German WWII Alphabetic Ordnance Codes: p-z

Last Updated 12/31/2005

The following table lists the German alphabetic ordnance codes used in World War II. As usual, I'm not responsible for incorrect information, just for errors in transcription. Please report any errors to me.

Updates 06/06/2004

I've added some codes found in Folke Myrvang's book MG34-MG42 German Universal Machineguns.

Updates 07/10/2000

As time allows, additional codes will be added by special request, but only if information about the items on which the code has been observed is provided. Information from sources other than John Walter or Pawlas are identified with the relevant entries. BCN = K98k Bayonet Collector's Network.

Updates 12/04/99

Information with strike-out marks like this came from Wirnsberger's book, and the uncorrected information comes from either John Walter's or Pawlas' books (see German WWII Ordnance Codes).

Since so few of the codes from 'p' through 'zzz' have been identified, the entire list from John Walter's book is included, along with a short description of the items on which the codes have been found. Codes other than those listed here have been observed, but the corresponding manufacturers remain unknown.

German WWII Alphabetic Ordnance Codes: p-z
CodeManufacturer
p Ruhrstahl, Brackwede Polte Armaturen- u. Maschinenfabrik AG, Magdeburg, later renamed 'Polte-Werke'. Also sometimes mistakenly identified with 'Ruhrstahl AG, Brackwede'. Found on ammunition headstamps.
pcdp T. Bergmann u. Co., Bernau plant, Berlin See 'p' and 'cdp' separately. Found on ammunition headstamps, which are believed to have been made by Polte and loaded by Bergmann.
pjj Haerens Ammunitionsarsenalet, Copenhagen, Denmark Staatliche Munitionsfabrik, Kopenhagen. Found on ammuntion headstamps.
plaUnknown. Found on small arms.
pmfUnknown. Found on ammuntion headstamps.
pmqAllegedly 'Gevelot, Paris' - Societe Francaise des Munitions, Paris. Associated with annumtion components.
pmtUnknown. Found on ammuntion headstamps.
pmuUnknown. Associated with munitions.
ptvSometimes confused with a letter code, but actually a 'PTV' monogram applied by the Zeugamt der Polizeischule fuer Technik und Verkehr, Berlin, in the Reichswehr period.
pvfOptische Werke O. C. Reichert, Vienna
pyyUnknown, probably in Solingen. Found on SG84/98 dating from 1945. Probably superseded the code agv for Berg&Co, Solingen-Ohligs, per the BCN
qaWilliam Prym, Stolberg Stollberg, Rheinland. Involved with ammunition production.
qlvUnknown. Found on small arms components
qnwUnknown. Found on small arms
qrb Pyrotechnische Fabrik, Bologna, Italy Pirotecnico di Bologna, Italy. Found on ammunition headstamps
qve"Karl Walther, Zella-Mehlis, Thuringia. Possibly a subsidiary factory in Czechoslovakia" (per John Walter). "Berliner-Luebecker Maschinenfabrik, Luebeck plant" (see 'duv', per Claus Espeholt).
r Westfaelische-Anhaltische Sprengstoff AG, Reinsdorf plant. Found on ammunition
raDeutsche Messingwerke, C. Eveking AG, Berlin-Niederschoenweide. A supplier of cartridge cases
rbp Unknown. Found on the bakelite case of a 1945 landmine and on an AZ 23/28 fuse, also dated 1945, on an 88mm shell case
rdeUnknown. Found on small arms
rdf Unknown Westfaelische-Anhaltische Sprengstoff AG, Werk Reinsdorf. Found on shell cases and hand grenade casings, though generally referring to the propellant contained within them.
rfoUnknown. Found on ammunition headstamps and flame-thrower igniters
rhs Unknown Rheinmetall-Borsig AG, Soemmerda. Found on fuses
rlnKarl Zeiss, Jena. Found on optical equipment
