I understand the connection of Hoffstätter owning the firm of Grossmann & Co, but there is also the 880 KM's distance between Bonn and Vienna, that's an 8hr drive. The headed wartime letter stating the manufacture of EK2's was also on Hoffstätter headed stationary, not Grossmann's, which as you point out has it's own separate PK number 11.
I don't see why Hoffstätter and Grossmann can't be both making EK2's under different guises. It could be said there is no proof, but there is an unknown maker cross marked "8" which is different to the "11" marked crosses, which it could be equally said is proof enough. Is it known when Hoffstätter took control of Grossmann? Good point about the L/19 1st class though, that does confuse things.
C
I don't see why Hoffstätter and Grossmann can't be both making EK2's under different guises. It could be said there is no proof, but there is an unknown maker cross marked "8" which is different to the "11" marked crosses, which it could be equally said is proof enough. Is it known when Hoffstätter took control of Grossmann? Good point about the L/19 1st class though, that does confuse things.
C
Comment