UBB.threads

Thanks Eric! I was secretly hoping you showed something Th�ringen or Coburg! The 100th post in KdF! And, this 100th post is even about guns?!? Never would've expected that ever, for both things! Thanks to everyone who contributes and reads here!



Hi Denny! Well, the shootingprogram, actualy, adds to the Th�ringen-post above! Coincidence, yes! The 1920s, lots was goin on in Germany, and early 1930s, Germany was in full relaunch, and people were inspired/told/teached to take care of themselves, their living environment, and also Germany as a whole. K�mpfen really is the word that NSDAP loves very much, and people were "educated" for battle readyness. Physical fitness was very important, and there was much attention for sports. Kraft durch Freude got to be the leading organisation for many of this and more, already told a bit here.

In the 1930s, they took much effort to make shooting and learning to shoot a big sport in Germany. The very first Reichsschie�schule F�r die Hitler Jugend was formed in Obermaasfeld, Th�ringen. The yearbook for young people "Der Gute Kamerad 1937-1938" tells a bit about how from all over Germany they came to the Th�ringen Reichsschie�schule to learn how to handle guns and shoot. 2 chosen Hitler Jugend Mitglieder, came together from every Gau or district. These were called "Anw�rten", and were educated to be Schie�warten for their Gau/district.

This ofcourse was all grouped around the area Th�ringen, the landscape was very suitable for shooting. To make shooting more popular, and better reachable for more people evrywhere, a Kleinkaliber �bungswaffe was adopted. A decree from may 11 1938 made it official; it was the Wehrmann Gewehr "B�scher Sportmodell Kraft durch Freude", or also called Zimmergewehr. This gun looked very much like the 34-Deutsche Sport Modell (or 34-DSM 34) mentioned 3 posts back here, and, also like the Karabiner 98k. This K98k was the best multi-shot-gun, most precise, most liked by shooters, eaziest to handle and most reliable gun in all circumstances or target-uses. The Wehrmann and DSM guns, made the guns especially very much like the K98k. Die National Sosialistischen Gemeinschaft "Kraft durch Freude" made the Wehrmann Gewehr their training rifle. Below, a period Rundschreiben der Polizeipr�sident an alle Schie�sportveranstaltungen, here it got official, the B�scher-model was now the chosen Kraft durch Freude training-gun;



The KdF-Gewehr that Denny shows, is the Wehrmann-Gewehr. This was the basic modell. The next, slightly bigger modell, was the Wehrsport Karabiner. The diffrences that I get about these, are, the shoulderstrap is fastened a bit diffrent, and, you can put a bajonet on the Wehrsport Karabiner, it has a fastener for a Seitengewehr. Also the sliding visor is difrent. There are many many other internal things, that I don't know how to explain, cause I don't shoot, but I can try if anyone wants to know what I found out so far. But, basically, both guns, work and are the same. Below, a period ad for the guns. You can see where the Seitengewehr can be put on the Wehrsport Karabiner.



Both the Wehrmann Gewehr and the Wehrsport Karabiner rifles got made by company called "Waffenwerk Julius Gottfried Ansch�tz Germania Aktiengesellschaft, Zella Mehlis", or short J.G. Anschutz. Zella Mehlis, is a city in Th�ringen, so right where the Reichsshie�schule began. Also another company made a gun very much like the B�scher Sportmodell; Berlin-Suhler-Waffen- und Fahrzeugwerken, or BSW. This some time later got to be the Gustloff-werke, that we also already saw in Th�ringen. BSW made the "W 625 Z" gun.



The Kraft durch Freude B�scher gun realy made training for using the loved K98k very popular and very eazy. No longer you need a suitable area with safeties to learn to shoot and to practise shooting a real gun. The Anschutz gun can be used in any room, anywhere. Ofcourse you need suitable targets to shoot at, and 4mm bullets. Below, 2 period ads for targets and holders;





Maybe Robert and Brad Simpsons new book will know, like Denny said, but, very many of these KdF guns got destroyed, after WWII, not even recycled. Too bad, cause the wood used was very good quality walnut-tree-wood, and the metals where quality forged, shaped and made. So, its hardly likely, Ill ever own any gun. But, if I ever will, it will be one of these KdF Ansch�tze, and, if I ever will, I should know at least a basic bit about them, and now I do Thanks again Denny for showing your gun! Will see if I can find anything on your Waffengenossenschaft?

Bye,
KR