Book Review (from January 2001 issue, pages 6 - 9):

("Fotograficky Atlas Zbrane 1.a.2. Svetove Valky")

(published in the Czechoslovak language)

by V. Dolinek, V. Francev, and J. Sach

Published by Aventium Nakladatelstvi s.r.o. (Ltd.)

Nikoly Vapcarova 3274

140 00 Praha 4-Modrany

Czech Republic

By Paul Slunecko

Edited by John Wall

I have just received a new hardcover book from the Czech Republic entitled, "The Photographic Atlas of Arms Used in WW1 and WW2 ." The book is divided to chapters devoted to a type of weapon, e.g., pistols, rifles, swords and daggers, machine guns etc. This review focuses on the third chapter, "Rifles". Overall, the book contains sharp, good quality, color photographs, mostly of weapons now belonging to the Czechoslovak Army Military Museum located near Prague Castle, in the city of Prague, the capital of the Czech Republic. As the title says, this book is a "photographic atlas", and every page has one or two excellent photos. The text however is only in the Czechoslovak language. I don't believe that it is available in the US yet, but I think that it can be ordered directly from the publisher. This publication is targeted mainly at the general public rather than specialized collector, and as is, it is does a decent job. However, the rifle chapter is remarkable since it not only features some rare and unusual rifles, but several previously unknown WW I and WW II rifles.

Also, for the first time, collectors can see a large number of the holdings of a major central European Museum, few of which have previously been published. A number of these rifles will be of interest to both beginning and advanced collectors. To give you an idea of the breath of the Czechoslovak Army Museum’s WW I and WW II collection, I am providing a full list of the 60+ rifles below.

The "Rifles" chapter starts off with a very interesting device: a World War I trench periscope constructed as an indirect sighting device for Austro-Hungarian Mannlicher Model 1895 straight pull rifles. Also at the beginning of this chapter is an introductory article featuring a rare historical photo of Imperial Russian soldiers carrying Arisaka Type 38s'. There is usually one photograph and a paragraph of text for each rifle. If you ever have a chance to visit Prague, be sure and visit the Czechoslovak Army Museum and see these rifles. Just think of what their study collection must be like!

A sampling of the Rifles on exhibit and included as illustrations in the book are:

1. M1886/13 French Lebel

2. M1916 Berthier Carbine

3. Remington rolling block used by French heavy artillery in WW I

4. A Model 1895 Winchester rifle used by Russia in WW I

5. A Russian Mosin Nagant Model 1891 3-line rifle

6. An early French-made Russian Mosin Nagant M1891 3-line rifle, dated 1892 by Chatellerault

7. An M1895 Austro-Hungarian Mannlicher rifle

8. An Austro-Hungarian Model 1895 cutaway training rifle

9. A WW I signal rifle made by the Austrians from a Russian Berdan rifle. Surcharged AZF, and later remarked by the Czechoslovak military.

10. An Artillery Spotting Rifle modified from an Austro-Hungarian M1867/M1873 Werndl rifle

11. A Belgium FN Model 1889 Mauser rifle, short rifle (M1916) configuration with a close photo of the M1889's yellow muzzle cap.

12. A German Gewehr 98, made at Amberg Arsenal in Bavaria, dated 1917, with tangent rear sight rework, and its buttstock engraved "EWB", indicating use by the post-WW I anti-Communist Bavarian militia, the Einwohnerwehr Bayern

13. A Turkish M1893 Mauser with beat up stock, probably in original caliber. Photo shows the crisp details of the extensive marking on the receiver side rail.

14. A Serbian Model 99/07 rifle, side by side with a Serbian Model 1910 Mauser rifle

15. A Mexican Model 1912 contract Mauser rifle made by Steyr in Austria in 7x57, and used by the Austro-Hungarian Army during WW I, and by the Czech Army after WW I

16. A Chinese Model 1907 made in Germany by Mauser

17. Greek 1903/14 Mannlicher-Schoenauer rifle

18. A British SMLE No. I, Mk. III with the pre-1907 buttplate, with the German capture stamp "Deutches Reich" on the buttstock

19. A British Pattern14 Enfield, which the authors call the "Ross-Enfield". The authors also state that this rifle was designed and originated in Canada!

18. Canadian Ross Rifle, Model 1910

19. U.S. Rifle Model 1903 Springfield

20. A Japanese Type 38 Arisaka rifle, in beautiful shape. Definitely brought back from Russia by members of Czechoslovak Legion after WW I following Asiatic service during the Russian Civil War

21. The Italian Model 1891 Carcano carbine, with folding bayonet

22. A Model 1938 Carcano carbine

23. The German-Hungarian Mauser-Mannlicher hybrid rifle, G. 98/40

24. The Hungarian M43 rifle

25. A Polish Wz.29 with "Reichs-Finanz-Verwaltung" (R.F.V.) stamped on the buttplate

26. German Kar 98k with the grenade launcher

27. German Kar 98k with rare synthetic "plastic" stock and handguard. Stated by the authors to be "one of the four surviving pieces", the metal on this example has no bluing. The authors also state that field trials proved that this kind of plastic in cold subzero temperatures acted more like a metal, making the rifle impossible to hold in bare hands.

