A Wirtschaftsamt Litzmannstadt A-Frame

[Bernhard]

My fellow collectors ,

After seeing some web a-frames on the e-stand here lately I dug out my
"old" web frame from one of my storage boxes to have a closer look to it.

When I bought this piece of equipment more than 32 years ago the only thing I "knew" back then was that it "surely was Afrika Korps" because
of it`s all web construction....

When I dug it out today with some other equipment I took advantage of the vast knowledge we all share here at WAF and found out very quickly
two interresting facts :

First the maker "Wirtschaftsamt" seems to point into one direction only.
As you can see from the pics , the stamp indeed seems to be the Wirtschaftsamt Litzmannstadt maker´s mark.

Back in 1979 when I purchased this frame from a local military dealer I never ever thought too much about the possible maker because of the very
hard to read stamp..

I also clearly remember the price I had to pay : 700 hundred Austrian Schillings was the amount he wanted to have - the equivalent of hundred
german Marks back then.
In todays Euros it would be € 50.- (By any means not cheap back then - a nice helmet would have cost around € 25 to € 40 )

Second information I got from my "Wirtschaftsamt" search here at the WAF is that in fabricating the equipment for the WH a lot of captured british
web was reused.
After a close look - Bingo ! - the marking I found indeed seems to be british.
"ROVER 1940" after a short search really seems to be a known WWII british maker of web equipment.

And now some pics of my "old" frame that has revealed a lot of it´s proveniance in only two hours after owning it for more than thirty years.

Regards

Bernhard

[Bernhard]

More pics !

[Bernhard]

Next pics...

[Bernhard]

Next ones...

[Bernhard]

Here the "ROVER 1940" british strap... and the reinforcement for the
mess kit strap.

[Bernhard]

Here two listings about british web makers that a quick search
generated.
There really is a "ROVER" maker listed.

[WEISNER]

Bernhard, That is a real nice A frame! Did it come with a Bag?
If you are a savvy business man, You will sell it to me as I will double your money giving you 100 Euro LOL!
Kevin

[anmarlodz]

I would wish to have it as it is made in my home town ! It is first time when I seen clearly marked A-frame with stamp Wirtschaftsamt Liztmannstadt. I always tought that if they making backpacks, Y-straps than they have to also made A-frames. Now we have proof that I was right.

[corporalSteiner]

interesting piece. did the british army utilise captured german equipment parts?

[SOT(D)]

Old things admired

"And now some pics of my "old" frame that has revealed a lot of it´s proveniance in only two hours after owning it for more than thirty years.

Regards

Bernhard "

I just had to smile when reading your tale of discovery. It causes me to go find my A-frames for another once-over, but more so, it is similar to what I found recently. I had put a M-40 tropical/Med painted helmet for sale, and received queries, but one fellow stuck with it, and sounded serious. He turned out to be a dealer/collector, and wanted it for his collection. Hmmm....well, as much as I would love to keep this helmet, which I also found in 1979, in these days of "hope and change"......
As I was looking over the shell during photography, I found myself staring at the painted surface, and discovered that there was a decal under there. No, two! On I went, traveling the waves of rippled paint drabs and worn spots, to further find the original feldgrau, then a second, hastily applied, darker feldgrau, covered by the ordnance tan shade. And, the funny look of the air vents...could I have given this helmet so cursory a view as I bought it at Ft.Bragg, so long ago? Well, yes. Never looked under the skirt I did, and lo and behold were the inside rivet points of an M-35. Huh. So here I sit, dumfounded, with an M-35, double decal, repainted (probably to cover the decals) and then camo-painted by one Kanoneer Heibert of the II/70th Artillery Regt., later battle damaged in a concussive explosion ( to crack the shell, and shear the liner band). And here I was selling it. No tears shed, as it is now in the hands of another who will put in a place of reverence and respect for the next 32 years!
Now, if I can get the picture/pixels reduced....

[John Hodgin]

did the british army utilise captured german equipment parts?

Actually, quite the other way around.

[corporalSteiner]

Actually, quite the other way around.

its clear germans utilised english/allied webbing. en masse. that point i get. its clear. no problem grasping that fact. that piece of info is established. lets take it as read. we're all in agreement about that. good. great. so, that said, that point established, here comes the question again: did the brits/allies utilise captured axis equipment in a like fashion?

[John Hodgin]

its clear germans utilised english/allied webbing. en masse. that point i get. its clear. no problem grasping that fact. that piece of info is established. lets take it as read. we're all in agreement about that. good. great. so, that said, that point established, here comes the question again: did the brits/allies utilise captured axis equipment in a like fashion?

Since you are actually there, in the UK that is, it seems you would be better qualified and positioned to research and answer your own question. Look forward to learning what you might discover and share with us.

[Michael Kuligowski]

nice frame !!!

if You go to 3.00 minutes of this movie:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QvUdffAhFH4

that maybe one of them

[Michael Kuligowski]

and here is the color slide used in that great movie, movie is called Fotoamator and is based on color slides dicovered in 1987, made by Walter Genewein who was a chief accountant of ghetto Litzmannstadt