Maschinenfabrik Geipel

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ERMA bang / gas revolver EGR 66X

The Erfurt machine and tool factory Berthold Geipel GmbH ("ERMA" for short) was founded in 1924 by Berthold Geipel in Erfurt . Like Feinmechanische Werke GmbH (“FEIMA”), which was later established at the same location, the company also manufactured weapons from the 1930s. The company developed u. a. the submachine gun 38 and 40.

history

ERMA EMP exhibited in the Warsaw Rising Museum

Berthold Geipel had been employed by Deutsche Werke AG at the Erfurt plant since 1920 , most recently in a managerial position. Years after the end of the First World War, armaments and firearms were still manufactured, such as the " Ortgies pistol ". From 1924, however, only civilian products such as typewriters were offered. In the same year Geipel set up his own business with the Erfurter Maschinen- und Werkzeugfabrik GmbH , in 1925 he also established the company Erfurter Feinmechanische Werke J. Braband GmbH with the help of Julius Braband, his father-in-law. The companies were initially located at Rudolfstrasse 49, in the former “Rudolfkaserne” there. Geipel ultimately managed both companies. From the 1930s on, carbines and submachine guns with the designation EMP for "ERMA machine gun" were manufactured there.

Submachine gun 40

Armaments production

The "EMP" series was based on designs by weapons designer Heinrich Vollmer , which Geipel acquired in the early 1930s. The submachine guns were sold in several variants from 1932 (first as a direct replica of the Vollmer model) to 1938 domestically, but mainly to Spain, Mexico, China and Yugoslavia; the Spaniards later acquired a production license. In 1935 a license was acquired for the Mauser model 98 carbine , which was manufactured until the early 1940s. In the pre-war years there were various plug-in barrels (e.g. type Erma EL 24) for these repeating systems. In 1933 his brother Elmar Geipel joined the company. In 1934 and 1935 the companies were renamed to Erfurt machine and tool factory B. Geipel GmbH or "ERMA", as well as Feinmechanische Werke GmbH and "FEIMA". In 1937, Berthold Geipel was appointed Erfurt's military economic leader.

ERMA MP 44, prototype

From the “EMP 36” version, the “MP 38” and the successor model “ MP 40 ” were developed under Vollmer's direction and manufactured for the German armed forces . In 1943, the ERMA works designed the " Erma EMP 44 ", a very simple submachine gun that could be produced quickly and in large numbers. However, such a weapon was still rejected by the Wehrmacht at this point in time; the later establishment of a production facility was no longer possible despite the need. Similar models were z. B. successfully used on the Soviet ( PPS-43 ) and British ( Sten Gun ) side and remained in use for decades.

During the Second World War, part of the company was located at Altonaer Straße 25, on the premises of the Erfurt University of Applied Sciences . In addition, there was a forced labor camp for weapons production from around 1940 , located near the current technical college. Around 2000 workers were housed there.

Start-up

After the Second World War , Erfurt was in the Soviet zone of occupation and the companies had to cease operations. Bertholt Geipel was first arrested in 1945 because of his ties to the National Socialist regime, but later went through denazification . He began to work for the “ Vollmer Werke GmbH” of its former designer. In 1948, part of the family moved to the western allied occupation area in Bavaria, where a new economic start was made in Dachau . Geipel's son Rudolf was employed after being a prisoner of war. First they started to produce household appliances. Also, machine parts and bearings for the company Präzifx were maintained. In 1952 the company was re-established as ERMA-Werke . The company's headquarters were now at Johann-Ziegler-Strasse 13–15.

ERMA SE 08/2 insert system

Resumption of weapon production

From the 1950s onwards, the production program again included firearms (pistols, revolvers and small bore rifles) and parts, insert barrels and exchange systems for other calibers, as well as slide bearings and machines. The production concentrated more on handguns, for example for sport shooting. In 1954 "ERMA" developed an insert barrel system for the parabolic pistol for Samuel Cummings ' company "Interarmco" . The company also received an order to maintain firearms from Allied stocks in use by German police forces and to manufacture spare parts for them. A small- bore rifle like the M1 Carbine should also be offered as a practice variant for authorities, etc. a. in caliber .22 lfB . A number of them were used by the Austrian Federal Gendarmerie to meaningfully supplement the "US .30 M1 carbine". Furthermore, variants of this carabiner, the model "EG 70", became very popular in the civil market in Europe and the USA from the mid-1960s.

