German WWII Alphabetic Ordnance Codes : p-z
Last Updated 12/31/2005
The following table lists the German alphabetic ordnance codes used in World War II. As usual, I’m not responsible for incorrect information, just for errors in transcription. Please report any errors to me.
Updates 06/06/2004
I’ve added some codes found in Folke Myrvang’s book MG34-MG42 German Universal Machineguns.
Updates 07/10/2000
As time allows, additional codes will be added by special request, but only if information about the items on which the code has been observed is provided. Information from sources other than John Walter or Pawlas are identified with the relevant entries. BCN = K98k Bayonet Collector’s Network.
Updates 12/04/99
Information with strike-out marks like this came from Wirnsberger’s book, and the uncorrected information comes from either John Walter’s or Pawlas’ books (see German WWII Ordnance Codes).
Since so few of the codes from ‘p’ through ‘zzz’ have been identified, the entire list from John Walter’s book is included, along with a short description of the items on which the codes have been found. Codes other than those listed here have been observed, but the corresponding manufacturers remain unknown.
| German WWII Alphabetic Ordnance Codes : p-z | |
| Code | Manufacturer |
| p | Polte Armaturen- u. Maschinenfabrik AG, Magdeburg, later renamed ‘Polte-Werke’. Also sometimes mistakenly identified with ‘Ruhrstahl AG, Brackwede’. Found on ammunition headstamps. |
| pcdp | See ‘p’ and ‘cdp’ separately. Found on ammunition headstamps, which are believed to have been made by Polte and loaded by Bergmann. |
| pjj | Staatliche Munitionsfabrik, Kopenhagen. Found on ammuntion headstamps. |
| pla | Unknown. Found on small arms. |
| pmf | Unknown. Found on ammuntion headstamps. |
| pmq | Allegedly ‘Gevelot, Paris’ – Societe Francaise des Munitions, Paris. Associated with annumtion components. |
| pmt | Unknown. Found on ammuntion headstamps. |
| pmu | Unknown. Associated with munitions. |
| ptv | Sometimes confused with a letter code, but actually a ‘PTV’ monogram applied by the Zeugamt der Polizeischule fuer Technik und Verkehr, Berlin, in the Reichswehr period. |
| pvf | Optische Werke O. C. Reichert, Vienna |
| pyy | Unknown, probably in Solingen. Found on SG84/98 dating from 1945. Probably superseded the code agv for Berg&Co, Solingen-Ohligs, per the BCN |
| qa | William Prym, Stollberg, Rheinland. Involved with ammunition production. |
| qlv | Unknown. Found on small arms components |
| qnw | Unknown. Found on small arms |
| qrb | Pirotecnico di Bologna, Italy. Found on ammunition headstamps |
| qve | “Karl Walther, Zella-Mehlis, Thuringia. Possibly a subsidiary factory in Czechoslovakia” (per John Walter). “Berliner-Luebecker Maschinenfabrik, Luebeck plant” (see ‘duv’, per Claus Espeholt). |
| r | Westfaelische-Anhaltische Sprengstoff AG, Reinsdorf plant. Found on ammunition |
| ra | Deutsche Messingwerke, C. Eveking AG, Berlin-Niederschoenweide. A supplier of cartridge cases |
| rbp | Unknown. Found on the bakelite case of a 1945 landmine and on an AZ 23/28 fuse, also dated 1945, on an 88mm shell case |
| rde | Unknown. Found on small arms |
| rdf | Westfaelische-Anhaltische Sprengstoff AG, Werk Reinsdorf. Found on shell cases and hand grenade casings, though generally referring to the propellant contained within them. |
| rfo | Unknown. Found on ammunition headstamps and flame-thrower igniters |
| rhs | Unknown Rheinmetall-Borsig AG, Soemmerda. Found on fuses |
| rln | Karl Zeiss, Jena. Found on optical equipment |
