More help please

[algmule]

Hello

It was not just gunsmith Gericke (see above) who had a gunsmith's shop where stolen parts were assembled. Gunsmith Franke also had one. Google Translate is responsible for the translation.

Berlin, 25. August. Die Charlottenburger Kriminalpolizei hat gestern Abend auch den B?chsenmacher Reinhold Franke in der Angelegenheit der Diebst?hle bei der Deutschen Munition- und Waffenfabrik verhaftet. Franke besa? in seiner Wohnung eine eigene B?chsenmacherei, in der er Milit?rgewehre und Pistolen zusammensetzte. Es wurden bei ihm au?er vielen Gewehrteilen und Werkzeugen, f?nf vollst?ndige fertige Milit?rgewehre Modell 98, mehrere Pistolen, scharfe Patronen und Pulver vorgefunden und beschlagnahmt. Die Kriminalpolizei ist jetzt damit besch?ftigt, die gestohlenen Gegenst?nde, welche mehrere Zimmer f?llen, zu taxieren. Ob etwa Gewehre usw. verkauft sind, ist noch nicht bekannt. (August 1908)

Berlin, August 25. Yesterday evening, the Charlottenburg Criminal Police also arrested gunsmith Reinhold Franke in connection with the thefts at the German Ammunition and Weapons Factory. Franke had his own gunsmith shop in his apartment, where he assembled military rifles and pistols. In addition to numerous rifle parts and tools, five fully completed Model 98 military rifles, several pistols, live cartridges, and gunpowder were found and confiscated. The criminal investigation department is currently assessing the stolen items, which fill several rooms. It is not yet known whether any rifles, etc., have been sold. (August 1908)

Peter

[algmule]

Hello

From April 1912. Google Translate is accountable for the translation.

