Radom Vis 35 Pistol Serial Numbers On

While many praise their aesthetics, ergonomics and reliability, the dramatic role they played in World War II is also part of the appeal.

The story of the pistols production under German occupation is rife with life-and-death situations experienced by the unwilling workers who made them, some of whom played a deadly game of cat and mouse with the Nazis, while others just tried to hold on to their lives.

In addition to producing the pistols, the plant also specialized in making Polish variants of the Mauser Model 98 rifle and carbine.

The Vis pistols were used by the Polish army fighting the German invasion in 1939.

The Germans then took over the factory and put it under the auspices of the Austrian conglomerate Steyr-Daimler-Puch AG.

The factory continued making rifles, but ceased pistol production until early 1941, when preparations were under way to invade Russia.

Radom Vis 35 Pistol Serial Numbers On

These pistols bear typical Polish markings, including a prominent Polish eagle on the slide, but the serial numbers on the slides and barrels generally do not match the frame.

They are also missing the proper Polish acceptance stamp on the trigger guard and bear no German markings either.

But, considering Radom was captured just eight days from the conflicts start, such a large number could not have been produced in just one week.

After defeating and occupying Poland, the Germans put Radom back to work making pistols, and the quality of the finish declined as the war progressed.

Before the official Heereswaffenamt acceptance unit (using the stamp EWaA77) was established at Radom in 1941, these hodge-podge pistols were handed over to the German military without going through the standard acceptance procedure.

As before the war, some small parts, including the rear sight, extractor, grip safety, decocking lever and magazine, were made at Fabryka Karabinw (Rifle Factory) in Warsaw and then shipped to Radom.

At the Radom factory, slides and frames were made, and the pistols were fitted together.

Knowing that the bulk of the work would have to be performed by local Polish workers, whom they did not trust, the Germans moved the barrel production and final acceptance to the parent Steyr factory in Austria.

The resistance quickly established a network among the employees that began smuggling pistols out of the factory.

The initial supply of barrels for the underground came from parts pilfered by patriotic workers before the Germans established security in the conquered plant in 1939.

When these ran out, an underground shop was established in Warsaw for the purpose of making the barrels.

As one resistance report states, there were 200 barrels produced in a six-month period between 1943 and 1944, which gives an idea about the rate at which the pistols were smuggled.

One participant describes in detail how the smuggling operation worked: When we were directed by factory management to go on a supply run.

I would go up to the shelves and stuff two, three, and sometimes even four pistols under my waist, then head for the car garage and conceal them in the truck cab.

I would put them under the seat, under the gas tank, or inside the spare wheel compartment by attaching them to the tire with chicken wire.

At the gate, the security guard would check the truck bed and look around, but the pistols were always well concealed.

Shown here are a Radom factory workers identification badge and a weekly shift pass.