1911 Erfurt

[Don M]

Russ,

I hope you do get it and post photos. I'm particularly interested in the grip strap mark. While the "PL." conforms to the 1932 Prussian Manual 40a marking instructions for the Polizeischule f�¼r Liebes�¼bungen (Police School for Physical Training) in Spandau, I seriously doubt that it is from that institution. That school was for the training of sports instructors for the police, who were very into competitive sports and physical education. I doubt that they would have had a weapons inventory, much less one that had at least seven units and at least one with at least 77 pistols. I think this is from one of those non-Prussian "mystery" police units.

Ron,

You beat me to the punch but the above may support your Imperial Army ID as well as a possible non-Prussian police mark. I don't have access to my database now but know that there are other PL. or P.L. marks recorded. There was some speculation about the ID in the past but I can't recall right now just what it was.