6.35mm Mauser 1934 pocket pistol acquired by a Yugoslavian partisan

Identifier
irn7339
Language of Description
English
Alt. Identifiers
  • 1993.167.2 a
Dates
1 Jan 1945 - 31 Dec 1945
Level of Description
Item
Languages
  • German
Source
EHRI Partner

Extent and Medium

overall: Height: 4.250 inches (10.795 cm) | Width: 1.000 inches (2.54 cm) | Depth: 5.625 inches (14.288 cm)

Creator(s)

Biographical History

Dr. Lavoslav Kadelburg (1910-1995) was born in Vinkovci, Austria-Hungary (now Croatia) to Tobias and Jolan Kadelburg. The family were Ashkenazi, descendants of Jews who had lived in Germany and France who were forced to migrate due to religious persecution. Lavoslav was named after his deceased grandfather, following an Ashkenazi custom. The family were secular, but knew Jewish tradition. Lavoslav grew up speaking Hungarian, German, and Serbo-Croation. As a teenager, Lavoslav was involved in Jewish communal life. He was president of Herut from 1925-1929, a member of the Radni odbor of the Federation of Jewish Youth Associations and he was a member of Hashomer Hatzair, a prewar Zionist youth organization. Lavoslav completed his secondary schooling in Vinkovci, and then studied law at Zagreb University, graduating in 1935. After graduation, Lavoslav began practicing law. On April 6, 1941, Germany and Italy invaded Yugoslavia with the support of Hungary and Bulgaria. Before the invasion, Lavoslav was mobilized as a reserve officer in the Royal Yugoslav Army. He fought with the army against the invaders, but the combined forces overcame the defenders and Yugoslavia capitulated on April 17. The country was partitioned, and central Yugoslavia was formed into the independent State of Croatia, which was governed by the Ustaše and administered by the Germans. The regime enacted anti-Jewish laws, confiscated property and money, forced males to work hard labor and then began deporting Jews to camps. After the dissolution of the army, Lavoslav was captured by the Germans as a prisoner of war (POW) and was taken to Germany as a prisoner. In Germany, Lavoslav was held in Oflag VI C, a prisoner of war camp in Osnabrück-Eversheide, which was housed in an existing Wehrmacht barracks complex. There, he became a member of the Antifascist Committee which combated the cruel treatment of the prisoners by the camp authorities. Later, Lavoslav was transferred to Barkenbrugge camp in Eastern Prussia, near the former Polish border. In late January, 1945, with the Soviet Army approaching, the prisoners were marched out of Barkenbrugge. During the evacuation, the prisoners staged a mass break out and Lavoslav was able to escape. Approximately 10 days later, the escaped prisoners were found by the Soviet soldiers. They then joined the Soviet ranks and helped combat the Germans. In March 1945, Lavoslav returned to Yugoslavia and joined the Narodnooslobodilački pokret (NOP, People's Liberation Movement). After the war, Lavoslav helped rehabilitate survivors of the Holocaust and served in a number of sociopolitical organizations and top level government positions. Through these roles he became one of the most influential and powerful figures in the Jewish community of Yugoslavia. He served in the Popular Front transition government in Vrsac, was president of the Autonomous Aid Committee from 1945-1952, vice-president of the Federation of Jewish Communities of Yugoslavia from 1948-1964 and then president from 1964 to 1992. Lavoslav also held high positions in international Jewish organizations, including vice-president of the World Jewish Congress.

Archival History

The gun was donated to the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in 1993 by the Federation of Jewish Communities in Yugoslavia.

Acquisition

United States Holocaust Memorial Museum Collection, Gift of the Federation of Jewish Communities in Yugoslavia

Scope and Content

Mauser 1934 pocket pistol acquired by Lavoslav Kadelburg, while fighting in the Soviet Army against Germany in 1945. Lavoslav disarmed a German officer, likely from the Estonian SS, and kept the pistol. Lavoslav was a lawyer in Zagreb when he was mobilized as a reserve officer in the Royal Yugoslav Army, in order to help defend against the Axis invasion in April 1942. When Yugoslavia surrendered, the army was disbanded, and Lasoslav was captured by the Nazis and taken back to Germany as a prisoner of war. He was held in Oflag VI C, a prisoner of war camp in Osnabrück-Eversheide. There, he became a member of the Antifascist Committee which combated the cruel treatment of the prisoners by the camp authorities. Later, Lavoslav was transferred to Barkenbrugge camp in Eastern Prussia, near the former Polish border. In January 1945, Barkenbrugge was evacuated before the advancing Soviet Army. Lavoslav escaped with many other prisoners and helped the Soviets fight the Germans. In March 1945, Lavoslav returned to Yugoslavia and joined the Narodnooslobodilački pokret (NOP, People's Liberation Movement). After the war, Lavoslav helped rehabilitate survivors of the Holocaust and served in a number of sociopolitical organizations and top level government positions. Through these roles, he became one of the most influential and powerful figures in the Jewish community of Yugoslavia.

Conditions Governing Access

No restrictions on access

Conditions Governing Reproduction

No restrictions on use

Physical Characteristics and Technical Requirements

Semi-automatic, black, steel, 6.35 mm Mauser Model 1934 pocket pistol. The black, plastic, grip panel surrounds the back strap along with both sides of the grip and is secured with a centered screw on each side. The grip’s surface is knurled with the Mauser logo on the bottom of each side. The grip has a straight front strap with a back strap that curves inward at the tang. The magazine release is a small, ridged latch on the bottom of the grip. The front tip of the magazine extends out slightly past the front of the grip. The trigger guard extends out from the front of the grip and has a large, oval-shaped opening that holds the crescent-shaped trigger. Between the grip and trigger guard is a levered thumb safety and a small button to release the safety. Attached to the top of the frame is the slide, which contains the barrel and firing mechanisms. The slide has flat sides with thin, vertical ridges on both sides near the back. The top of the slide is rounded with the rear sight on the back end. The slide extends halfway down the gun and ends, leaving the exposed barrel at the front, with the front sight on top at the end. The back of the slide is circular shaped and has a small centered hole for the striker pin. The manufacturing information and a maker’s mark are stamped on the sides of the slide and frame.

People

Corporate Bodies

Subjects

Genre

This description is derived directly from structured data provided to EHRI by a partner institution. This collection holding institution considers this description as an accurate reflection of the archival holdings to which it refers at the moment of data transfer.