German Unit Records of Issue?

Mark McMorrow · 07-24-2001, 02:41 PM

Hi All,

Knowing how keen the Germans were to keep good records, I was wondering if it is possible to determine where 3rd Reich Lugers went to once they reached military stores? Is it possible to research what units received specific Lugers by the serial numbers?

Mark

07-24-2001, 03:18 PM

In a word, NO. At least to date I have never heard of any anyone finding a serial number accounting of which depots received which lugers nor which units the lugers (by serial number) were issued. I personally don't think that the Germans tracked weapons (smalls arms) from the top down by the serial numbers like they now do in the U.S. military. As you probably know, the weapon number was entered in the soldiers pay book, but seldom was any other details such as year of production or maker (ie code mark), this omission alone would make it impossible to tie a firearm back to a soldier even if you had all 15 million paybooks!

07-24-2001, 02:41 PM	#1
Mark McMorrow User Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: NE USA Posts: 28 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	German Unit Records of Issue? Hi All, Knowing how keen the Germans were to keep good records, I was wondering if it is possible to determine where 3rd Reich Lugers went to once they reached military stores? Is it possible to research what units received specific Lugers by the serial numbers? Mark

07-24-2001, 03:18 PM	#2
BCC Guest Posts: n/a	Re: German Unit Records of Issue? In a word, NO. At least to date I have never heard of any anyone finding a serial number accounting of which depots received which lugers nor which units the lugers (by serial number) were issued. I personally don't think that the Germans tracked weapons (smalls arms) from the top down by the serial numbers like they now do in the U.S. military. As you probably know, the weapon number was entered in the soldiers pay book, but seldom was any other details such as year of production or maker (ie code mark), this omission alone would make it impossible to tie a firearm back to a soldier even if you had all 15 million paybooks!