rtlUnknown. Found on small arms ammunition
sDynamit AG (formerly A. Nobel u. Co.), Lumbrays Lambrecht plant. Found on ammunition primers
sbPre-1939 trademark of Sellier & Bellot in Prague
sgxBelieved to be a subsidiary of E. & F. Hoerster, Solingen (see also 'asw'). Found on SG84/98 manufactured in 1944-45
sheUnknown. Found on small arms manufactured in Czechoslovakia
staRheinische_Westfaelische Sprengstoff AG, Stadeln bei Nuernberg.
suk Unknown Believed to be a subsidiary of the Karlsruhe-Durlach factory of Deutsche Waffen- u. Munitionsfabriken. Found on ammunition headstamps
supUnknown. Found on small arms
svqGustloff-Werke, Suhl
svwMauser-Werke, Oberndorf on the Neckar. It either superseded or supplemented 'byf'. Found on small arms
swdMaget (Maschinen-und Geraetetbau GmbH)
swjWaffenfabrik Steyr
swpAn unidentified subsidiary of Waffenwerke Bruenn AG, Bruenn, Czechoslovakia. Found on bayonets and small arms components
tDynamit AG, Troisdorf plant. Found on ammunition primers
taDuerener Metallwerke AG, Berlin-Borsigwalde. Found on ammunition
thgAllegedly used on ammunition made by Polte-Werkem AG in Duderstadt
tjkUnknown. Found on small arms components
tkoUnknown. Found on ammunition headstamps
tpkUnknown. Found on small arms components, possibly located in northern Czechoslovakia
tpnUnknown. Found on small arms components
tvwUnknown. See 'tpn' above
uaOsnabruecker Kupfer- u. Drahtwerke AG, Osnabrueck. Found on ammunition components
untUnknown. Found on ammunition components
uxaUnknown. Found on small arms components, allegedly manufactured in a Czechoslovakian small arms factory operating under German control
va Kbel Kabel- u. Metallwerke Neumeyer AG, Nuernberg. Found on ammunition headstamps and cannon shell cases
vsUnknown. Found on ammunition components
wGesellschaft zur Verwertung Chem. Erzeugnisse, Wolfratshausen plant. Found on ammunition primers
waHasag, Hugo Schneider AG, Abteilung Lampenfabrik, Leipzig. Found on ammunition headstamps and cannon shell cases
wbHugo Schneider AG, Berlin-Koepenick. See 'wa'
wcHasag, Hugo Schneider AG, Meuselwitz plant, Thuringia. See 'wa'
wdHasag, Hugo Schneider AG, Taucha plant. See 'wa'
weHasag, Hugo Schneider AG, Langewiesen plant. See 'wa'
wfHasag, Hugo Schneider AG, Kielce plant, Poland. See 'wa'
wgHasag, Hugo Schneider AG, Altenburg plant. See 'wa'
whHasag, Hugo Schneider AG, Eisenach plant. See 'wa'
wjHasag, Hugo Schneider AG, Oberweissbach plant. See 'wa'
wkHasag, Hugo Schneider AG, Schlieben plant. See 'wa'
wmHasag, Hugo Schneider AG, Dermbach plant, Thuringia. See 'wa'
wnHasag, Hugo Schneider AG, Derrnabach Dermbach plant, Thuringia (Often confused with 'wm'). See 'wa'
wtfUnknown. Found on fuses
x Unknown Possibly used by Rheinisch-Westfaelische Sprengstoff. Found on ammunition and primers
xa Buxch Busch u. Jaeger, Luedenscheider Metallwerke, Luedenscheid. Found on ammunition components
yJagdpatronen, Zuendhuetchen- u. Metallwarenfabrik AG, Nagyteteny plant, Budapest. Found on ammunition components
yaSaechsische Metallwarenfabrik, August Wellner u. Sohn, Aue, Saxony. Found on ammunition components
zWaffenwerke Bruenn AG, Povaska Bystrica (?). Found on ammunition components
zbKupferwerk Ilsenburg AG, Ilsenburg, Harz. Found on ammunition components


Back to the main ordnance codes page

German WWII Alphabetic Ordnance Codes: a-b

German WWII Alphabetic Ordnance Codes: c-e

German WWII Alphabetic Ordnance Codes: f-k

German WWII Alphabetic Ordnance Codes: l-o

German WWII Numerical Ordnance Codes

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