1920's Police LP08 Artillery holster

Pictured is a 1920s postcard showing a Weimar era policeman with Shako helmet, full-length LP08 Artillery Luger holster and bayonet. The seller described the postcard as: This is a very nice original antique German color postcard featuring a cop wearing a black police shako helmet. There is a Luger holster and a bayonet hanging from his belt.  Next to his right foot is the name of the artist C.HENCKEL and the number that appears to be 3920 or 1920.  Published by Verlag „Offene Worteˮ (“Open Words”) of Berlin-Charlottenburg, this antique 94 mm (3.7-inches) x 144 mm (5.7-inches) postcard was never mailed.

The police officer in the postcard could have been part of the 1920 formed Schutzpolizei (Protective Police known as the Schupo) based on the gray-green uniform, initially used by the SiPo^[1], formed in 1920 and used by the Schutzpolizei until 1925.^[2]

The holster pictured in the postcard is unique as It appears to be a surplus WW1, full length LP08 Artillery holster-with board-stock, although due to the low-resolution artists’ rendering, the exact configuration of the LP08 holster is indeterminate. Assuming the postcard was created in the early 1920s based on the date, would make it the first documented example of a full-length Artillery Luger holster rig used by the early Weimar Police and one has to assume the holster contains a surplus LP08 Artillery Luger.

There are many later 1920s examples of cut-back WW1 Artillery holsters being used by the Weimar Police, although, as of this writing this the only known example of, albeit, only a 1920s postcard artists’ rendering of a Weimar era Policeman with a full-length LP08 Artillery holster rig used by the 1920s Prussian Landjägerei Polizei.

Regarding the Police Shako helmet in the postcard, it looks to be correct, being used by the Berlin Police as evidenced by the frontal view of a 1920s Police Shako helmet and a 1920s Berlin photograph of Police officers questioning a civilian, with identical Shako helmets.

That the pictured holster is indeed correct is somewhat substantiated per Weimar Lugers and Their Accessories, © 1993 by J. Still, page 159, which states that: Some (unmodified, full length) LP08 Artillery Lugers were used by the Prussian Landjägerei and probably surplus Imperial artillery holsters, shoulder stock and drum magazines were also used. Although no such Police identified, full-length LP08 Artillery holster is pictured in Stills book makes the subject postcard doubly unique, being the only known example.

----------------------------------------------------------- page 2 ----------------------------------------------------------

History Writ in Steel, © 2009 by L. Donald Maus, Chapter 2, page 35 leaves no doubt as to the legitimacy of the pictured postcard with LP08 Police holster where he states that: Nearly all former LP08s used by the German Police were so modified (to P08s). The one known exception is that the Prussian Landjägerei used unmodified LP08s until they were rearmed with newly manufactured in 1929-30.

Regarding the above statement that Nearly all former LP08s used by the German Police were so modified (to P08s) needs some clarification. With the introduction of the Erfurt LP08 or Artillery Luger in 1914, the only year of Erfurt LP08 production, a significant feature was a notch or step on the top forward edge of the receiver at the barrel interface to accommodate the tangent rear sight. As a machining expediency this machining step was incorporated into all Erfurt receivers from 1916 – 1918 used on P08 Lugers.

So, an Erfurt 1916 and later dated chamber marked Luger with this receiver notch is not necessarily a converted LP08 to P08 Police. With that in mind, there are no known published, Police modified examples with added Sear Safety of an LP08 Artillery conversion, specifically by shortening the original 8-inch to 4-inch barrel and adding a sleeved barrel sight band and blade for Police use.

Example 1

However, there is one such 1916/1920 chamber stamped, Weimar Navy E/O or Eagle/O acceptance stamped and forward gripstrap O.1242. marked, converted LP08 Artillery Luger example, serial number 9513 with all serial number matching, original parts, including the original 8-inch barrel, shortened to 4-inches with an added, sleeved P08 type sight band and blade and with the original rear link modified by adding/dovetailing a “V” notch rear sight as indicated by a SU50 Ordinance repair stamp.

Example 2

These particular LP08 to P08 conversions are apparently unique to the Weimar navy as a similar observed conversion is noted in Weimar Lugers, © 1993 by J. Still on page 91, Figure 24c. The sn 9984i conversion is mostly identical to the above described 9513, using the original 8-inch barrel shortened to 4-inches, however unlike example 1, used/sleeved the original LP08 “tool adjustable” sight band and blade with no step or taper.

Since the LP08 barrel front sight band and blade sit higher, due to the adjustment mechanism, required the added, dovetailed rear link “V” notch sight, for correct sighting, had to be appropriately higher and curiously, positioned further forward on the rear link, making the front-to-rear sight distance shorter than a standard P08. The differences, in profile, between the otherwise, identical conversions are illustrated herein.  As stated earlier, there are no published examples of a similar converted LP08 to P08 with added Sear Safety, Police marked Luger.

Example 3

Pictured in Police Lugers © 2012 by E. Tinker & D. Gruber on page 20 Illustration 214a is an another example of a 1917/1920 chamber stamped DWM LP08 converted to a P08 as indicated by the stepped receiver, except where the original 8-inch barrel was replaced, rather than shortened, with a standard replacement P08 barrel, along with a replacement P08 rear link with an integral rear sight.

The above information is not necessarily germane to the subject of this article, being the Weimar Police use of the unmodified, full length LP08 Artillery Luger, however, it does point out the nuances of the different Weimar LP08 Artillery Luger conversion variations where apparently most were routed the Reichsmarine rather than to the various Police organizations with the one example 3 instance of a DWM LP08 to P08 Police conversion.

In conclusion, not knowing how many LP08 Artillery Luger holsters were in Police service during the 1920s or how or if at all, they were (Police property) or unit marked, will make it difficult to identify one in the future.  Based on the statement in History Writ in Steel, © 2009 by L. Donald Maus, Chapter 2, page 35 that: The one known exception is that the Prussian Landjägerei used unmodified LP08s until they were rearmed with newly manufactured in 1929-30, suggesting, implausibly, almost one decade of service, one would expect that one of these “Police” LP08 Artillery Luger holsters, or more probable, as stated, an actual Police marked LP08 Artillery Luger would have surfaced in the last 100 years. Collectors beware.

Pictured are various 1920 – 1934 Weimar Era Artist’s renderings of Shako helmeted Polizei in period uniforms with Police Luger holsters and bayonets.