. In fact, I had to use a magnifying glass to make out the "BRESLAU" part. The WaA 182 is very clear. __________________ Tom

10-17-2007, 05:57 PM	#5
lugerholsterrepair Moderator Lifetime Forum Patron Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Arizona/Colorado Posts: 7,775 Thanks: 4,995 Thanked 3,133 Times in 1,439 Posts	Tom, Tac and George are quite correct. The directive was an effort at uniformity. It was not universally accepted. There were also two different Luftwaffe sections..The flying Luftwaffe and the anti Aircraft section. These Anti Aircraft types were Luftwaffe but in a different World than the flying crews. They manned the AA guns and searchlights. There were many thousands of these guys and many had Lugers issued to them. Most of these fellows were in large cities and not even near an airfield. I suspect some of the brown holsters might have been from this service. Jerry Burney __________________ Jerry Burney 11491 S. Guadalupe Drive Yuma AZ 85367-6182 lugerholsterrepair@earthlink.net 928 342-7583 (CO & AZ) Year Round 719 207-3331 (cell) "For those who Fight For It, Life has a flavor the protected will never know."

10-17-2007, 07:32 PM	#6
Tom M User Join Date: Dec 2005 Posts: 37 Thanks: 1 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Thanks, guys. This holster didn't spend its life on the parade ground. From the wear on the top, it looks like it was worn by a man who sat down a lot, and used it as an armrest; and it has a few dings and scuffs. Maybe some kind of driver, or the company clerk. We'll never know, but it's fun to speculate. __________________ Tom

10-17-2007, 02:49 PM	#4
George Anderson Lifer Lifetime Forum Patron Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: VA Posts: 3,592 Thanks: 1,773 Thanked 2,531 Times in 788 Posts	Trying to categorize Luger holsters by color to one branch or another is a hopeless endeavor. Most Luftwaffe (E/2) holsters I have seen were black. Some militaries are black some are brown most of those I have come across dated 1940 or later are black but not all. Nazi police holsters are much easier to designate as either Schutzpolizei (black) or Landes Gendarmerei (brown).