I consider weaponry to be instrumental to history. That is, if history is considered to be an ongoing process, then weapons are the instruments that facilitate that process. Furthermore, if the present is considered to be a product of history, then historical weaponry may be considered part of the means by which civilisation has reached its current state – for better or for worse.
Consider, for example, that Rome conquered the Mediterranean hinterland (and beyond) by the edge of the gladius and the piercing tip of the pilum; that the English routed the French at Agincourt in part through the devastating use of the longbow; and that when HMS Dreadnought was commissioned into service in 1906, she simultaneously revolutionised naval warfare and rendered every other battleship in the world instantly redundant – contributing significantly to the frenzied pre-WWI arms race.
The standard Roman infantry weapon – the gladius
HMS Dreadnought
Indeed, there are many examples of military weaponry that may be cited as being important (perhaps even defining) to the course of history. However, many more may be added to this list, not necessarily because of their momentous impact, but merely by virtue of being considered interesting. One such weapon is the Luger P08.
Over the last century the Luger has become an iconic pistol, probably by virtue of the fact that its form is distinct and instantly recognisable. Yet it differs not only in shape from many contemporary pistols, but also in operation. Whereas the overwhelming majority of pistols employ a slide (which fits over the barrel) that recoils when a round is fired, the Luger utilises a “toggle lock” that bends similar to one’s knee-joint. This significant difference in engineering allows the Luger to have a distinctive profile and shape that sets it apart from most other handguns. The pistol’s designer, Georg Luger, adapted the toggle mechanism from an earlier pistol, the Borchardt C93 (which he had also helped to design).
Demonstrating a Luger toggle lock action
But the Luger is interesting for another reason. The pistol was the first firearm to utilise the ubiquitous 9mm Parabellum cartridge. The name derives from the diameter of the bullet (9mm across) and the Latin phrase para bellum, which translates to “for war”. This reveals the fact that both the Luger pistol and its associated 9mm ammunition were designed for military purposes. The very first Luger models appeared in 1900 (although designed to use a 7.65mm cartridge). It was only after the German military showed interest in the pistol and requested a more powerful cartridge that the 9mm round was developed and adopted for use. The Luger was first adopted by the Kaiserliche Marine (Imperial German Navy) in 1906, followed by the Deutsches Heer (Army) in 1908. The designation Luger P08 is derived from the German word pistole, and the year in which the pistol was adopted by the army; 1908. There were three main variations of the Luger during this time, distinguished by 8″, 6″ and 4″ (20cm, 15cm and 10cm) barrels.
A four-inch barreled Luger manufactured in 1914 with its 7 round magazine and extra ammunition (9mm calibre ammunition also commonly known as “9mm Luger”)
The 6″ version was used by the navy, while the 8″ version was used by artillery troops and was issued with a wooden butt-piece/stock that could be attached to the pistol grip. The long-barreled artillery version was intended to function as a carbine, being more accurate and stable by virtue of its stock and lengthened barrel, for specific use by troops that were not stationed on the frontline and therefore did not require the firepower of a sub-machine gun or rifle. However, by far the most common version of the Luger was the 4″ barrel that was adopted in large quantities by the army and became, along with the Mauser C96, the standard issue infantry sidearm during WWI. By WWII, the primary Wehrmacht sidearm was the Walther P38, although Lugers were common in the field and were still being manufactured. Despite its close association with the German military, the first country to adopt the Luger was in fact (and somewhat ironically) Switzerland, in 1900.
An example of an 8″ barreled “artillery Luger”. Note the drum magazine (holding 32 rounds) and the detachable stock.
The distinctive appearance and historical provenance of the firearm has endeared it to show business, where Lugers regularly feature as “character” firearms, frequently used by villains or similarly sinister figures.
A Luger featured in the opening credits of The Spy Who Loved Me (1977) in which the supervillain is played by an ominously named megalomaniac German called Karl Stromberg
Two decades later the Luger duly appeared in Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me (1999), brandished here by another German villain, Frau Farbissina
Bean (voiced by Michael Gambon), the antagonist in Fantastic Mr Fox (2009), uses an artillery Luger that is immediately identifiable by its svelte appearance
A Luger is therefore an artifact that far surpasses an inadequate label or description such as “gun”. It is simultaneously a witness to a century of historic conflict; an ingenious feat of engineering; and attests of an aesthetic quality that has enabled it to nestle in the popular imagination. As such, it satisfies all the criteria that would make an object “collectible”, even though it was conceived as an instrument of violence. Just as the name “Dreadnought” has been appropriated as a metonym for describing armoured warships in general, so too the Luger has transcended its original function. It may be appreciated for its own sake (i.e. not for its functionality) in which case it more closely approximates art than instrument. Certainly, I cherish a Luger not because of its utility (as a soldier would), but rather because I find it to be in many ways rather interesting (as a dilettante historian).
anapophist 