1945 Dated H. Krieghoff

This is the legendary 1945 Dated Krieghoff, one of two hundred believed made at the Suhl plant at the very end of the war. This was the last of the wartime Nazi Lugers and the fine quality of Krieghoff is still evident. This is a Chamber Dated 1945 Krieghoff, made for the German Luftwaffe from over-run parts based on the 10,000 gun contract that was ostensively finished in 1938 with the shipment of the last 50 guns. These were the very last of the war time Lugers before the plant was occupied by the American troops in Suhl. This is a 1908 Model, 9mm with a 4" (100mm) Barrel. (2017)

NOTE: Photographs taken today with the high mega-pixel camera show more than we sometimes can see with the human eye. Magnified close-ups show us tool marks and natural surface conditions that one normally doesn't see in the ordinary handling of the weapon. Photographs are copyrighted, all rights reserved, any extraction, reproduction or display of gun pictures without the express consent of the Phoenix Investment Arms is strictly prohibited. Thank you for your cooperation. Please visit Legal (tabbed) for Conditions of Sale.

In 1934 the Luftwaffe announced it was seeking bids for military pistols. It is assumed that Krieghoff had acquired the old Erfurt Luger tooling from Simpson to enable it to contract for only 10,000 Lugers in 9mm. The chamber date places the assembly as an example of the original military contract.

Reichmarshall Hermann Göering as Commander-in-Chief of the Luftwaffe (German Air Force) was directly involved in the contract with Heinrich Krieghoff as the corporate head of Reichwerke Hermann Göering which let Luftwaffe contracts.

Göering entered the army in 1914 as an Infantry Lieutenant, before being transferred to the air force as a combat pilot. The last Commander in 1918 of the Richthofen Fighter Squadron, Göering distinguished himself as an air ace, credited with shooting down twenty-two Allied aircraft. Awarded the Pour le Merite and the Iron Cross (First Class), he ended the war as a much decorated pilot and war hero.


The thumb safety is marked "Gesichert" and safe is in the down position. The extractor is marked "Geladen." This 1945 Krieghoff' is one number greater than the one pictured on page 188 of Gibson's *The Krieghoff Parabellum.* Although adopting the extruded metal late war 122 E37 magazine the black plastic bottom is pinned and represents a higher quality than those found on the similar Mauser models. This Luger is in marvelous shape and can only be thought of as a presentation gun that late in the war.



Here you can see the highly defined late Krieghoff logo, the 1945 date but also the Krieghoff production proofing on the receiver and side rail.

The top of the gun is proofed as all the Krieghoff models. The date over the chamber, the Krieghoff Logo on the 1st toggle with the last two digits of the serial number and then the last two digits of the serial number on the rear toggle.

The Left side of the barrel has the late stylized Eagle 2 that also appears on the Kü. There is the five digit serial number and the last two digits on sear. Partially visible on the breach block is the Eagle 2 proof and absence of any number on the rear main axel pin. Although it was ordered that the rear main axel pin be numbered in 1934 Krieghoff never implemented that order for whatever reason.

The Krieghoff Logo appears in the final version with the tips of the anchor outside the H & K, the cent of the dagger blade open. The "U" in Suhl has the rounded bottom and the final "f" in Krieghoff just barely makes the top of the toggle bevel.
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Note the shoulder holster for the Luger on the Fallschirmjäger (Paratroopers) sitting on the bumper. Although not an official issue these were made and purchased by many German soldiers to carry their beloved Parabellum.

Early Luftwaffe posters promoting the service.



Here we can see the last two digits of the serial number on all the bottom of the toggle links and the E2 on the coupling link.

The breach block is proofed with the early Stage I & State II with the Serial Number and Military Acceptance as the side of the 2nd toggle link. From the first to the last the Krieghoff were proofed with a consistent dedicated pattern.

