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WW2 German secret armament codes

Panzerknacker

Panzerknacker

Well-Known Member
German secret armament codes until 1945

Deutsche Fertigungskennzeichen bis 1945 -German secret armament codes until 1945-
506pages, A5-format, 2007 - Michael Heidler ISBN-10: 3-9811018-5-5

I recieved this book from Michael and must say I'm impressed. It's both in German and English!
All codes on material explained and documented. Munitions, medals and equipment.
I can finally explain some unknown codes on items in my collection. Great job!

Get a signed copy at Michael's or order at www.visier.de
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This is a extract from a web-page !
 
Hello,
thanks for showing my book here on the forum and thanks for the kind words! :tinysmile_kiss_t:

I have some more information. Maybe it's of interest:

The book "Deutsche Fertigungskennzeichen bis 1945" is about the secret German manufacturers codes of WW2 that were used to cover the manufacturers names on weapons, ammunition and every other kind of military equipment like parts of airplanes, vehicles, ships or radio equipment.

The book has more than 500 pages, is sorted in two ways (after codes and after company-names), contains ALL code systems (abbreviations, number-codes, letter-codes, LDO-numbers for medals & insignias and the RZM-numbers for NSDAP- & SS-equipment). The official list with letter codes ends with "ozz", but I was able to add three pages of later codes.

And the best fact: The text-part is written in German and English!

I think it's very important to know the background and the development of the code systems. I have found many original documents in archives to reproduce the way of the development step by step.

If someone is interested, the prices are:
- in Europe 37,- EUR incl. postage (registered and insured).

- to USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and Japan 66 USD by airmail incl. postage (registered and insured).

And if you like I can sign the book for you.

Payment is accepted by bank transfer, paypal or cash (EUR or USD) in a registered letter.

My address is: GGBuch@web.de

I have attached some more pics.

With best wishes from Germany
Michael Heidler
 

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Just a small question for the writer: if one code is not in your book means that it doesnt exist? I ask this because Im sick of see code listings and dont find many of the codes I can see on my stickgrenades, for instance.
 
Grenademan2005 said:
Just a small question for the writer: if one code is not in your book means that it doesnt exist? I ask this because Im sick of see code listings and dont find many of the codes I can see on my stickgrenades, for instance.
Click to expand...

AA is on a lot of my german bomb fuzes but the Pawlas manual doesn't list it?
I always assumed it was one of Rheinmetall-Borsig's plants?

cheers


waff
 
I don't think that "AA" is a manufacturer code. The codes had to be stamped on the items in small letters only.

Maybe it means something else. Do you have a photo of the markings?
 
Thanks for the link.

The official code for Rheinmetall was "Rhs" until the number-code system was introduced, followed by the letter code system (in lower cases only).

I don't know what "AA" means. I have also seen an El.EZ.35 from 1941 with the marking "AB". Maybe these are internal technical markings of Rheinmetall?
The only fact that is sure: It wasn't an official manufacturer code.

With best wishes
Michael

BTW: Here a nice example of a fuze El.AZ.C50 from 1939 made by the company Preh from Bad Neustadt (code 325). That's what my book is about.
 

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Hi Micheal,

First of all congratulations on what looks to be a very useful book, you ought to be proud of what you have acheived.

I do have a question for you...

I already have a copy of 'German Military Letter Codes' by John Walter. There is a list of three letter codes which are extremely useful, however the list is by no means 'complete' (and I don't think it would be possible to have a 'complete' list). I am sure many collectors have come up against codes that cannot be identified.

My question is, how much more information is there on the three letter code system in your new book, compared with the one I have? I would love a copy of your book if it gives more information, but don't simply want to repeat what I have.

Here are some codes I cant identify,
(now I wouldn't ask you to name them, as that would certainly defeat the object of your book, however could you tell me how many of these are identifiable in your book please?)

atg
azw
bdh
bzp
ent
eow
eqz
era
ero
hhk
kgy

Also there is one area that would be fascinating to explore further, and that is the 'Inspectors Stamps' - I believe these were individual stamps, however not certain if any litriture survives on who they belonged to?

