waffen marked high power

[browningautorifle]

Paid or not why wouldn't you do a crap job when making anything for an occupying force?

I'm just waiting for a bit more than a "Say so" on this...

[Peter Laidler]

Mind you, regardless of the workmanship or finish, if it works, you can still only kill a man so dead......... Think Sten Gun!

[browningautorifle]

That wasn't really my point Peter, but of course that's correct.

[jonnyc]

No time for a thesis on this, but there is a big difference between "occupation production" and "slave labor". The greatest expansion of German industrial production during the war took place in Germany itself and in Central and Eastern European territories that had large numbers of work, concentration, POW, and extermination camps. Many of these factories did indeed employ "slave labor" that was unpaid, abused, starved, and murdered. If you dig a bit into the work forces of the Western industries (ie: Belgium, France, etc.), you will find that most of the workers were locals or recruits from similar areas of the Reich. High pay and freedom of movement weren't high on the benefits list, but there was pay and some freedom of movement, especially for long-time skilled workers.
At the end of the day, however, both systems of production utilized German inspectors that ensured that sabotage was kept to a minimum. Even as the war progressed and standards dropped, the Germans still fielded serviceable weaponry....."slave labor" or not.

[browningautorifle]

So...it boils out to your interpretation of slave labour. Or labour under oppression...it's just that this came from the men that went there. Now I'm getting a different story 70 years after. Anyway...

[jonnyc]

......As does any historical work. If you've got the time and interest you now have the beginnings of a doctoral thesis.

[A square 10]

i had one of these years ago , it too was in very good condition , functioned well too , sorry no photos after all these years , it netted me nearly enough to get two M1911A1s i wanted , it was in original finish - do not refinish , it will ruin the value , better to use the steel wool/oil as sugested above

[Brian Dick]

Try fine steel wool and Hoppe's No.9 solvent. The result will probably surprise you. Clean it and leave it original.