Captured from a German Officer

[Joe]

Orv is correct, German officers did not as a rule carry P-08 or P-38s. Just look at all the available period photographs and the guys carring the Big pistols were most often the EM. The officers carried the smaller .32 or .380. The average GI did not understand the German command insignia, so they often were unaware most times of who the actual officers were. I once purchased a Mauser model 1914 from a vet's son who also had an actual photo of his father standing with the older "general", but looking at his shoulder board, the prisioner was actually a sergeant. The "story" always sounded better when the gun was taken from a General or a high ranking SS officer.

German paratroopers were all equipped with Lugers, [look at the period photos] as they jumped with their long arms unloaded, as a safety precaution. The P-08 was their only immediate protection when they hit the ground.

The Germans didn't consider the Luger to anything other than another military weapon. There was no specical "status" carring a Luger.