Nickeled SS Walther PPK

[Waban]

Hi everyone,

I have a friend that has received a Walther PPK from the nephew of an Austrian SS officer 25 years ago and he want some information about it. This gun has a great story and I will try to explain it to you with my best english.

I won’t say the name of this SS officer to preserve his family but this SS officer served on the Russian front and was then captured by the French Army in Austria.

As he could speak three languages (German, English and French) a French lieutenant, Mr. Henri Lejal, enroled him as a translator in the Pass Office.

You can see here some papers (recommandation letters) that prooves it.



When he was released at the end of the war and for his zeal, loyalty and efficiency, the french lieutenant Mr. Henri Lejal gave him a gun because the roads weren’t safe. This gun was a nickeled Walther PPK.
The lieutenant Lejal told him that this PPK belonged to a very high ranking man in the Nazi Party but he refused to tell him his name.

I’m not asking you if this story or this gun are authentic because I know they are. But do you have any idea to who this gun could belonged ?

Here’s some pictures. As you can see, it’s a 7th variation of the SS PPK. There’s not any writings on the left side (as the brand, Zella-Mehlis, etc…). Weird things, there’s a Eagle/N proof mark on the barrel, a number 1 below the grip on the left side and a K (or H) under the hammer.
This gun has never been modified since the war.

Any idea about who was the first owner?

[Waban]

Any suggestions about who can be the first owner of this gun?

About why the proof mark is on the barrel and why there's a "1" below the grip?

Thanks guys!

[Sarge]

There is No way to know what German the pistol belonged to.
It is a Very late war made pistol, probably Mar 1945, I'd have to go dig out some books to know exactly when. It is also (probably) a commercial pistol rather than a military issued one. A bit difficult to be sure since it was probably buffed heavily when it was plated. I would bet that it is chromed rather than nickeled and that it was done post war.
All PP u PPK pistols had a proof mark on the bbl - it is a firing proof. The other marks are just mfg/assembly marks.
I find it rather odd that a french officer would have given an SS officer a pistol when he was released after the war. Had he have been found with the pistol by any of the military authorities he could well have been shot.
Sarge

[Wagriff]

Somehow, I have my doubts that with less than a full month to go before the war's end, that German officer's were still special ordering private order firearms. And, naturally, any "High Ranking Nazi Party" member would certainly have had his sidearm and would not be out ordering a new one with the country in rubble and 3-4 weeks to go before the end of the war. I agree with Sarge, that it looks to be chromed rather than nickeled. In the 1960's, you could pick up a post-war chromed German war gun easier than buying a cup of coffee...

[Waban]

Thank you guys for your answers!

But the serial number show that this gun was made in 1944, not in 1945.

I know that the story of this gun is authentic, there's no doubt about it. I know we will probably never know the name of the first owner, but what we can maybe know is why there's a nmber 1 below the grip and why there's a proof mark on the barrel mouth.

I own two PPs (1933 and 1942) and any of them have a proof mark on the barrel mouth!!

And just for information, my friend didn't buy this gun. It was a gift from the nephew of this German SS.

[Wagriff]

Unfortunately, it's simple enough to state that a story given is "known to be authentic", but at the end of the day, it is still only that-a story. And one that is exceedingly improbable. You might try to take a look at this link-it tells alot of info on the different varieties of the PPK's and their ways to tell between them.

Walther PPK

[Waban]

Yeah I know this great website. Thanks.

And it shows again that this gun is a 5th variation RSHA-PPK or a 3rd variation Wehrmacht (that can explain the Eagle/N on the barrel near muzzle) from 1944. So not a very late war one.

Anyway, have you any idea what can mean the number 1 below the grip?

[Wagriff]

There is no way to verify Exactly which variant this pistol is, for the fact that it has been chrome plated and that the magazine is no longer with it. But, it most comfortably matches into the Wehrmacht 3rd variation as it sits. The serial numbers as shown for these ran from 270100K until the last produced which held the number of 424619K and it was produced in 1945. Your pistol is number 411xxxK, so it would certainly indicate that it is, indeed, a very late war produced piece. Hitler himself was dead in April of 1945, so it would have to be Very late in 1944 or early 45. The Eagle over N proof by the ejection port is barely visible and has been mostly filled in by the heavy chrome plating application. As for the tiny “1” mark beneath the grip panel, I seriously would not attach much meaning to it-it is, more likely than not, simply an inspection or production stamp and is of no consequence. As intriguing as it is to speculate that it could be related to the owner, such as his #1 Nazi Party Membership number, well, that just isn’t how such things were done-and especially so in the light of the war rapidly winding up and coming to a fast close at the point when this pistol was produced.

It’s an interesting little Walther that was born amidst the chaos and flames of a dying Nazi State. As such alone, this makes it a pistol with a tantalizing history that will in all probability never be known. Keep it and enjoy it for what it is. Don’t worry about the apocryphal stories-it doesn’t need any.

[Waban]

Thank you for your answer!

and that the magazine is no longer with it.

Yes my friend has the magazine. It's the original one with the finger rest.

As for the tiny “1” mark beneath the grip panel, I seriously would not attach much meaning to it-it is, more likely than not, simply an inspection or production stamp and is of no consequence. As intriguing as it is to speculate that it could be related to the owner, such as his #1 Nazi Party Membership number

I never even thought that it could be the number 1 NSDAP membership number but as I have never seen any number stamped at this place on any PPks, I thought it might be a special series made by Walther or from the person/company that nickeled/chromed it.

But I reapeat, this gun was received by the SS officier in 1947 in this actual state. This gun as never been modified since then.

Thank you again very much for your help Wagriff, I really appreciate!