(OT) But ...

tom · 05-09-2002, 09:33 AM

Steve is quite correct. One of the first orders promulgated by Allied Occupation Forces prohibited private possession of weapons in Germany. As a result many, many hundreds of priceless antiques were turned over by citizens to military authorities, which sometimes happened to be the first GI they encountered.

My dad who was there said that he saw antique cross bows, wheel locks and the odd civil war vintage colt cap and ball being turned in as well as the thousands of Lugers, P-38s, MP-40s, etc, etc.

The German's had, by spring 1945, all the the fight beaten out of them and were simply trying to do anything to stay in areas controlled by the Brits and Americans. If this meant giving up everything, it was far preferable to falling into hands of the rooskies.

Tom

05-09-2002, 09:33 AM	#5
tom User Join Date: Jun 2002 Posts: 269 Thanks: 0 Thanked 4 Times in 2 Posts	Re: US Army and gun bans Steve is quite correct. One of the first orders promulgated by Allied Occupation Forces prohibited private possession of weapons in Germany. As a result many, many hundreds of priceless antiques were turned over by citizens to military authorities, which sometimes happened to be the first GI they encountered. My dad who was there said that he saw antique cross bows, wheel locks and the odd civil war vintage colt cap and ball being turned in as well as the thousands of Lugers, P-38s, MP-40s, etc, etc. The German's had, by spring 1945, all the the fight beaten out of them and were simply trying to do anything to stay in areas controlled by the Brits and Americans. If this meant giving up everything, it was far preferable to falling into hands of the rooskies. Tom