Question for JuergenG

[Jim Van Eldik]

I was spending some time reading some of the forum bios and happended on JuergenG's comment about his favorite Luger being presented to him by the widow of a former Totenkopf soldier who died in 1999. My curiosity is killing me. How did the man manage to retain the pistol after the war? Did the man ever have occasion to use it in combat? If I'm not to nosy it must be an interesting story.

[JuergenG]

Well,


my friend joined the SS voluntarily in the age of 17.


He was issued this pistol in 1942 when he came to the Totenkopf Div. after basic training in Poland and a short period in the Dachau CC. They called that period "hardening training". He could only stand this for some weeks and asked for transfer to a combat unit several times. This was finally permitted and he found himself in Russia soon.


Being a machine gunner he carried it as a side weapon through the end of the war.

Walking home from Austria after withdrawal from Yugoslavia he's been hiding the pistol in a barn at home.

Being found and captured by US troops he went to a POW camp for approx. 18 months.

Back home the pistol was still where he secured it.

He kept it although he could have been shot for doing so.


In 1979 his neighbor passed away and he was presented by his widow a non registered P38 (CYQ Spreewerke) in excellent condition.

He went to authorities for registration (almost impossible nowadays, when a non-registered gun turns up) and decided to legalize the P08 along with the P 38.


As to use in combat, I'm pretty sure that this had happened.

The blueing shows some wear from being drawn from the holster and put back.

Some years ago we went to the range and I asked him, how many souls this pistol was accounting for. His only reply was "Son, these times are gone for long, let's not talk about it".

And that's what I know.


The P 08 is a standard byf 41, serial no. is 2884.

Not sure of the suffix at the moment (almost sure it's "h") as I am working from an external location. Will check over the weekend and confirm.

Original wooden grips.

The mag is matching, stamped with a cross marking it to be be spare mag issued with the pistol.

It's an FXO #37. I have a 2nd FXO #63 I use as a spare mag.

Both are with the aluminium bottom.


I also have the holster he carried the 08 in during the war.

It is a police style holster, not a standard Wehrmacht issue.


Juergen

[Marvin]

Juergen,


I would like to thank you for answering Jim's question also. It is very interesting to hear the true story about one of these fine pistols. Many of the P.08s in this country could really tell some interesting stories if they could only talk. If you know other stories from Veterans, please let us know! Again, thank you!!!


Marvin

Marvin & Jim are right, wonderful stories! Really brings things to life.


Same with the story about the Germans in the cafe in America!


Ed