2011 Meeting in Oberndorf (Kü-Club)

[Jamka]

Gents,

On this forum, almost a year ago, pictures were posted of a meeting of the so called “Kü-Club”. Four years ago the authors of “The Mauser Parabellum 1930-1946” (Don Hallock & Joop van de Kant) and “The Parabellum is Back” (Mauro Baudino & Gerben van Vlimmeren) went to Oberndorf in Germany, in order to meet Prof. Dr. R. Gminder, the former manager of Mauser Jagdwaffen G.M.B.H., established in this town. Present were also Gerd Schön and Otto Repa, former Waffenmeister of Mauser. The main aim was to discover yet unknown facts about the Mauser production of Luger pistols, during the years 1930-1946 and 1946-2000.

One of the questions that could not yet be answered was the meaning of the “Kü” marking, which is reported to be found on Luger pistols in many collections over the world. At that time, Prof. Dr. Gminder suggested to continue the research, and organize annual meetings in Oberndorf, until a final and documented solution would have emerged. Since, this small working group came together every year early in July, under the name of the “Kü-Club”.

This meeting is informal, we arrive on Friday evening, enjoying a dinner together in the local Gasthof (rural hotel). On Saturday morning we visit the Oberndorf Arms Museum, and the old hall “D” of the Mauser factory where the Luger pistols once were assembled. There is also a visit to the cemetery of Oberndorf, with the impressive Mauser family mausoleum. After a light lunch we will join the meeting where new evidence about the Kü marked pistols is reported. Every collector of Luger pistols is welcome, the principle is that everyone participating will present the results of his personal “Kü” findings. Of course, all other Mauser related subjects can be brought forward too.

Mauro Baudino and Gerben van Vlimmeren will do a presentation on the Paul Mauser personal archive work they have accomplished during the last couple of years. It is based upon the study of many documents, such as Paul Mauser’s personal diaries, letters... Additional presentations are welcomed – a beamer is available in the meeting room. In such case, please inform us about the subject and the time you would need.

This year’s meeting takes place from Friday 8th of July (6:00 AM), until Sunday 10th of July (12:00 AM). Costs of rooms, two dinners, two breakfasts and one lunch will be in total around Euro 150.00 ($ 210.00). Participants should organize individually their journey to Oberndorf a/d Neckar – not far away from the German City of Stuttgart in the so called Black Forest. The number of available rooms in Oberndorf is limited, therefore we invite you to contact one of us before the 10th of April when you want to join us for this year’s Kü-Club meeting.

Don Hallock & Joop van de Kant
Mauro Baudino & Gerben van Vlimmeren

[Vlim]

The 2012 meeting is scheduled for the weekend of 13-15 July. As with the other years, there are no restriction other than the opportunity to travel to Oberndorf and 'be there'.

It seems that our favorite hangout has finally gone belly up, so we are looking at another guest house in the area. More details will follow when we have more information on the details.

Bring clean socks, there is a chance things will be documented on video this time.

Arriving with an appropriate car will be considered as a bonus:

From left to right:
Mauro Baudino
Yours Truly
Reinhard Kornmayer

[tomaustin]

will there be a German agency to assist with the travel arrangements? this would be a very interesting and enjoyable experience.....tom

[Ron Wood]

So close, but gonna miss it. Sarah and I are taking a Rhine River cruise August 12-20, Amsterdam to Basel and then two days in Lucerne. 2012 marks our 50th year of marriage, so this is our "second honeymoon". Would have been neat if the dates and locations accommodated a brief visit with your Oberndorf bunch.

[SlayerK98]

If there are no rooms available in Oberndorf, the small town of Alpirsbach is only about 30 min away. Stayed there recently after visiting the Waffen Museum.

Eric

[Vlim]

Hello forum members,

There is no official date for the 2013 Kü Meeting in Oberndorf am Neckar yet, but we expect that the meeting will again take place in the early weeks of July.

Those who are interested in attending the meeting can send us a message and we will keep you informed through the lugerforums as well. This is the chance to take a tour of the old Mauser factory in Oberndorf, visit the Oberndorf Weapons Museum and meet former Mauser staff, other collectors and authors.

Please use the mail address theparabellumisback@kpnmail.nl to contact us for planning, reservations and transport.

[Vlim]

The 2013 meeting was this weekend. It was good to meet old friends and new friends in Oberndorf again. On saturday some new books were presented to the museum, a stunningly engraved, and the very last, Mauser Parabellum was shown to the attendants. We enjoyed good food and good gun talks and as usual a couple of surprises emerged again.

On sunday we visited the small castle of Lichtenegg, former residence of Mauser R&D manager Ott-Helmut von Lossnitzer.

We had to miss a few regular guests due to some health and planning issues, but we hope to meet them again next year.

Fortunately, no further Kü conclusions were made, so we have a reason to gather in Oberndorf again in 2014.

Thanks to the Oberndorf Weapons Museum and its director, mr. Andreas Kussmann-Hochhalter, as well as to Gerd Schön who was our tireless guide for the weekend again. We stayed at the Guesthouse Melber, with a good view of the Mauser buildings.

[jussi16]

Can anyone tell what this "Kü" -marking means? I googled küstenflieger. Part of the Lufwaffe maybe?

jussi

[Lugerdoc]

Jussi, The "Oberndorf Group" has been attempting to find definative proof of the linage of these KU lugers for many years, without success. IMHO, Mauser shipped their left over PO8 parts some time after 1942, when they ceased PO8 production, to Kreighoff, the last remaining producer of PO8s. KH, was making PO8 solely for the Luffwaffe, so inturn KH had one of their sub-plants or a LW repair depot, assemble these parts for the LW, and so marked them KU (Kreighoff assembled) to distinguish them from their normal production. These lugers probably ended up going to LW manned antiaircraft or other LW ground based units, since most air crews were issued non-German made pistol (CZ27s, FN22s, FEGs, etc) because if they were shot down, their probability of surviving or making back into service, were slim and the Army had priority receiving German made small arms. TH

[Dick Herman]

Has the Ku-Club met this year?

[Vlim]

Yes, we have.

The meeting was relatively short due to some cancellations, though.
No new Kü insights, but some interesting finds in other areas, including finding the location of 3 large diesel aggregates in the basement of one of the Mauser buildings (the aggregates are gone, but the support structure is still there).

We also investigated the location of the former "Türkenbau", a building in Turkish style that was built originally to house the Turkish acceptance committee for the large Turkish rifle contract. The building was torn down in the 1960s and replaced by a school and a building that, interestingly and quite fitting in a way, now houses the local Mosque.

[Dick Herman]

I am impressed, you all are so much more than gun collectors. You are versatile historians.

[jussi16]

Maybe this book contains some info about Kü -pistols. Does any of the members here have it?
Küstenflieger: The Operational History of the German Naval Air Service 1935-1944