Definitions — Essential Basic Information

The letter “m” or “M” (indicating millimeters) preceded the designation “H/6400” (indicating that the millimeter scale is graduated into 6400 segments measured in mils).

Between 1938 and 1939, the “m” or “M” was discontinued, and only the “H/6400” was retained to show that a Strichplatte (reticle) range finding scale was built into a particular Dienstglas.

The “m” or “M” preceding “H/6400” is often confused with the capital letter “M” marked beneath or near the Nazi Eagle symbol that identifies property of the German Marine (Navy).

The term reticle (from Latin, rēticulum, a little net) describes a network of fine lines etched within the focal plane of an optical instrument, and used to measure the size or position of objects under observation.

Another term for reticle is graticule, first encountered in British military technical manuals of World War I, and currently in British publications and web sites.

As wartime material shortages and minimal manufacturing techniques went into effect, paint alone became the prominent Dienstglas body covering, notably the use of dark gray paint and Sandgelb (sand yellow) paint from September 1943 to the end of the war.

Sandgelb was ordered to be used on new optical equipment made after September 1943, and existing optics were also ordered to be repainted with the new sand yellow color.

Sellers on eBay often erroneously claim the Sandgelb sand yellow color to be somehow related to the German Afrika Korps.

The Okularshutz (eye piece protector) is also referred to as a Regenschutzdeckel (rain protection cover) or a Benutzerkappe (user cap) for rear lenses.

The Carl Zeiss 10×50 Dienstglas is a military version of the civilian model Carl Zeiss Dekaris 10×50 that was introduced in 1929 and remained in production until 1990. A center focus version called the Dekarem (later, also called the Jenoptem) was introduced in 1931 and made until 1990.

Although made with later war cost saving features, build quality is high and better than that of the cxn (Busch) 10×50 Dienstglas.

Optically, the 10×50 Dienstglas is very good, particularly when the plastic eye cups are removed, enabling the user to see the entire field of view. Visibility is improved with the eye cups removed, because the metal rings that the eye cups screw into project 4 mm beyond the surface of the rear lens, preventing the user’s eyes from getting too close to them. This feature may have been introduced so that the dienstglas could be used while wearing glasses, goggles, or gas mask.

of Manufacture: 302223 = Probably 1944-1945

Notes: Dienstglas = service glass; cxn = 3 letter wartime German coding for the manufacturer Emil Busch Rathenow; K.F. = a code for the lubricant Kältefest; H/6400 = a marking often seen on German WW II army binoculars referencing the graticule’s mil graduations.

The Dienstglas 6X30 was introduced during the 1920’s and during WWII was the German army’s primary binocular. During the war it was produced in the hundreds of thousands by many different optical manufacturers in Germany, and except for minor variations most are mechanically and optically the same as the civilian model Zeiss Silvamar 6X30 (manufactured 1910– 1975 with the 365 gr lightweight version introduced 1935).

Beginning in late 1940, manufacturers’ names were not marked on weapons and equipment supplied to German armed forces. Instead, three letter codes came into existence to prevent the Allies from determining where the instrument was made. Also, later in the war the coverings and finishing of Dienstglas 6X30 binoculars were changed due to shortages of materials. Initially most were covered in a synthetic leatherette called Vulkanite and painted black, but by war’s end leatherette coverings were discontinued and they were finished with only a black or tan coloured textured paint. It is an eBay myth that tan coloured Dienstglas binoculars are Afrika Corps binoculars – research indicates the Deutsches Afrikacorps were equipped with conventionally coloured black binoculars and that tan coloured binoculars were not introduced until later 1943-1944. Some later war Dienstglas binoculars such as the above cxn example were alternatively covered with a lacquered black painted composite paper. Although such Dienstglas binoculars are not rare, they are not seen as frequently as the leatherette or texturized paint finished ones.

The leather button flap (Anknopflasche) attached to the front of German binoculars is meant to be attached to a jacket button to keep the binocular from swinging during activity. It is often found on German WWII binoculars particularly the light in weight 6X30s. German binoculars were also supplied with a leather or bakelite rain cover (Regenschutzdeckel) attached to the neck strap.

The German 6×30 is equal to other WW II 6×30 military binoculars with uncoated lenses, and has a slightly wider field of view. The build quality is very good, and provides an excellent field of vision.

Weighing just 377 grams, the German 6×30 is easily lighter in weight than other WWI binoculars. For example, the Canadian REL CGB 37MA weighs 897 grams, the British Taylor-Hobson No. 2 Mk III weighs 872 grams, the U.S. Nash-Kelvinator M3 weighs 624 grams, and the U.S. Wollensak M5 weighs 521 grams.

With a Bausch & Lomb type body, the U.S. M3 and Canadian REL, had a stronger and more weatherproof body, and many U.S. 6x30s made in 1944-1945 had coated lenses, giving them increased light transmission. Some Carl Zeiss Kriegsmarine 6x30s did have coated lenses, but the German Army Dienstglas did not.

German 3-letter codes for manufacturers of military binoculars, telescopic sights, cameras and optical instruments of all types during World War Two

During WWII, German industry was extensively and successfully dispersed to lessen the effects of Allied bombing on its output. The principal manufacturers of binoculars, such as Zeiss, Leitz, Hensoldt, Goerz, Busch and Voigtländer were often spread over various locations and many other companies were brought in to manufacture optical equipment for the military of the Third Reich. Such companies included some located outside of Germany, in occupied countries, such as France, Hungary, Poland, Czechoslovakia and Holland. Austria and Italy also manufactured for the Reich. Often these companies were making equipment designed by the bigger firms such as Zeiss and Leitz. The equipment manufactured by this extensive network was, until near the end of the war, of the very highest quality and, from 1940, its origin was intended to be obscured from the enemy by the use of government-issued, three-letter codes. The following list of these codes is extensive but not exhaustive, one reason for this being that some further dispersal was undertaken as the war progressed.

Unmarked

beh — Ernst Leitz, Wetzlar, Hesse, Deutschland

blc — Carl Zeiss, Militarabtailung, Jena, Thuringia, Deutschland

Serial Numbers
1933 : 1607008 – 1628868
1934 : 1628869 – 1660396
1935 : 1660397 – 1705441
1936 : 1705442 – 1751204
1937 : 1751205 – 1801967
1938 : 1801968 – 1865276
1939 : 1865277 – 1935538
1940 : 1935539 – 2017171
1941 : 2017172 – 2105419
1942 : 2105420 – 2167993
1943 : 2167994 – 2228256
1944 : 2228257 – 2293770
1945 : 2293771 – 2348412

bmj — Hensoldt u. Söhne, Mechanisch-Optische Werke AG, Wetzlar, Hesse, Deutschland

bmk — Srb u. Stys, Fabrik praeziser Messinstrumente, Prag (Praha, Prague), Czechoslovakia

cxn — Emil Busch AG, Optische Industrie, Rathenow, Brandenburg, Deutschland

dkl — Josef Schneider, Kreuznach, Rhineland-Palatinate, Deutschland

xxx — xxx, Deutschland

rln — Carl Zeiss, Jena, Thuringia, Deutschland