K98 manufacture question.

[Coronach]

Hrm.

I'll provide you with two pieces of information, and a question.

http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=241331

Look at the last post, and note the manufacturer code and year of manufacture. For those who do not want to surf, they are "bcd" and 1943, respectively.

Now, lookenzi heer:

http://www.adamsguns.com/gustloff.htm

I'll pull out the relevant quote:

In 1943, an additional Gustloff factory was built at Buchenwald, at the notorious concentration camp.

"bcd" is the code for Gustloff-Werke, and my Mauser was apparently made when they were producing small arms at Buchenwald. Naturally, Gustloff-Werke had several factories, so this rifle may not have been made by condemned men, but I was wondering if there is any way to find out yea or nay on that question.

Anyone know? I confess to being curious about it...and not entirely sure why this bothers me slightly. I mean, a gun is a gun is a gun. But still- yeesh.

Mike

 

[Standardmodell]

As far as I know....

... is the code you have on your rifle the one for Gustloff Werke in Weimar. In this kind it has been used from 1941 to 1945. In Buchenwald was a part of the G43 / K43 production, as far as i know there weren´t k98´s made. Hopefully i helped you a little bit! Best wishes from Germany!

 

[Coronach]

Very helpful, thank you!

 

[ww2germancavalry.info]

Hello, Just to clarify a little:
Weapons production at Buchenwald actually began in 1942 and was staffed from the nearby camp, the "ADDITIONAL" camp officially opened in 1943, also produced under the "bcd" code but produced the G43, the K98 was produced at the Weimar plant.
But, both the Weimar and Buchenwald camps were run by camp labor. And any Gustloff weapon from the Weimar area from 1937 later would have been made by forced labor:
http://www.ushmm.org/wlc/article.php?lang=en&ModuleId=10005198

This site has an interesting series of photos showing the camp Gustloff complex before, during, and after and Allied bombing raid.
http://thirdreichruins.com/buchenwald.htm
Hope this helps,
Chris