Diebst?hle in den Deutschen Waffen- und Munitionsfabriken in der Kaisern-Augusta-Allee lagen einer Anklage wegen Gewerbs- und gewohnheitsm??iger Hehlerei und Diebstahls zugrunde, deren Verhandlung heute vor der zweiten Strafkammer des Landgerichts I unter Vorsitz des Landgerichtsrats Haberstroh begann. Auf der Anklagebank satzen: 1. der B?chsenmacher Louis Hellfritzsch unter der Anklage der gewerbs- und gewohnheitsm??igen Hehlerei, 2. dessen Frau wegen Beihilfe, 3. der Fahrstuhlf?hrer Adolf Fitzner und 4. der Waffenmeister Bruno Stetzelberg wegen Diebstahls. Die Anklage vertritt Staatsanwaltschaftsrat Dr. Fuchs, die Verteidigung f?hren die Rechtsanw?lte Dr. Jass?, Dr. Frey, Bahn und Dr. Kurt Rosenfeld.
Der Angeklagte Hellfritzsch ist gelernter B?chsenmacher. Als solcher hat er ein Jahr lang bei der niederrheinischen Kriegswaffenfabrik und dann ein Jahr lang in der Spandauer Gewehrfabrik gearbeitet, wo er mit dem Gangbarmachen von Gewehrschl?ssern besch?ftigt war. Er ist seit 1897 selbst?ndig t?tig. Im Jahre 1902 gr?ndete seine Frau in Gemeinschaft mit einem Kaufmann L?bbe eine Waffenhandlung unter der Ch. Hellfritzsch & Co. Anfangs 1906 schied L?bbe aus; seitdem ist Frau Hellfritzsch alleinige Inhaberin der Firma, ihr Mann ist ihr Gesch?ftsf?hrer, doch ist die Frau im Gesch?ft gleichfalls t?tig, namentlich in Abwesenheit des Mannes. Die Firma Hellfritzsch betrieb seit Jahren einen umfangreichen Handel mit Verschl?ssen, sogenannten "Systemen", und anderen Teilen des deutschen Milit?rgewehrs Modell 1898, die vom preu?ischen Kriegsministerium f?r den Handel freigegeben sind. Diese "Systeme" Modell 1898 sind in H?ndlerkreisen zur Verarbeitung f?r Jagdgewehre sehr gesucht. In der Zeit von 1909 bis 1911 hat Hellfritzsch als Gesch?ftsf?hrer seiner Frau an Oskar Will in Zella-Suhl Verschl?sse, Gewehrl?ufe und eine Reihe anderer Gewehrteile im Gesamtwerte von 12 600 Mark, ferner seit 1907 an den B?chsenmacher Emil Bartsch in Suhl hunderte von Systemen Modell 1898 zum Preise von etwa 22,50 Mark pro St?ck, an die Gewehrfabrik Emil Kerner in Suhl, an den Kaufmann Richrd H. M?ller in London und andere Abnehmer zahlreiche Gewehrteile geliefert. Den Umfang dieses Handels genau festzustellen, ist nicht m?glich, weil Hellfritzsch keine Gesch?ftsb?cher f?hrte. Die s?mtlichen Systeme, L?ufe und Gewehrteile Modell 1898, mit denen Hellfritzsch gehandelt hat, sind aus den deutschen Waffen- und Munitionsfabriken von Angestellten gestohlen worden. Zu den Dieben geh?ren Pfitzner und Stetzelberg. Diese haben zugegeben, sich unbefugt solche Gewehrteile angeeignet zu haben. Hellfritzsch und seine Frau bestreiten entschieden, sich der Hehlerei oder der Beihilfe schuldig gemacht zu haben. Hellfritzsch behauptet, da? es im Gewehrhandel nichts Ungew?hnliches sei, da? Ausschu?ware, die von der Regierung nicht abgenommen ist, an H?ndler verkauft wird. Er habe das, was er vertrieben, als solche Ausschu?ware betrachtet und keine kenntnis davon gehabt, da? es sich um gestohlene Ware handelte. Die Anklage macht aber verschiedene Verdachtsmomente gegen ihn geltend. Sie meint, da? der Angeklagte als Fachmann mit den einschl?gigen Verh?ltnissen genau Bescheid mu?te. Er sei auch in dem gro?en Hehlereiproze? in Erfurt gegen eine Anzahl Suhler Waffenfabrikanten wegen Hehlerei von Gewehrteilen Modell 1898 als Zeuge vernommen worden. Damals seien durch urteil vom 12. Mai 1909 einige der Angeklagten schwer bestraft worden, und in dieser Verhandlung seien alle einschl?gigen Fragen dieses Handels eingehend er?rtet worden. Hellfritzsch habe deshalb ?ber den unreellen Erwerb der Gewehrteile, die ihm von den beiden letzten, in der Munitions- und Waffenfabrik angestellt gewesenen Angeklagten geliefert wurden, gar nicht im Zweifel sein k?nnen. Die Anklagebeh?rde macht ferner gegen ihn geltend, da? er zuerst die wirkliche Erwerbsquelle abgeleugnet und einen Mann namens Schulz als seinen Lieferanten angegeben habe. Ein anderer Verdachtsgrund ist der, da? er von den betreffenden Gewehrteilen die eingepr?gte Firmenbezeichnung weggefeilt habe, ja, es wird sogar behauptet, da? er dieses Ausfeilen bei verschlossenen T?ren ausgef?hrt habe. Endlich wird auch behauptet, da? er f?r die von ihm erworbene Ware Hehlerpreise bezahlt habe.
Hellfritzsch sucht alle diese Verdachtsmomente als unzutreffend zu widerlegen. Die Staatsanwaltschaft verweist aber noch darauf, da? in einer Korrespondenz aus dem Jahre 1909 mit dem Angeklagten die Direktion der deutschen Waffen- und Munitionsfabriken ihm unterbreitet habe, da? nach ihr gewordener Mitteilung er einem Handel mit Gewehrteilen Modell 1898 treibe und sie ihn warnen m?sse, da die Ware nur durch Diebst?hle erlangt sein k?nne. Trotzdem und trotz der Erfahrungen des Angeklagten bei dem Erfurter Proze? habe dieser Handel nicht aufgeh?rt. Zu der Verhandlung sind etwa 50 Zeugen geladen. Als Sachverst?ndige sind geladen der Fabrikkommissar A. Bartz, Ingenieur Wilhelm He?haus und B?cherrevisor Oskar Krause. F?r die Verhandlung sind drei Tage in Aussicht genommen.

