German WWII Alphabetic Ordnance Codes: p-z

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
Code Manufacturer

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.

pla Unknown. Found on small arms.

pmf Unknown. Found on ammuntion headstamps.

pmq Allegedly 'Gevelot, Paris' - Societe Francaise des Munitions, Paris. Associated with annumtion components.

pmt Unknown. Found on ammuntion headstamps.

pmu Unknown. Associated with munitions.

ptv Sometimes 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.

pvf Optische Werke O. C. Reichert, Vienna

pyy Unknown, probably in Solingen. Found on SG84/98 dating from 1945. Probably superseded the code agv for Berg&Co, Solingen-Ohligs, per the BCN

qa William Prym, ~~Stolberg~~ Stollberg, Rheinland. Involved with ammunition production.

qlv Unknown. Found on small arms components

qnw Unknown. 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

ra Deutsche 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

rde Unknown. 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.

rfo Unknown. Found on ammunition headstamps and flame-thrower igniters

rhs ~~Unknown~~ Rheinmetall-Borsig AG, Soemmerda. Found on fuses

rln Karl Zeiss, Jena. Found on optical equipment

rtl Unknown. Found on small arms ammunition

s Dynamit AG (formerly A. Nobel u. Co.), ~~Lumbrays~~ Lambrecht plant. Found on ammunition primers

sb Pre-1939 trademark of Sellier & Bellot in Prague

sgx Believed to be a subsidiary of E. & F. Hoerster, Solingen (see also 'asw'). Found on SG84/98 manufactured in 1944-45

she Unknown. Found on small arms manufactured in Czechoslovakia

sta Rheinische_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

sup Unknown. Found on small arms

svq Gustloff-Werke, Suhl

svw Mauser-Werke, Oberndorf on the Neckar. It either superseded or supplemented 'byf'. Found on small arms

swd Maget (Maschinen-und Geraetetbau GmbH)

swj Waffenfabrik Steyr

swp An unidentified subsidiary of Waffenwerke Bruenn AG, Bruenn, Czechoslovakia. Found on bayonets and small arms components

t Dynamit AG, Troisdorf plant. Found on ammunition primers

ta Duerener Metallwerke AG, Berlin-Borsigwalde. Found on ammunition

thg Allegedly used on ammunition made by Polte-Werkem AG in Duderstadt

tjk Unknown. Found on small arms components

tko Unknown. Found on ammunition headstamps

tpk Unknown. Found on small arms components, possibly located in northern Czechoslovakia

tpn Unknown. Found on small arms components

tvw Unknown. See 'tpn' above

ua Osnabruecker Kupfer- u. Drahtwerke AG, Osnabrueck. Found on ammunition components

unt Unknown. Found on ammunition components

uxa Unknown. 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

vs Unknown. Found on ammunition components

w Gesellschaft zur Verwertung Chem. Erzeugnisse, Wolfratshausen plant. Found on ammunition primers

wa Hasag, Hugo Schneider AG, Abteilung Lampenfabrik, Leipzig. Found on ammunition headstamps and cannon shell cases

wb Hugo Schneider AG, Berlin-Koepenick. See 'wa'

wc Hasag, Hugo Schneider AG, Meuselwitz plant, Thuringia. See 'wa'

wd Hasag, Hugo Schneider AG, Taucha plant. See 'wa'

we Hasag, Hugo Schneider AG, Langewiesen plant. See 'wa'

wf Hasag, Hugo Schneider AG, Kielce plant, Poland. See 'wa'

wg Hasag, Hugo Schneider AG, Altenburg plant. See 'wa'

wh Hasag, Hugo Schneider AG, Eisenach plant. See 'wa'

wj Hasag, Hugo Schneider AG, Oberweissbach plant. See 'wa'

wk Hasag, Hugo Schneider AG, Schlieben plant. See 'wa'

wm Hasag, Hugo Schneider AG, Dermbach plant, Thuringia. See 'wa'

wn Hasag, Hugo Schneider AG, ~~Derrnabach~~ Dermbach plant, Thuringia (Often confused with 'wm'). See 'wa'

wtf Unknown. 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

y Jagdpatronen, Zuendhuetchen- u. Metallwarenfabrik AG, Nagyteteny plant, Budapest. Found on ammunition components

ya Saechsische Metallwarenfabrik, August Wellner u. Sohn, Aue, Saxony. Found on ammunition components

