mauser 98k still in service in Germany?
- Thread starter Heimrick
- Start date
highlander
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Newfoundland
Looks to be. Not unusual, really.
The Royal Nfld Constabulary honor guard still use the Lee Enfield No. 4 (and the drill from the late 1800's) for parades. The Honor guard at Lenin's tomb and the Kremlin use SKS's.
The Royal Nfld Constabulary honor guard still use the Lee Enfield No. 4 (and the drill from the late 1800's) for parades. The Honor guard at Lenin's tomb and the Kremlin use SKS's.
The Germans still use the K98k for ceremonial purposes. Their drill team has been to Ottawa several times and their skills are impressive. They were invited to 'Fortissimo' on Parliament Hill in previous years but I think the funding is running low these days.
I held one of the rifles and it was heavily refinished. They all seemed to have ERMA receivers and there was no signs of any remaining waffenmarks. I asked the soldier what era the rifle was from and he told me he thought it was from the 1800's. I'm not sure if that's what they were told to say or if he honestly didn't know better.
I believe Canadian doctrine requires the current service rifle to be used for ceremonial purposes. Ceremonial Gaurd in Ottawa is now using C7A2's with the green hardware despite the fact it really doesn't look good with red tunics.
-Steve
I held one of the rifles and it was heavily refinished. They all seemed to have ERMA receivers and there was no signs of any remaining waffenmarks. I asked the soldier what era the rifle was from and he told me he thought it was from the 1800's. I'm not sure if that's what they were told to say or if he honestly didn't know better.
I believe Canadian doctrine requires the current service rifle to be used for ceremonial purposes. Ceremonial Gaurd in Ottawa is now using C7A2's with the green hardware despite the fact it really doesn't look good with red tunics.
-Steve
- Location
- Leduc County, Alberta
The Bundeswehr "Wachtbattalion" still uses the K98k for ceremonial purposes, yes.
Apparently, I believe it was late 90's or early 2000's where there was a big fuss over the K98s that were used because they hadn't been scrubbed of the "offending" waffenampt, and Natzee firing proofs etc...
I'm quite sure they're all sanitized now.
Apparently, I believe it was late 90's or early 2000's where there was a big fuss over the K98s that were used because they hadn't been scrubbed of the "offending" waffenampt, and Natzee firing proofs etc...
I'm quite sure they're all sanitized now.
Yup, as said, they use heavily re-finished De-Nazified 98k's for ceremonial drill.
The Norwegians used 98k's after the war as well, and I don't believe they bothered to scrub most of them. Most of them are in .30-06, as I recall.
The Norwegians used 98k's after the war as well, and I don't believe they bothered to scrub most of them. Most of them are in .30-06, as I recall.
Phat Eagle
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Fraser Valley, BC
You need heavier wood rifles to do "fancy" ceremonial drill... US Marine Silent Drill Team still uses Garands, most ROTC drill teams use Garands or even 1903 Springfields. Russians still use the SKS for the same purposes.
Think they'd get over that little episode . Most Germans seem to have the attitude it never happened and Ve don't Vant to talk about .
Grizz
Just have a look at some computer games today that depict WW2 and Germany and you can see the games continue to sensor the swastika and replace with it another symbol.
Talking with family in Germany, as Grizzly previously mentioned, no one wants to talks about it.
Talking with family in Germany, as Grizzly previously mentioned, no one wants to talks about it.
Seeing as almost all people in Germany were born well after 1945 of course they're sick of hearing about the Nazi period. They weren't part of it. They learn about it in school, they know it happened. They know the world knows about it. Enough already.
Even somebody who was 10 in 1945 is 79 years old.
Even somebody who was 10 in 1945 is 79 years old.
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Yeah, as mentioned they were scrubbed after someone complained. They're still WW2 era K98k's though. My friend was in the Bundeswehr and told me the MG3 parts kits are still MG42 parts kits complete with all their WW2 marking, he said they have so much left from the MG42 there is no point in going through it all because there are literally millions of parts left (he was in logistics).
As to Germans talking about the war, I've never met anyone that outright wouldn't talk about it, but even in the fraternity I stayed in where there was a memorial to the fallen, pictures of Wehrmacht soldiers in uniform who were former members up and lots of historical stuff around it was a touchy subject and most had no respect for the Wehrmacht or its surviving veterans. There is a lot of shame in Germany still and the vets are treated like criminals, the fraternity was even looked down upon for being too nationalistic.
As to Germans talking about the war, I've never met anyone that outright wouldn't talk about it, but even in the fraternity I stayed in where there was a memorial to the fallen, pictures of Wehrmacht soldiers in uniform who were former members up and lots of historical stuff around it was a touchy subject and most had no respect for the Wehrmacht or its surviving veterans. There is a lot of shame in Germany still and the vets are treated like criminals, the fraternity was even looked down upon for being too nationalistic.