28. A German G.33/40 made by Ceskoslovenska Zbrojovka Brno (CZB)

29. A rare folding stock G.33/40, also made by CZB. Another difference is in the missing (omitted) metal plate normally on the side of the buttstock. The authors indicate that these folding weapons were meant to be issued to German airborne forces.

30. VG1 Volkssturmgewehr, marked "VG 1 Swp 0288 45"

31. VG2 Volkssturmgewehr

32. Brazilian Model 1908/34 Mauser carbine made at Brno, in mint condition

33. Danish M1889 Krag-Jorgensen rifle

34. Norwegian Krag-Jorgensen carbine, Model 1912

35. The French MAS 36 rifle

36. British No.4 Mk I (T) Enfield sniper rifle in a birch stock

37. Russian Model 91/30 Mosin-Nagant sniper rifle

38. Russian Mosin-Nagant Model 1944 carbine

39. German M1918 Mauser 12.7 m/m antitank rifle in excellent shape

40. The British Boyes antitank rifle

41. A Mexican Mondragon self-loading rifle, made in Switzerland

42. The French Mdl.1917 selfloading carbine/short rifle, also known as the R.S.C.

43. US M1 Garand Rifle

44. The Russian Siminov AVS-36 select fire rifle

45. Russian Tokarev SVT 38 selfloader

46. Russian Tokarev SVT 40 selfloader

47. The German Mauser G41M selfloader

48. The German Walther G41W selfloader

49. A German G/K-43 selfloader, sniper version

50. The German full auto FG42 used by Luftwaffe parachutists

51. The Model 1901 Mannlicher rifle. This rare and little known Austrian selfloader was one of a limited number used by the Bulgarian Air Force during WW I. Its action is derived from the Mauser C96 pistol.

52. A US M1 Carbine

53. A US M1A1 carbine with folding stock for airborne troops

54. A German MKb 42W (Walther) full auto Sturmgewehr

55. The German Mkb42H (Haenal) experimental Sturmgewehr

56. The German Sturmgewehr Stg-44

Last but not least I would like to mention the two very interesting photos from the Rifle chapter, with no less interesting stories.

1. Resistance Fighter Antonin Marek's Model 1924 Yugoslav Mauser

One of these interesting items pictured is a Yugoslavian Mauser 24 modified by Czechoslovak partisans. The story of this rifle is that in 1943, partisans managed to steal six Yugoslav Model 24 Mausers from the German army shooting range at Brdy Heights in central Bohemia. Two of these rifles the Nazis got back after the capture of a partisan hideout in 1944. The remaining examples the Resistance handed over to Czechoslovakian authorities after the end of the war. One of the rifles, which has an engraved pine branch and the letters "P.V. A. M." on the buttstock, was immediately transferred to the Military museum. At the time, the meaning of the inscriptions was completely unknown.

It was not until 1964, that the resistance fighter who cut his initials in the wood was found. His name was Antonin Marek, (1901-1981). The remaining letters, "P.V." meant either "Partisan Valdek" after "Valdek Castle", (the name of the ruins of a medieval castle in the vicinity of where the rebels operated), or "Pravda Vitezi" which means "The truth is victorious", a motto of the Presidents of Czechoslovakia. Because this rifle had lost its rear sight, it had been modified by adding a simple homemade sight constructed from sheet metal. Its front sight was also made high in response to the uncertain ballistics of hand-made ammunition manufactured clandestinely by the Resistance. Due to constant ammunition shortages, the partisans "rolled their own" reloads, using a special form to cast new bullets, and tools for pushing the bullets into the cartridge case. The homemade reloading equipment is also pictured.

2. A German Kar 98k with the "Uprising Modification"

The other interesting rifle photograph that caught my attention is a Kar 98k Mauser with the so-called "Uprising" Modification. At the beginning of Prague Uprising on May 5, 1945, the Resistance confiscated a German train at the Prague-Vrsovice Railway Station. Among the freight on board was a shipment of disassembled and otherwise incomplete Kar 98k service rifles. Czechoslovak Resistance fighters assembled these rifles on the spot. Barrels were tied to stocks using wire, string and rope, since all the rifles were missing their barrel bands and band springs. During the actual fighting in the barricaded streets of Prague, the Resistance "rebels" used these weapons as single shot rifles, because trigger guards and magazine assemblies were also missing! The pictured example has a non-standard sling nailed to the buttstock with brads.

Editors Note:

To help with editing this book review, Paul graciously loaned me his copy of the "Photographic Atlas". I also found it fascinating, if only because there are no photographs whatsoever of any Czechoslovak military rifles! There are no vz.23’s, vz.24’s, or vz. 33’s, not even one of the ubiquitous Romanian vz.24’s, nor even the M95 rifles made at Brno. The only WW II rifles made at Brno shown are the folding and standard models of the G.33/40. The photo of the airborne version of the G.33/40 depicts the rifle with it’s stock folded and shown from the top.

Of interest to contract Mauser collectors is the photograph on page 143 of a previously unknown Mauser rifle made at Brno. This is the Brazilian-crested Model 08/34, which has a 29-inch barrel instead of the normal 21-inch carbine-length barrel. This rifle’s connection to WW I or WW II is unknown. The long 08/34 includes several carbine features, including the turned-down bolt and the shallow grasping recess cut under the bolt. Except for the barrel length, the rifle and the carbine appear exactly the same.