My father brought this k98 with all matching numbers back from WW2, along with a CZ27 all matching (bring back papers for both) Is there a source to find out what German were initially issued these firearms?
BYF 42 all matching
- Thread starter pennsy
- Start date
Mauserguy85
Well-known member
Pictures… or it didn’t happen 
Muncher 1953
Senior Member
short answer: no.
it was noted in a soldier’s paybook what weapons & their serial numbers he was issued, but no ‘central database’.
even if there were a “master ledger” at an army base, the chances of it surviving are extremely low, given losing the war & the rampaging russians. even if such a database had been created in the computer age, privacy laws in Germany are pretty strict, a recent thread described the situation. For example US military records: a 4 day fire in 1973 at the National Personnel Records Center in St Louis destroyed 80% of Army personnel records from 1912-1960 & 75% of Air Force records 1947-1964 (after Hubbard, James E). no back ups, no microfilm. some of the info can be inferred from unit histories, but unless your relative was Navy, the records are gone.
We’d LOVE to see photos of your rifle!
it was noted in a soldier’s paybook what weapons & their serial numbers he was issued, but no ‘central database’.
even if there were a “master ledger” at an army base, the chances of it surviving are extremely low, given losing the war & the rampaging russians. even if such a database had been created in the computer age, privacy laws in Germany are pretty strict, a recent thread described the situation. For example US military records: a 4 day fire in 1973 at the National Personnel Records Center in St Louis destroyed 80% of Army personnel records from 1912-1960 & 75% of Air Force records 1947-1964 (after Hubbard, James E). no back ups, no microfilm. some of the info can be inferred from unit histories, but unless your relative was Navy, the records are gone.
We’d LOVE to see photos of your rifle!
working on picturesPictures… or it didn’t happen
thank you for excellent response..I will be posting some pics shortly.
