German Holsters

[Fritz]

German Holsters

To the left is a black Luger holster, marked at the back with a Wa stamp and makers mark of Passier & Co. Hannover, 1939

The holster has an old repair to the rear and the closing strap is a little frail in one place. I treated both holsters with some good English saddle soap, this is ideal for most leathers. I also had to restitch the flap at the rear, almost the whole length, which is not an easy job, using the right type of waxed linnen thread and a special needle as used by saddlers and shoemakers. Results were very satisfactory. I always like to see that things are preserved for the future, but without any alterations.

The other holster is of good medium brown saddle leather, has no marks, and I was told it was for a Browning. From the size, it could also fit a P.38 or a Walther PP (too large for PPK). This shows very little wear, just slight aging and profited from a clean up with saddle soap. Holsters of this type should not be confused with post-war Eastern European holsters, which copied the old German design and leather (Makarov, etc., which still too often turn up)

Black holsters were generally for non-officer rank, officers always wore a brown holster. This was not so with the Waffen-SS, whose officers always had black leather belts, etc.