z Waffenwerke Bruenn AG, Povaska Bystrica (?). Found on ammunition components

zb Kupferwerk Ilsenburg AG, Ilsenburg, Harz. Found on ammunition components

**German WWII Alphabetic Ordnance Codes: p-z**
Code	Manufacturer
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.
pla	Unknown. Found on small arms.
pmf	Unknown. Found on ammuntion headstamps.
pmq	Allegedly 'Gevelot, Paris' - Societe Francaise des Munitions, Paris. Associated with annumtion components.
pmt	Unknown. Found on ammuntion headstamps.
pmu	Unknown. Associated with munitions.
ptv	Sometimes 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.
pvf	Optische Werke O. C. Reichert, Vienna
pyy	Unknown, probably in Solingen. Found on SG84/98 dating from 1945. Probably superseded the code agv for Berg&Co, Solingen-Ohligs, per the BCN
qa	William Prym, ~~Stolberg~~ Stollberg, Rheinland. Involved with ammunition production.
qlv	Unknown. Found on small arms components
qnw	Unknown. 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
ra	Deutsche 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
rde	Unknown. 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.
rfo	Unknown. Found on ammunition headstamps and flame-thrower igniters
rhs	~~Unknown~~ Rheinmetall-Borsig AG, Soemmerda. Found on fuses
rln	Karl Zeiss, Jena. Found on optical equipment
rtl	Unknown. Found on small arms ammunition
s	Dynamit AG (formerly A. Nobel u. Co.), ~~Lumbrays~~ Lambrecht plant. Found on ammunition primers
sb	Pre-1939 trademark of Sellier & Bellot in Prague
sgx	Believed to be a subsidiary of E. & F. Hoerster, Solingen (see also 'asw'). Found on SG84/98 manufactured in 1944-45
she	Unknown. Found on small arms manufactured in Czechoslovakia
sta	Rheinische_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
sup	Unknown. Found on small arms
svq	Gustloff-Werke, Suhl
svw	Mauser-Werke, Oberndorf on the Neckar. It either superseded or supplemented 'byf'. Found on small arms
swd	Maget (Maschinen-und Geraetetbau GmbH)
swj	Waffenfabrik Steyr
swp	An unidentified subsidiary of Waffenwerke Bruenn AG, Bruenn, Czechoslovakia. Found on bayonets and small arms components
t	Dynamit AG, Troisdorf plant. Found on ammunition primers
ta	Duerener Metallwerke AG, Berlin-Borsigwalde. Found on ammunition
thg	Allegedly used on ammunition made by Polte-Werkem AG in Duderstadt
tjk	Unknown. Found on small arms components
tko	Unknown. Found on ammunition headstamps
tpk	Unknown. Found on small arms components, possibly located in northern Czechoslovakia
tpn	Unknown. Found on small arms components
tvw	Unknown. See 'tpn' above
ua	Osnabruecker Kupfer- u. Drahtwerke AG, Osnabrueck. Found on ammunition components
unt	Unknown. Found on ammunition components
uxa	Unknown. 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
vs	Unknown. Found on ammunition components
w	Gesellschaft zur Verwertung Chem. Erzeugnisse, Wolfratshausen plant. Found on ammunition primers
wa	Hasag, Hugo Schneider AG, Abteilung Lampenfabrik, Leipzig. Found on ammunition headstamps and cannon shell cases
wb	Hugo Schneider AG, Berlin-Koepenick. See 'wa'
wc	Hasag, Hugo Schneider AG, Meuselwitz plant, Thuringia. See 'wa'
wd	Hasag, Hugo Schneider AG, Taucha plant. See 'wa'
we	Hasag, Hugo Schneider AG, Langewiesen plant. See 'wa'
wf	Hasag, Hugo Schneider AG, Kielce plant, Poland. See 'wa'
wg	Hasag, Hugo Schneider AG, Altenburg plant. See 'wa'
wh	Hasag, Hugo Schneider AG, Eisenach plant. See 'wa'
wj	Hasag, Hugo Schneider AG, Oberweissbach plant. See 'wa'
wk	Hasag, Hugo Schneider AG, Schlieben plant. See 'wa'
wm	Hasag, Hugo Schneider AG, Dermbach plant, Thuringia. See 'wa'
wn	Hasag, Hugo Schneider AG, ~~Derrnabach~~ Dermbach plant, Thuringia (Often confused with 'wm'). See 'wa'
wtf	Unknown. 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
y	Jagdpatronen, Zuendhuetchen- u. Metallwarenfabrik AG, Nagyteteny plant, Budapest. Found on ammunition components
ya	Saechsische Metallwarenfabrik, August Wellner u. Sohn, Aue, Saxony. Found on ammunition components
z	Waffenwerke Bruenn AG, Povaska Bystrica (?). Found on ammunition components
zb	Kupferwerk Ilsenburg AG, Ilsenburg, Harz. Found on ammunition components

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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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