01-stavning.jpg
Thefts at the German weapons and munitions factories on Kaisern-Augusta-Allee were the basis for charges of commercial and habitual receiving stolen goods and theft, the trial of which began today before the Second Criminal Division of the Regional Court I under the chairmanship of Regional Court Judge Haberstroh. In the dock are: 1. the gunsmith Louis Hellfritzsch on charges of commercial and habitual receiving stolen goods, 2. his wife on charges of aiding and abetting, 3. the elevator operator Adolf Fitzner and 4. the weapons master Bruno Stetzelberg on charges of theft. The prosecution is represented by Public Prosecutor Dr. Fuchs, and the defense is led by lawyers Dr. Jass?, Dr. Frey, Bahn and Dr. Kurt Rosenfeld.
The defendant Hellfritzsch is a trained gunsmith. As such, he worked for a year at the Lower Rhine War Weapons Factory and then for another year at the Spandau Rifle Factory, where he was responsible for making rifle locks work. He has been self-employed since 1897. In 1902, his wife, together with a merchant named L?bbe, founded a gun shop under the name Ch. Hellfritzsch & Co. L?bbe left in early 1906; since then, Mrs. Hellfritzsch has been the sole owner of the company, with her husband serving as its managing director, although her wife also works in the business, particularly in her husband's absence. For years, the Hellfritzsch company operated an extensive trade in actions, so-called "systems," and other parts of the German military rifle Model 1898, which were approved for trade by the Prussian War Ministry. These Model 1898 "systems" are highly sought after among dealers for processing into hunting rifles. From 1909 to 1911, Hellfritzsch, as his wife's business manager, supplied Oskar Will in Zella-Suhl with actions, rifle barrels, and a variety of other rifle parts worth a total of 12,600 marks. Since 1907, he has also supplied hundreds of Model 1898 systems to the gunsmith Emil Bartsch in Suhl at a price of approximately 22.50 marks each. Numerous rifle parts have also been supplied to the Emil Kerner rifle factory in Suhl, to the merchant Richard H. M?ller in London, and to other customers. It is impossible to determine the exact extent of this trade because Hellfritzsch did not keep business records. All of the Model 1898 receivers, barrels, and rifle parts that Hellfritzsch traded were stolen from German arms and ammunition factories by employees. Among the thieves were Pfitzner and Stetzelberg. They have admitted to having unauthorizedly acquired such rifle parts. Hellfritzsch and his wife strongly deny any guilt of receiving stolen goods or aiding and abetting. Hellfritzsch claims that it's not unusual in the gun trade for defective goods not approved by the government to be sold to dealers. He considered what he sold to be defective goods and had no knowledge that it was stolen. However, the prosecution raises various suspicions against him. They argue that, as an expert, the defendant must have been thoroughly familiar with the relevant circumstances. He was also heard as a witness in the major receiving stolen goods trial in Erfurt against several Suhl arms manufacturers for receiving Model 1898 rifle parts. At that time, several of the defendants were severely punished by a judgment of May 12, 1909, and all relevant issues related to this trade were discussed in detail during that trial. Hellfritzsch therefore could not have had any doubt about the improper acquisition of the rifle parts supplied to him by the last two defendants employed at the ammunition and weapons factory. The prosecution further alleges that he initially denied the true source of acquisition and named a man named Schulz as his supplier. Another suspicion is that he filed away the engraved company name from the rifle parts in question. It is even alleged that he carried out this filing behind closed doors. Finally, it is also alleged that he paid fencing prices for the goods he acquired.
Hellfritzsch attempts to refute all these suspicions as inaccurate. However, the prosecution points out that in a 1909 correspondence with the defendant, the management of the German arms and munitions factories informed him that, according to information received, he was trading in Model 1898 rifle parts and that they should warn him, as the goods could only have been obtained through theft. Despite this, and despite the defendant's experiences at the Erfurt trial, this trade has not stopped. Approximately 50 witnesses have been summoned to the hearing. Factory Commissioner A. Bartz, engineer Wilhelm He?haus, and auditor Oskar Krause have been called as experts. The hearing is scheduled to last three days. (April 1912)

Peter

[mike ford]

Peter,
Thanks a lot, this is very interesting.
Mike

[algmule]

Hello

Interesting fellow, Louis Hellfritzsch. Here some on him: (again Google Translate is accountable for translations)

Trading in Stolen Military Rifles.
Berlin, 30. Berlin.
In the trial regarding theft and receiving stolen goods at the German Weapons and Munitions Factories (formerly Ludwig Loewe), the verdict was handed down this Saturday after four days of proceedings. The main defendant, gunsmith L. Hellfritzsch, to whom the co-defendants for theft, the electroplating specialist Adolf Fitzner and the weapons inspector Bruno Stetzelberg, had sold stolen weapon parts at bargain prices for years and resold them, usually in Suhl, at prices well below market value, was sentenced to one-and nine-months' imprisonment and three years' disrepute for commercial receiving stolen goods. Three months of his pretrial detention were credited to his sentence. His co-defendant, Fitzner, received nine months in prison for theft, while the defendant, Stetzelberg, who was charged with fewer offenses, received three months in prison. The co-defendant's wife, Hellfritzsch, was accused of knowingly providing her husband with help and advice, was acquitted. (1912)

