Franz Pfannl

Franz Pfannl (born October 15, 1866 in Stein an der Donau , † December 28, 1961 in Krems an der Donau ) was an Austrian master watchmaker and manufacturer. He is the inventor of the 2 mm Kolibri , the smallest pistol in the world.

Life

Pfannl was born as the son of the Steiner watchmaker Ferdinand Pfannl. This was known for its large clocks .

Franz Pfannl attended secondary school (now BRG ), business school and learned the watchmaking trade from his father.

In 1890 he took over a watchmaker's shop in the Krems town hall . In 1896 he sold his watchmaker's shop and set up a workshop for the production of miniature pistols on Wienerstrasse. The pistol of the brand "Kolibri" was six-shot, 68 mm long and decorated with mother-of-pearl, silver or gold handles. It could also be worn as a pendant. The weapons were exported to America and Japan.

In 1900 he moved his factory to Lederergasse. In the so-called Pfannlmühle it was possible to produce with water power.

Rifle grenades and flamethrowers were produced during the First World War. Shortly after the end of the war around 1918, the Pfannl company built a small self-loading pistol and launched it on the market under the model name "Erika". It was of the unusual caliber 4.25 mm , whereby Pfannl also developed and manufactured the corresponding cartridge. The number of pieces produced should not exceed a total of 3,500. The cartridge was also taken over by the Menz company in Suhl in Thuringia for their Liliput pistol , and Pfannl delivered larger quantities to Menz.

The production of special machines for the manufacture of pencils, which began in 1928, was taken over in 1931 by the Budweiser company Hardmuth , which produced in Krems until 1938.

From 1943 to 1945 the factory was used as a test facility for secret weapons under the company "Rotanwerke AG". After the war the factory was rented to craftsmen.

On his 60th birthday, the Federal President awarded him the title of Commercial Councilor . Pfannl died at the age of 95 on December 28, 1961. With his wife Maria, geb. He was married to Sohnle for 63 years.

Individual evidence

↑ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ Frühwirth "Your love was for Krems"
↑ The pocket pistol collector [1]

literature

Hans Frühwirth: Your love was for Krems. Cultural Office of the City of Krems, Krems 1997, ISBN 3-901664-01-9 .

Web links

to the Erika model [2]
to the model Kolibri [3]

personal data
SURNAME	Pfannl, Franz
BRIEF DESCRIPTION	Austrian master watchmaker and manufacturer
DATE OF BIRTH	October 15, 1866
PLACE OF BIRTH	Stein on the Danube
DATE OF DEATH	December 28, 1961
Place of death	Krems at the Donau

[Frühwirth-1] ↑ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ Frühwirth "Your love was for Krems"

[2] The pocket pistol collector [1]