Wehrmacht Heer Gebirgsjäger Alpenstock

[Jan]

I´m about to buy this "Alpenstock". My only concern is the GBJ stamp. What do you guys think. All comments are very welcome!

Best,

Jan

[Danmark]

Dont know whether he bought it but his question deserves an answer... all i can do is bump it for another chance for one .

[Jan]

Thanks "Danmark", still no answers but I think I will go for it.

Best,

Jan

[Neil Hever]

Looks exactly like mine. Papa Kiser should weigh in - I will send him a note. NH

[Neil Hever]

Apparently, a civilian model pressed into service with the Heer. Mine is similar in construction but lacks the Aschenbrenner name. My example carries only the Stubai logo. Aschenbrenner was a famous mountain climber with products named after him. Stubai was an Austrian firm that made such equipment. A lot of mountain gear entered the market as surplus in the 60s and 70s if what I have read is true. I may be corrected about this but I think this is accurate. NH

[Heeresbergführer]

Grüß Di' Jan,

Looks like a good period Eispickel (Ice Axe). An Alpenstock is a long hiking staff.

Like Neil, I also have a GJR 137 marked Ice Axe and a Piton Hammer. Both of mine only have the STUBAI diamond logo (pre-war and wartime logo). Aschenbrenner is the style of the ice axe, named after the famous mountaineer Peter Aschenbrenner. Peter was also a Gebirgsjäger and Heeresbergführer, plus instructor at the Hochgebirgsjägerschule during the war.

Most of these GJR 137 Ice Axes came out on the market during the 1980's. They had been captured stock that was warehoused in Norway when the German forces surrendered en masse. Unfortunately, I have also seen a lot of STUBAI ice axes with bad GJR 137 markings. Most of them tend to be burned into the wood shaft. Hard to tell for sure, but this one looks ok with stamped markings. Good luck.

Bergheil und Horrido!

Papa Kiser

Here's a few of my Ice Axes and Alpenstocks:

Untitled by Patrick, on Flickr

[Neil Hever]

Jan, You heard from an experienced GJ collector - Papa Kiser! I was close on most points. I thought these entered the market earlier but indeed I picked mine up in the early 90s. The stamping matches our examples so I'm certain you have a war time marked Eispickel as noted. Did you purchase it? NH

[Jan]

Jan, You heard from an experienced GJ collector - Papa Kiser! I was close on most points. I thought these entered the market earlier but indeed I picked mine up in the early 90s. The stamping matches our examples so I'm certain you have a war time marked Eispickel as noted. Did you purchase it? NH

Thank you so much for your help Neil and Papa Kiser, I purchased the item yesterday!

Best,

Jan

[Combat Boots]

Photo added for historical interest. Bob

[Danmark]

A well fed GJ
Love the Pizza Hut shirt too!!!!