ERMA E M1 carabiner in .22 LfB

After the founding of the West German Bundeswehr in 1955, efforts were made to replace firearms from Western Allied stocks with their own armaments, if possible. a. a new submachine gun should be introduced for security and armed forces. The "ERMA-Werke" submitted their draft, but it was not accepted. Instead, since 1959 the Uzi has been used under the designation "MP2" by the Bundeswehr, and Walther MP variants (produced since 1963) by the German Navy , the Federal Border Guard and the police. The expenses for the development of the new official weapon and the departure from the selection burdened the company financially, so that it finally came to the takeover of the company.

takeover

In 1961 the company was acquired by the company "Fiberglide". The brand name "ERMA" was partially used, Geipel's father and son left the company. The firearms produced were successful and successful for many years. a. distributed in the United States , but also in Europe. A poorly running cooperation with the US arms manufacturer Harrington & Richardson , legal aspects in the export business with the US, increased competition and repeated financial problems brought the company into economic difficulties in the mid-1990s. In 1997 “ERMA-Werke” finally filed for bankruptcy. The remnants went to the " Suhler Jagd- und Sportwaffen GmbH " in 1998 . The Bavarian location was liquidated, the brand or company name, e.g. as "ERMA SUHL", still used at times. In 2003 " Heckler & Koch Jagd- und Sportwaffen GmbH " acquired the Thuringian company.

Products

Recreational, signal and defense weapons

  • Erma EGP 45 - blank shot version of the pistol EP 452 in caliber 8 mm K (Wadie 8x20 mm bang; see also blank gun # caliber )
  • Erma EGP 75 S (PTB 401) - blank firing pistol caliber 8 mm K
  • Erma EGR 66 (PTB 162) - replica of the Smith & Wesson revolver model 36 in caliber 9 mm RK (9x17 mm R Knall / Gas)
  • Erma EGR 66X (PTB 162/2) - like revolver EGR 66, but made entirely of stainless steel
  • Erma EGR 77 - (PTB 233 and PTB 601) blank firing version of the ER 77 revolver in 9 mm RK caliber
  • Erma ER 77 - replica of the Smith & Wesson revolver model 19 in caliber 4 mm M20 , so-called "room ammunition" (see room socket )
  • Erma ER 440 - Compact 5-shot (J frame) revolver made of stainless steel in caliber .38 Special (9 × 29 mm R).

Sporting weapons

  • Erma EG 70 - small bore rifle in the style of the "M1 Carbine" in .22 lfB, also marketed as E M1 or EG M1
  • Erma ESG 22 - small bore rifle in the style of the "M1 Carbine" in .22 Winchester Magnum
  • Erma EG 71, EG 71B and EG 712 - rifles, lever action rifles in caliber .22 lfB (also .22 lR)
  • Erma EG 72 - forearm repeater in caliber .22lfB
  • Erma EG 73 - lever action rifle in caliber .22 Winchester Magnum
  • Erma EG 294 - small bore rifle in caliber .22 lfB
  • Erma ERP 74 - 4 mm M20 caliber revolver
  • Erma KGP 55 - pistol in caliber 8 mm K
  • Erma KGP 68 - pistol in the style of the pistol 08 ("Parabellum"), somewhat scaled down in caliber 7.65mm (.32ACP)
  • Erma KGP 69 - pistol in the style of the pistol 08 , somewhat scaled down in caliber .22 lfB
  • Erma ESP 85 A - small caliber - sport pistol in caliber .22 lfB
  • Erma EP 22 - pistol in the style of the pistol 08 in original size in caliber .22lfB
  • Erma EP 452 - pistol in caliber .22 lfB
  • Erma EP 457 - pistol in caliber 7.65 mm Browning or .32 ACP
  • Erma EP 459 - pistol in caliber 9 mm short or .380 ACP
  • Erma EP 552 - pistol in caliber .22 lfB
  • Erma EP 555 - pistol in caliber 6.35 mm Browning or .25 ACP
  • Erma EP 652 - pistol in caliber .22 lfB
  • Erma EP 752 - pistol in the style of a Walther PPK in caliber .22 lfB
  • Erma ER 777 - Smith & Wesson Model 686 revolver with 15 cm (six inches) barrel in .357 Magnum caliber (9 × 33 mm R)
  • Erma EP 882 - pistol in the style of a Walther P38 in caliber .22 lfB

Police and military weapons

Weapon parts

literature

Web links

Commons : Erfurter Maschinenfabrik  - collection of images, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ a b c Die Maschinenpistole 40 - Berthold Geipel (English)
  2. ^ G. de Vries, BJ Martens: The MP 38, 40, 40/1 and 41 Submachine gun , Volume 2. Special Interest Publicaties BV, Arnhem 2001, ISBN 90-805583-2-X , pp. 8-13. (English)
  3. ↑ Erfurt University of Applied Sciences - reports, April 1, 2009
  4. ↑ a b ERMA-Werke Model E M1: History, Importers, Markings, Part I 1945–1990 (English)
  5. ^ A b Ian Hogg , John Walter: Pistols of the World , Verlag David & Charles, 2004, ISBN 978-0-87349-460-1 , pp. 107-109 [1] (English)
  6. ↑ Erich Schmidt-Eenboom , Verlag Informationsbüro für Friedenspolitik, 1988, ISBN 978-3-924011-11-6 , p. 91 [2]
  7. ^ MM MaschinenMarkt , Volume 78, Issue 96, Part 1972 - Issue 104, Part 1972 p. 454 [3]
  8. ↑ a b ERMA-Werke Model E M1: History, Importers, Markings, Part II 1990-2000 + (English)

Coordinates: 48 ° 15 ′ 32.7 "  N , 11 ° 26 ′ 57.8"  E