Questions on Unit Marked 1920 Overstamped Luger

J. L. Lyon · 07-09-2002, 01:03 AM

Mr Still just identified the markings on a Luger I've had for some years as likely being from a cavalry regiment, specifically 2nd Eskadron 18 Reiter Regiment weapon 44. The pistol was made at the Erfurt arsenal in 1917, and has 1920 stamped above 1917. The unit markings are on the front grip strap. I was told by the gentleman who sold it to me that the pistol was issued to a Weimar Republic army unit, though he provide no information to support this. Is there any information as to whether the markings are from a World War I unit or a Weimar unit? Given equal condition which would be more valuable a World War I marked Luger or a Weimar marked Luger?

Roadkill · 07-09-2002, 12:20 PM

Morning,
Units in Germany pre/WWI, WWI,Weimar, and Wehrmacht had the same unit designations. Many were headquartered in the same town for 300+ years. Obviously the unit on your gun is WWI after 1917 and/or Weimar 1920. Since it was restamped in 1920 for Weimar use it narrows the question to if it belonged to the 18th Saxon Cav. Regiment in WWI or the Weimar time period or both. This unit was under the Third Cavalry Division during both periods. So it could be the same unit in both periods or the indicated unit in the Weimar period and possibly in the Wehrmacht. By 1917 Cavalry regiments had seen their day so my guess is that the unit rec'd the pistol in 1917 in the rear area, was unit marked, (from what I've seen mostly police units marked pistols during the post WWI war era), it stayed with the unit since the WWI units basically walked off the battlefields intact, it was remarked in 1920, then could have gone with the unit into the Wehrmacht as a modern cavalry (armored)unit. So possibly this pistol could have been used in WWI, used by the Freikorps, Sturmabteilung, or the Federal German Army in the 20s, then used by the Wehrmacht from 1935 to 45. Lots of history there.

RK

Bernard · 07-10-2002, 03:55 PM

RK

Thanks for an excellent discussion. It answered some of my questions about what happened to Reichswehr's weapons after the war to end all wars.

07-09-2002, 01:03 AM	#1
J. L. Lyon User Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Salt Lake City Posts: 24 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Questions on Unit Marked 1920 Overstamped Luger Mr Still just identified the markings on a Luger I've had for some years as likely being from a cavalry regiment, specifically 2nd Eskadron 18 Reiter Regiment weapon 44. The pistol was made at the Erfurt arsenal in 1917, and has 1920 stamped above 1917. The unit markings are on the front grip strap. I was told by the gentleman who sold it to me that the pistol was issued to a Weimar Republic army unit, though he provide no information to support this. Is there any information as to whether the markings are from a World War I unit or a Weimar unit? Given equal condition which would be more valuable a World War I marked Luger or a Weimar marked Luger? __________________ J.L.Lyon

07-09-2002, 12:20 PM	#2
Roadkill User Join Date: Jun 2002 Posts: 1,632 Thanks: 1 Thanked 28 Times in 17 Posts	Morning, Units in Germany pre/WWI, WWI,Weimar, and Wehrmacht had the same unit designations. Many were headquartered in the same town for 300+ years. Obviously the unit on your gun is WWI after 1917 and/or Weimar 1920. Since it was restamped in 1920 for Weimar use it narrows the question to if it belonged to the 18th Saxon Cav. Regiment in WWI or the Weimar time period or both. This unit was under the Third Cavalry Division during both periods. So it could be the same unit in both periods or the indicated unit in the Weimar period and possibly in the Wehrmacht. By 1917 Cavalry regiments had seen their day so my guess is that the unit rec'd the pistol in 1917 in the rear area, was unit marked, (from what I've seen mostly police units marked pistols during the post WWI war era), it stayed with the unit since the WWI units basically walked off the battlefields intact, it was remarked in 1920, then could have gone with the unit into the Wehrmacht as a modern cavalry (armored)unit. So possibly this pistol could have been used in WWI, used by the Freikorps, Sturmabteilung, or the Federal German Army in the 20s, then used by the Wehrmacht from 1935 to 45. Lots of history there. RK

07-10-2002, 03:55 PM	#3
Bernard User Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: San Diego Posts: 35 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	RK Thanks for an excellent discussion. It answered some of my questions about what happened to Reichswehr's weapons after the war to end all wars.