Handelsregister des K?nigl. Amtsgerichts I zu Berlin.
Laut Verf?gung vom 22. Januar 1897 ist am 23. Janaur 1897 Folgendes vermerkt:
In unser Firmen-Register ist unter No. 26691, woselbst die Firma Deutsche Waffenfabrik Georg Knaak mit dem Sitze zu Berlin vermerkt steht, eingetragen.
Das Handelsgesch?ft ist mit dem Firmenrechte durch Vertrag auf die Kauffrau Marie Knaak geborene Paegelow und den B?chsenmacher Louis Hellfritzsch, beide zu Berlin, ?bergegangen, welche dasselbe als offene Handelsgesellschaft unter unver?nderter Firma fortsetzen.
Vergleiche No. 16815 des Gesellschafts-Registers.
Demn?chst ist in unser Gesellschafts-Register unter No. 16815 die Handelsgesellschaft Deutsche Waffenfabrik Georg Knaak mit dem Sitze zu Berlin und sind als deren Gesellschafter die beiden Vorgenannten eingetragen worden.
Die Gesellschaft hat am 1. Januar 1897 begonnen.
Dem Georg Knaak zu Berlin ist f?r die letzgenannte Gesellschaft Prokura ertheilt und ist dieselbe unter No. 11939 des Procuren-Registers eingetragen worden.

Commercial Register of the Royal District Court I in Berlin.
According to an order dated January 22, 1897, the following was recorded on January 23, 1897:
The following was recorded in our company register under No. 26691, where the company name Deutsche Waffenfabrik Georg Knaak, headquartered in Berlin, is recorded.
The trading business, including the company rights, was transferred by contract to the merchant Marie Knaak, n?e Paegelow, and the gunsmith Louis Hellfritzsch, both of Berlin, who continued it as a general partnership under the same name.
See No. 16815 of the company register.
The trading company Deutsche Waffenfabrik Georg Knaak, headquartered in Berlin, was subsequently recorded in our company register under No. 16815, with the aforementioned two partners as its partners.
The company began operations on January 1, 1897.
Georg Knaak of Berlin has been granted power of attorney for the latter company and has been registered under No. 11939 in the Procurement Register.

Handels-Register des K?nigl. Amtsgerichts I Berlin (Abtheilung A).
Am 4. Juni 1902 ist in das Handelsregister eingetragen (mit Ausschluss der Branche):
No. 15539. Commanditgesellschaft. Ch. Hellfritzsch & Co. Berlin.
Pers?nlich haftender Gesellschafter ist:
Frau Christine Hellfritzsch, geb. Paulsen, Berlin. Ein Commanditist ist vorhanden. Die Gesellschaft hat am 30. Mai 1902 begonnen.

Commercial Register of the Royal District Court I of Berlin (Section A).
On June 4, 1902, the following was entered in the Commercial Register (excluding the branch):
No. 15539. Limited partnership. Ch. Hellfritzsch & Co. Berlin.
The personally liable partner is:
Mrs. Christine Hellfritzsch, nee Paulsen, Berlin. There is one limited partner. The partnership began on May 30, 1902.

1904. In a Hellfritzsch ad from this year he claims to selling Repetier-P?rschb?chsen Mod. 88, 97-99. In the same ad he also claims to be Lieferant vieler hoher F?rtslichkeiten (Supplier to many high royalty).

Handels-Register des K?nigl. Amtsgerichts I Berlin (Abtheilung A).
Am 3. M?rz 1906 ist in das Handelsregister eingetragen worden:
Bei No. 15539 (Kommanditgesellschaft Ch. Hellfritzsch & Co., Berlin): Die Gesellschaft ist durch Ausscheiden des Kommanditisten aufgel?st. Die bisherige Gesellschafterin Frau Christine Hellfritzsch geb. Paulsen ist alleinige Inhaberin der Firma.