Here is the right side of the Krieghoff with the stage II proofs and the final Krieghoff Logo that had experienced slight changes over the year. Some collectors hold that these guns were produced in one lot in 1944 and delivered later, others link the proofs and inspector marks to two different production lots. In any case if you believe the date of production or the date of delivery dictated the head stamp date this gun clearly is dated 1945 and within the stated serial number block for the 1945 Krieghoff Luger.

By the end of the war Krieghoff was adopting the Haenel/Schmeisser Blank or E122 magazines. This Luger has all matching numbers. The barrel is numbered and extensively proofed which was standard for 1945. By this stage of the war most of the barrels were not serial numbered; however this one was. There are extensive LWaA 1st & 2nd acceptance proofs throughout the gun. Clean and finely struck. The matching serial number on the frame and the stage II proof on the barrel.

FALLSCHIRMJÄGER were the German paratroops who were a part of the Luftwaffe and (as we can see in the pictures above) who were armed with the Luger.


The inside of this Luger is in Very Good condition. Someone recognized the value of this gun and it has been well cared for over the last 72 years.


Above Left: The traditional space for the side plate marking is the inside of the side plate for Krieghoff and the 1945 HK is no exception. Above Right: the Luger toggles in full recoil; the rear main axel pins on Krieghoff production phased out after the 10,000 Parabellum contract.

Along with the Krieghoff holster comes the loading tool that is later Stage II Krieghoff proofed. The bottom of the 1945 Krieghoff were the black Bakelite bottoms, however the supplier was different than Mausers' and all were proofed with the 122 rather than the FXO.

Military Krieghoff Lugers bear serial numbers of one through five digits without any suffix. They began military production in 1935 with the "S" Code at serial number 1 and continued consecutively upward until approximately 13159 (known) in early 1945. The serial numbers overlapped "variations" as defined by collectors and require some study to be certain the exact variation one is looking at.


Serial number placement is in the military ("exposed") style. Gibson reported just 200 dated 1945 Lugers were finished before the factory was overrun by units of the American 11th Division. This is fine, well struck example. Since these guns are so rare, (we have only seen four in 35 years) we have included some more detail pictures for your enjoyment.

The small five pointed star on the right rail is the Krieghoff final rejection stamp for a gun not accepted on the final inspection. This may help us conclude that the plethora of early and late proofs on many of the gun parts resulted in the gun going back through the line after sitting among the rejects for some time and when the needs became greater to fill a demand from dwindling parts this one came back down for closer fitting and re-inspection as the Late State II final proofs on the right receiver and on the left of the barrel attest.


The late Krieghoff Logo had the complete name, with the the town Suhl, and the "U" in Suhl had a rounded bottom, the sword is elongated and extends into the anchor and the arms of the anchor have the smallest radii of any of the Krieghoff logos. On the above right is the firing pine with the early Stage II proof while the firing pin retainer is a mid-range Stage II. Even in 1945 with the war creeping into the area of the factory the craftsman at Krieghoff were not rushed in ensuring all the small parts were proofed and passed.

That portion of the frame where the rear toggle makes contact with the frame in full recoil Krieghoff took the extra step in hardening that part of the frame. Called the "thumb print" by collectors it is difficult to photograph because there is just a slight semi-circle of color change but this one has it. One of the very last Parabellums produced in WWII.



Inside the holster is both the early and late proofing indicating the holster must have been proofed and on the shelf and then proofed again when it was issued in 1945. The rest of the holster is clean of any manufacturers marks and sewn with black thread; traditional of the Krieghoff issued holsters.

The front and back of the Krieghoff holster were made as in the civilian motif with no manufacturers cartouche on the front or rear. The only marking designating a Krieghoff holster was the Eagle 2 stamp on the front side. This is a very rare holster for an extremely rare gun.

Magnificent proofing on this 1945 Krieghoff and the showing of very minor holster wear on the side rails indicates this gun was not deployed for long before American capture.

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This extremely rare 1945 dated Krieghoff is the crowning jewel in most Krieghoff collector's collection. If there are any questions regarding this end of the war issue email josef@phoenixinvestmentarms.com.

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