Panserknacker manual

[lepageman8]

Hello all,

I reccently aquired an original Panzerknacker manual. The one that depicts a German "nutcracker" type soldier chomping down on a t-34. Its a little rough and the cover has been taped back on but its original all the same. I have been trying to find out what an original manual goes for pricewise. I would also like to know how rare they are!?

Any help would be appreciated!

Thank you

Dave lepage

[erichcraciun]

In my opinion - the originals are very rare. I have only seen one and I collect quite a few Dienstvorschriften. I forget how much Weitze was selling this one original manual for, I remeber it being quite expensive.

Nice find!

Erich Craciun

Hello all,

I reccently aquired an original Panzerknacker manual. The one that depicts a German "nutcracker" type soldier chomping down on a t-34. Its a little rough and the cover has been taped back on but its original all the same. I have been trying to find out what an original manual goes for pricewise. I would also like to know how rare they are!?

Any help would be appreciated!

Thank you

Dave lepage

[lepageman8]

In my opinion - the originals are very rare. I have only seen one and I collect quite a few Dienstvorschriften. I forget how much Weitze was selling this one original manual for, I remeber it being quite expensive.

Nice find!

Erich Craciun

Thats very interesting! I had no idea they were that rare!?

I seemed to have scored quite a nice collection from a ww2 vet who served with the 635th tank destroyer battalion, in fact, I have here a two page letter of commendation dated 29 May 1945 from the 4th cavalry group headquarters, commending the 635th for its support during the war.

I also got another tank manual marked restricted entitled "friend or foe?" prepared by the armored section first U.S. army. Its loaded with tank recognitions.

I also got a fold out brochure marked restricted on the American medium tank m4 a3 with e8 suspension. This unfolds like a small poster.

There was also two other fold out brochures marked "secret", 1 is for the m-26 medium heavy tank and the other is for the m-24 light tank.

I know the latter are not German but interesting all the same. I would love to hear any feedback on these items!?

I retract my statement about the panzerknacker manual being original until I can find out for sure. It does have some serious age to it but until I can authenticate it, I will have to say it "may" be original.

Is there any way of getting this stuff authenticated? I have no sources here where I live!?

Thanks much

Dave Lepage

[erichcraciun]

Here is a scan of the reproduction. Also - the original pages (if I remember correctly) are printed in color. It is fairly easy to spot the reproduction.

[Akira Takiguchi]

Erich, are you sure that it is a reproduction? There are certainly "easy-to-spot" reproductions (like this, but I don't have experience in finding "harder-to-spot" repros.

At first glance, the cover is not from one of the easy-to-spot one...

[lepageman8]

Erich, are you sure that it is a reproduction? There are certainly "easy-to-spot" reproductions (like this, but I don't have experience in finding "harder-to-spot" repros.

At first glance, the cover is not from one of the easy-to-spot one...

I looked at the reprint on Ebay and compared it to mine. It is clearly differant! The printing on the repro has dark shadowy areas as to where mine appears softer.
The paper looks differant as well. That repro looks like it has some kind of a texture. The paper mine is printed on kinda reminds me of that paper I used to do my alphabet on in kinder garden. Smooth

The cover looks to be well printed on mine and there doesnt appear to be any bleeding of the colors.

They used red inside mine for certain sentences and as coloring for certain illustrations.

This is driving me nuts now! I need to know if its real or not!

Dave

[lepageman8]

I looked at the reprint on Ebay and compared it to mine. It is clearly differant! The printing on the repro has dark shadowy areas as to where mine appears softer.
The paper looks differant as well. That repro looks like it has some kind of a texture. The paper mine is printed on kinda reminds me of that paper I used to do my alphabet on in kinder garden. Smooth

The cover looks to be well printed on mine and there doesnt appear to be any bleeding of the colors.

They used red inside mine for certain sentences and as coloring for certain illustrations.

This is driving me nuts now! I need to know if its real or not!

Dave

AHHHH maybe this is the deciding factor!? I just noticed from the photo you showed me and the example that is on Ebay, The long wooden "mouth control" stick going into the back of the nutcrackers head on yours and the one on Ebay has a curve at the end. The one I have goes straight into the back of the head with no curve at all!?

Dave

[Panzer]

Dave,

might I suggest you go to Akira's fine site here: http://www.history.jp/wehrmacht/011.htm , click on the links down near the bottom of the page and compare yours with his original? It should be reasonably easy to do. Or if you have any pictures, I have one here and have owned several.......so just email me (just click on my profile and send a mail with your address) and I will take a look for you.
Cheers! Wade K.

[lepageman8]

Dave,

might I suggest you go to Akira's fine site here: http://www.history.jp/wehrmacht/011.htm , click on the links down near the bottom of the page and compare yours with his original? It should be reasonably easy to do. Or if you have any pictures, I have one here and have owned several.......so just email me (just click on my profile and send a mail with your address) and I will take a look for you.
Cheers! Wade K.

Hey thanks for that link! I compared mine with the original and it looks identical. The one thing that really stands out to me was the two repro examples I have seen, the jaw lever the german soldier is operating has a curve into the back of the nutcrackers head. The original I studied from that link is identical to mine. The jaw lever goes straight into the back of the head.

I would love to e mail you a few photos if your willing to take the time to help me out!?

So if it is original, what might it be worth? what did the last one sell for?

Thanks

Dave

[erichcraciun]

Akira, Dave - everyone reading this thread,

The original one I have seen have a color cover - like the one I have posted here, however the original has color drawings in it UNLIKE the one I have shown here.

You should be able to tell be the paper too.

Erich

[Akira Takiguchi]

Thanks Erich. I just don't know enough... My book (from Weitze a few years back... Sorry don't remember the price) has color pages inside, but I have never seen an original Luftwaffe (LW 200) version (curved lever and different location of "Merkblatt", as shown in your photo). Just thought the possiblity of LW version having B/W inside... But if you can tell it from the paper, it should be a repro...

[Stirling]

T-34 yeah right

hi guys
That panzerknacker book is really cool real or not, I love the cover But isn't that a KV-85 he's chomping down on? not a t-34 like you and ebay said
thats all I've got

Have a nice day
Stirling

[lepageman8]

Thanks to Panzer (Wade) for authenticating the manul for me! I was pretty sure it was original but its always nice for someone who has the experience to "give the nod".

Thanks again Wade!

Dave Lepage