Commercial Register of the Royal District Court I of Berlin (Section A).
On March 3, 1906, the following was entered in the Commercial Register:
No. 15539 (Limited Partnership Ch. Hellfritzsch & Co., Berlin): The partnership is dissolved due to the departure of the limited partner. The previous partner, Mrs. Christine Hellfritzsch, nee Paulsen, is the sole owner of the company.

1924. Last mentioning of a Christine Hellfritzsch as owner of the business. I do not know what happened to her but she is no longer in Berlin after this year. At least I cannot find here there. Maybe she passed.

1925 and 1926. Louis is mentioned with two spellings of his last name – Hellfritzsch and Hellfritsch. Post 1926 it is always Hellfritsch without the z.

1927. Louis Hellfritsch is from now on listed as master gunsmith.

1930. An ad from this year gives the founding date of the company as 1896.

1949. A Louis Hellfritsch, offene Handels-Gesellschaft (open trading company) is still to be found at Tempelhofer Ufer 10.

As a side note: In 1894 Georg Knaak, together with Moritz Magnus, Hamburg, was involved in some cartridge export to the Chinese authorities. I have not delved into that, yet. I may perform future research. It, however, led to some legal aftermath in 1897. Perhaps that was why Marie Knaak took over the leadership of the Knaak business.

Peter

[mike ford]

Peter,
This is very interesting, thanks for doing the research and documenting it for us.
Mike

[algmule]

Hello

Louis Hellfritzsch protected two inventions (as far as I know) with patents and protected them in various countries. The second is an improvement of the first. Why the British patents do not follow a straight number sequence I do not know but as No. 9963 is the improvement on No. 19448 my belief is improvements of earlier patents followed a separate series. I could well be mistaken.

Great Britain: No. 19448. Automatic Small Arm. Applied for on September 27, 1899, and accepted on November 4, 1899.
Great Britain: No. 9963. Improvements in Small Arms. Applied for on April 30, 1902, and accepted on July 10, 1902.
Austrian: No. 15480. R?cksto?lader mit gleitendem Lauf (Recoil loader with sliding barrel). Applied for on April 26, 1902, and accepted on November 1, 1903. Issued on March 10, 1904.
French: No. 320800. Arquebuserie et artillerie. Applied for on May 1, 1902, and accepted August 3, 1902. Issued on December 19, 1902. Name on the patent application is “M. Hellfritzsch (Louis)”.
US: No. 675999. Automatic Small Arm. Applied for on October 30, 1899, and accepted on June 11, 1901.
US: No. 800103. Automatic Small Arm. Applied for on May 23, 1902, and accepted on September 19, 1905.

I have not been able to find any German Imperial patents in Louis Hellfritzsch name but there was a D.R.G.M. 132351 in his name on an Abzugsvorrichtung f?r R?cksto?waffen mit Hahn usw. It was taken out on March 9, 1900, and extended for another three years on March 5, 1903. Here is my wonky translation - Trigger device for recoil weapons with hammer etc.

EDIT: thick fingers inserted a 7 where there should have been 1.

Peter

[sharps4590]

Holy Cow!! Ain't that sumthin'!!

[algmule]

Hello

Last mentioning of a Christine Hellfritzsch as owner of the business. I do not know what happened to her but she is no longer in Berlin after this year. At least I cannot find here there. Maybe she passed.

I edit and correct myself. Or so I believe I am. Regarding Christine Hellfritzsch: the below is what the Berlin Commercial Register has/had to say on her

Abteilung A.
Einzelfirmen, offene Handels- und Kommanditgesellschaften.
Hierzu ist der dem Buch gesondert beiliegende "Nachtrag" zu beachten, in den Neueintragungen, Aenderungen und L?schungen aufgenommen sind, die in der zweiten H?lfte des Dezember 1930 erfolgten.
Ch. Hellfritzsch & Co. (B?chsenmach.) Christine Hellfritzsch geb. Paulsen. Tempelhofer Ufer 10 15539


Below is a Google Translate version into English of the above from the Berlin Commercial Register

Section A.
Sole proprietorships, general partnerships, and limited partnerships.
Please refer to the "Supplement" enclosed separately with this book, which contains new entries, changes, and deletions made in the second half of December 1930.
Ch. Hellfritzsch & Co. (Gunsmith) Christine Hellfritzsch, n?e Paulsen. Tempelhofer Ufer 10, 15539


There are no changes as regarding the Hellfritzsch business in the Supplement. Apparently, the business name remained Hellfritzsch and not Hellfritsch, despite Louis changing the spelling of his name. Christine kept her spelling of the name, if we are to believe the Berlin Commercial Register. Where she resided after 1924 is not known to me. The address Tempelhofer Ufer 10 is the shop address.

