Quote:

---

The only really weird aspect of all of this is the use of English script in the MADE IN GERMANY legend. While this would suggest such rifles were destined for export to countries in the British Empire and the US, it seems hard to understand why an English script would be used after the US entered the War on the side of the allies in 1941. Why would the German authorities stamp MADE IN GERMANY on an M-S rifle post 1941, assuming there actually were M-S sporting rifles being built post '41?

---

The label "Made in Germany" was originally introduced in Britain by the Merchandise Marks Act 1887 to denounce non-British products as "inferior". But the idea backfired: Soon "Made in Germany" was regarded as a mark of superior quality in the international markets. German manufacturers proudly applied it not only on wares destined for English speaking countries, but on those for domestic and world wide markets too. Simply there never was a German language synonym. So during WW2 Austrian products were marked "Made in Germany" too, regardless of destination. After WW2 there was some dispute about East German products marked with the prestigious "Made in Germany". The West German federal high courts then ruled: As the GDR is in Germany too, their wares have the right to mark their products so too. Only then some manufacturers started to mark their wares "Made in West Germany" or, even later "Made in GDR". One exception: Some pre-WW1 Suhl made guns were marked "Made in Prussia" instead of the more generic "Made in Germany". This was meant to distinguish the "high grade" guns made in Suhl, Prussia, from the ones made by the cheapos in near by Zella – Mehlis, Duchy Saxe-Coburg and Gotha. Similar to British guns with a London address being more regarded than those marked Birmingham.

Post Extras