| rtl | Unknown. Found on small arms ammunition |
| s | Dynamit AG (formerly A. Nobel u. Co.), Lambrecht plant. Found on ammunition primers |
| sb | Pre-1939 trademark of Sellier & Bellot in Prague |
| sgx | Believed to be a subsidiary of E. & F. Hoerster, Solingen (see also ‘asw’). Found on SG84/98 manufactured in 1944-45 |
| she | Unknown. Found on small arms manufactured in Czechoslovakia |
| sta | Rheinische_Westfaelische Sprengstoff AG, Stadeln bei Nuernberg. |
| suk | Believed to be a subsidiary of the Karlsruhe-Durlach factory of Deutsche Waffen- u. Munitionsfabriken. Found on ammunition headstamps |
| sup | Unknown. Found on small arms |
| svq | Gustloff-Werke, Suhl |
| svw | Mauser-Werke, Oberndorf on the Neckar. It either superseded or supplemented ‘byf’. Found on small arms |
| swd | Maget (Maschinen-und Geraetetbau GmbH) |
| swj | Waffenfabrik Steyr |
| swp | An unidentified subsidiary of Waffenwerke Bruenn AG, Bruenn, Czechoslovakia. Found on bayonets and small arms components |
| t | Dynamit AG, Troisdorf plant. Found on ammunition primers |
| ta | Duerener Metallwerke AG, Berlin-Borsigwalde. Found on ammunition |
| thg | Allegedly used on ammunition made by Polte-Werkem AG in Duderstadt |
| tjk | Unknown. Found on small arms components |
| tko | Unknown. Found on ammunition headstamps |
| tpk | Unknown. Found on small arms components, possibly located in northern Czechoslovakia |
| tpn | Unknown. Found on small arms components |
| tvw | Unknown. See ‘tpn’ above |
| ua | Osnabruecker Kupfer- u. Drahtwerke AG, Osnabrueck. Found on ammunition components |
| unt | Unknown. Found on ammunition components |
| uxa | Unknown. Found on small arms components, allegedly manufactured in a Czechoslovakian small arms factory operating under German control |
| va | Kabel- u. Metallwerke Neumeyer AG, Nuernberg. Found on ammunition headstamps and cannon shell cases |
| vs | Unknown. Found on ammunition components |
| w | Gesellschaft zur Verwertung Chem. Erzeugnisse, Wolfratshausen plant. Found on ammunition primers |
| wa | Hasag, Hugo Schneider AG, Abteilung Lampenfabrik, Leipzig. Found on ammunition headstamps and cannon shell cases |
| wb | Hugo Schneider AG, Berlin-Koepenick. See ‘wa’ |
| wc | Hasag, Hugo Schneider AG, Meuselwitz plant, Thuringia. See ‘wa’ |
| wd | Hasag, Hugo Schneider AG, Taucha plant. See ‘wa’ |
| we | Hasag, Hugo Schneider AG, Langewiesen plant. See ‘wa’ |
| wf | Hasag, Hugo Schneider AG, Kielce plant, Poland. See ‘wa’ |
| wg | Hasag, Hugo Schneider AG, Altenburg plant. See ‘wa’ |
| wh | Hasag, Hugo Schneider AG, Eisenach plant. See ‘wa’ |
| wj | Hasag, Hugo Schneider AG, Oberweissbach plant. See ‘wa’ |
| wk | Hasag, Hugo Schneider AG, Schlieben plant. See ‘wa’ |
| wm | Hasag, Hugo Schneider AG, Dermbach plant, Thuringia. See ‘wa’ |
| wn | Hasag, Hugo Schneider AG, Derrnabach Dermbach plant, Thuringia (Often confused with ‘wm’). See ‘wa’ |
| wtf | Unknown. Found on fuses |
| x | Possibly used by Rheinisch-Westfaelische Sprengstoff. Found on ammunition and primers |
| xa | Buxch Busch u. Jaeger, Luedenscheider Metallwerke, Luedenscheid. Found on ammunition components |
| y | Jagdpatronen, Zuendhuetchen- u. Metallwarenfabrik AG, Nagyteteny plant, Budapest. Found on ammunition components |
| ya | Saechsische Metallwarenfabrik, August Wellner u. Sohn, Aue, Saxony. Found on ammunition components |
| z | Waffenwerke Bruenn AG, Povaska Bystrica (?). Found on ammunition components |
| zb | Kupferwerk Ilsenburg AG, Ilsenburg, Harz. Found on ammunition components |