Note the spelling in below snippet from 1926. Spelling may not mean anything, but still intriguing. A late 1920's firearm from the business may shed some light on the spelling conundrum.


01-Hellfritsch1926.jpg

Peter

[algmule]

Hello

I have been hit over the head. With a "source". Here goes: the below snippet is claimed to be from a 1917-source (May 12).

01-Hellfritsch.jpg

However, I do not agree. As per usual, or whatever phrase is the appropriate for someone like me. The source is a bilingual source - German and Polish. I amused myself with a bit of translating from the source

Dass Polen noch einmal die geschichtliche Rollen spielen w?rde, wie sie ihm der Weltkrieg zugetragen hat, ?berraschte manchen, der geglaubt hat, die politische Emtwicklung habe mit dem Zustand vor dem Kriege ihr Ende erreicht. Wer sich jedoch dar?ber klar war, dass die Existenz grosser, lebenskr?ftiger Kulturnationen sich fr?her oder sp?ter wieder den staatlichen Rahmen schafft, der war nicht erstaunt, dass der alte Traum von der politischen Selbsst?ndigkeit Polens in den Kreis der realen M?glichkeiten r?ckte.

That Poland would once again play the historical role it had been given during the World War surprised many who believed that political development had reached its end with the pre-war situation. However, those who were aware that the existence of large, vibrant, cultural nations sooner or later recreates a state framework were not surprised that the old dream of Poland's political independence was becoming a real possibility.

The source that landed on my skull was this one - Polska: ksiega addresowa dla przemyslu, handlu i rolnictwa (spelling is slightly incorrect as I was not able to re-create some of the letters used in Polish). Despite it being claimed to be from May 12, 1917, it is not. At least not in my view. From when it is I do not know. I am content it is a post-WW1 publication.

I am not against people correcting/helping me but in this case, I am bound by the above to disagree. Hellfritzsch did not change the spelling of his name before the First Insane Disagreement was over. I will change that view when convinced.

As for being hit over the head. It is a hard nut to crack. Below on Hellfritzsch' utility patent.

One interesting detail about the D.R.G.M. 132 351 is that not only was it extended for another three years in 1903, it is listed under amendment.

?nderungen in der Person des Inhabers.
Eingetragene Inhaber der folgenden Gebrauchsmuster sind nunmehr die nachbenannten Personen.
72. 132 351. Abzugsvorrichtung f?r R?ckstosswaffen mit Hahn usw. Louis Hellfritzsch, Berlin, Tempelhofer Ufer 10. 9/3 00. - H. 13623. 5/3 03.

Amendment in the identity of the owner/holder.
The registered owners of the following utility models are henceforth the persons named below.
72. 132 351. Trigger mechanism for recoil-operated firearms with hammer, etc. Louis Hellfritzsch, Berlin, Tempelhofer Ufer 10. 9/3 00. - H. 13623. 5/3 03.

I do not know who held the utility patent in 1900 and up until 1903. Maybe Hellfritzsch together with another person.

EDIT: No, there seems to not have been anyone else than Hellfritzsch involved in the utility patent. I do not know why two sources give different information. Below is the full text from March 9, 1900.

D.R.G.M. 132 351. Abzugsvorrichtung f?r R?cksto?waffen mit Hahn, bei welcher die den Hahnsperrhebel beth?tigende Klinke an die Abzugszunge angelenkt ist, wobei f?r die Zunge und f?r die Klinke eine gemeinschaftliche Feder angeordnet ist. Louis Hellfritzsch, Berlin, Tempelhofer Ufer 10. 9/3 1900.

As for spelling: the famous Internet seem to agree with me as regards the name spelling. It would seem that Hellfritzsch held another utility patent from April 20, 1921. D.R.G.M. 789 312 (Einstecklauf/insert barrel) under the name spelling with Z. However, I have not looked into the truth content of the source, i.e. The famous Internet.

Also: I apologize for taking the thread off-topic.

EDIT: D.R.G.M. 789 312. Auswechsellauf und Verschlu? f?r die Parabellumpistole zur Verwendung f?r Kleinkalibermunition. 20/4 1921, Louis Hellfritzsch, Tempelhofer Ufer 10, Berlin

Peter