Concentration camp prisoners from Buchenwald were already involved in the assembly of this K98k and Mr. Grabe could tell us more about it, he was a prisoner and clerk to Mr. Grosse, who was also a prisoner and he led the K98k assembly in Gustloff-Werke Werk II Buchenwald.
View attachment 382362.This photo shows Mr. Grabe after the war, he was born in Leipzig in 1904 and as a German he was part of the minority in the K98k assembly in Buchenwald. Most of the prisoners in the K98k assembly came from Poland and the Czech Republic, with Germans coming third and then Dutch. In addition, most of these prisoners had work experience as locksmiths, carpenters, etc. like Mr. Becker who was foreman in the K98k barrel production in Werk II Buchenwald.
View attachment 382365 Mr. Becker had professional experience as a lathe operator and the photo was taken in September 1943.
In comparison the KKW production - most of the prisoners in the KWW Wehrsport rifle production were from France, followed by German and Czech prisoners. Many of the prisoners were young, they were chemistry and medicine students. They worked together with French teachers, pilots, police officers and a French infantry major also manufactured KKW rifles in Buchenwald.
I think in the K98k Addendum book Bruce will show some interesting things about the K98k assembly in Buchenwald. Please support him with the data from your K98k rifles, you will all benefit from it.
Regards,
Stephan