I would just like to add.... to anyone who hasn't got any form of letter code book, it is one of the most 'used' books in my collection, so I wish Micheal well.

kind regards Kev
 
Hi Butterfly,

Hope this helps you. :tinysmile_classes_t

atg = Jnkerather Gewerkschaft, Maschinenfabrik, Jnkerath/Rheinland.
azb = Ardie Werk A.G. Nrnberg
bdh = Meier Weichelt Eisen und Stahlwerke Leipzig
bzp = Alfred Gauthier G.m.b.H. Werksttten fr Feinmechanik, Calmbach/Enz
ent = Stahlwerk Klepsch & Poeschl, Teplitz-Schnau.
eow = Werle Uhrenfabrik K.G. Schnwald / Baden
eqz = Alpine Montan A.G Hermann Gring, Linz
era = Alpine A.G. Eisengieerei und Maschinenfabrik Augsburg
ero = Gebr. Eckert Spritzgiemaschinen, Nrnberg
hhk = Danner Groeschel Sptitzgieerei und Formenbau, Nrnberg
kgy = Fichter & Hackenjos K.G. Blessingwerk Waldkirch / Baden

Rgds
Dutch
 
Hi Butterfly,

Hope this helps you. :tinysmile_classes_t

atg = Jnkerather Gewerkschaft, Maschinenfabrik, Jnkerath/Rheinland.
azb = Ardie Werk A.G. Nrnberg
bdh = Meier Weichelt Eisen und Stahlwerke Leipzig
bzp = Alfred Gauthier G.m.b.H. Werksttten fr Feinmechanik, Calmbach/Enz
ent = Stahlwerk Klepsch & Poeschl, Teplitz-Schnau.
eow = Werle Uhrenfabrik K.G. Schnwald / Baden
eqz = Alpine Montan A.G Hermann Gring, Linz
era = Alpine A.G. Eisengieerei und Maschinenfabrik Augsburg
ero = Gebr. Eckert Spritzgiemaschinen, Nrnberg
hhk = Danner Groeschel Sptitzgieerei und Formenbau, Nrnberg
kgy = Fichter & Hackenjos K.G. Blessingwerk Waldkirch / Baden

Rgds
Dutch
Click to expand...


Hi Dutch,

Many thanks for the information, very kind of you to supply it. I am very grateful for that!!

regards Kev
 
Oh, I'm too late .... :tinysmile_angry_t:

Well, John Walter's book is not bad, but it contains a lot of mistakes. Mainly spelling mistakes because he has no "feeling" for German names of companies and locations, compared with the problem of spelling the "Umlaute" like , and .

Also there are large gaps in his code list. IF Walter has had the original code lists, there wouldn't be any gaps. So I wonder about his sources ... :tinysmile_eyebrow_t My list is complete from code "a" to "ozz". There are only a few codes missing because they were already missing in the original list. The codes following "ozz" are not part of original lists, so they are based on research. I was able to find some of them.

And just a simple fact: Walthers book has 129 pages .... mine has 506 pages at the same size. :tinysmile_twink_t2:

If you need some more codes, feel free to ask. That's no problem.
I don't sell the book for living, it's just a hobby.

With best wishes
Michael
 
I'm very happy about the number code list in this book, such a list I didn't have before. Also the list of companies in alphabetical order is very handy to find the codes the other way.
Not to forget the several short early code lists in the book.

Well done Michael.

My next wish is to see the list of WaA-numbers related to factory codes on paper one day:tinysmile_twink_t:
 
Tmine35 said:
My next wish is to see the list of WaA-numbers related to factory codes on paper one day
Click to expand...

Hi, thanks for the kind words about my book. Glad to hear that it is useful for you.

I don't think that you will ever see a book with a complete list of WaA-numbers. During all the years of research for my book I couldn't find any lists of WaA-numbers. Only a few documents are dealing with this numbers. It's a miracle ... there have been hundreds of these numbers, but there is nothing to find in the archives!

:tinysmile_cry_t4:
 
Sorry, I forgot about my list on the thread, I dont need ID of them, just to know if they are in your book:
sek, flf, fcc, ftd, bdb, gzo, cap, dbk, eyu, aqj, bdp, aug, Adna, gzx, fnw, uas, eeh, ckh, gkn, bpo, gwd, lqa, awj.
I have more, but I think with these is enough.
 
After a quick check you find most of these in the book. Some there is marked unknown. Adna is not a code but dna is and you find it.
 
I can recomend this book to anyone with an interest in deciphering WWII German codes, Michael has done an outstanding job and it is a real credit to him.
Also from first hand experience Michael is an absolute first class person to deal with.
Well done Michael

Andrew
 
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