| Front Without Mercy (Front ohne Gnade)
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| Country
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 East Germany
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| Language
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German
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| Channel
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DDR1
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| Creator
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DEFA
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| Broadcast
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1984
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| Main Cast
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| Character
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Actor
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Front Without Mercy (Front ohne Gnade) is a 1984 East German TV series directed by Rudi Kurz. The story depicts the activities of a group of Communist anti-Nazi resistance in Germany in 1930s-1940s, lead by Hermann Anders (Jürgen Zartmann). The first part (Eps. 1-4) is set in Berlin in Summer 1934 when Anders' group starts the activities against the Nazi regime.
The following weapons were used in the film Front ohne Gnade:
Pistols
Walther PP
Walther PP pistols are seen in hands of Communist resistance fighters, notably Hermann Anders (Jürgen Zartmann), Lydia Messmer (Renate Blume), Jochen Hellmann (Bernd Braun), and SS and Gestapo personnel, notably SS-Obersturmführer Menge (Klaus-Peter Thiele).
Walther PP - 7.65x17mm (.32 ACP)
Jochen Hellmann holds a Walther PP when escaping from Gestapo in "In letzter Minute" (Ep.1).
A closeup of Menge's pistol (Ep.1).
Menge shoots at arrested Hellman.
Anders holds a Walther PP (Ep.1). In previous moment he was armed with a
CZ 27 (see below).
Another view of Anders' Walther.
Lydia Messmer holds Anders' Walther.
In "Tod in der Vill" (Ep.2) Anders, disguised as a
Sturmabteilung (SA) officer, takes a Walther PP.
A good view of Anders' Walther PP.
Mauser M1914
Mauser M1914 pistols are used by Communist resistance fighters, notably Lydia Messmer (Renate Blume), and SS and Gestapo personnel.
M1914 Mauser Pocket Pistol - 7.65x17mm (.32 ACP)
A Gestapo operative (
Alexander Wikarski) holds a Mauser pocket pistol in "In letzter Minute" (Ep.1). Its shape and size match M1914 version in 7.65mm caliber.
Another Gestapo operative (
Karl Sturm) (at the right) with a Mauser pocket pistol (Ep.1).
Same character carries the pistol tucked in his belt.
Lydia picks up the pistol of the said Gestapo agent.
A good view of the pistol in Lydia's hand. Later she hands her pistol to Hermann Anders, but it immediately switches to a
CZ 27 (see below) due to a continuity error.
CZ 27
Due to several continuity errors in Ep.1, Mauser M1914, given by Lydia Messmer to Hermann Anders, switches to a CZ 27. Next moment Anders' pistol switches again, to a Walther PP, while the CZ 27 appears in hands of Gestapo agent Helmut Leif (Willi Schrade).
CZ 27 - 7.65x17mm (.32 ACP)
Hermann Anders aims at Helmut Leif.
Now Anders holds a Walther PP while Leif surrenders his CZ 27.
Anders passes the pistol to Lydia.
Luger P08
SS and Gestapo personnel mostly use Luger P08 pistols.
Note: see additional images on talk page.
Einsatzleiter Gestapo (the head of Gestapo operative group) (
Klaus-Jürgen Steinmann) holds a Luger in "In letzter Minute" (Ep.1).
Same character threatens Lydia Messmer.
Another close view of the pistol.
In "Tod in der Vill" (Ep.2) SS-Untersturmführer Zeise (
Harald Warmbrunn) holds his Luger during the events of the Night of the Long Knives (the massacre of
Sturmabteilung (SA) leaders in Summer 1934).
Zeise executes the commander of SA
Standarten (regiment) Otto von Wittke (Hans-Joachim Hegewald).
A Gestapo guard (
Detlef Bierstedt) holds a Luger in "P3X Schweigt Fur Immer" (Ep.4).
Walther Model 4
In "Fund in der Nacht" (Ep.3) a Communist resistance fighter Heinrich Bartels (Jörg Kleinau) takes a Walther Model 4. According to the story, it must the same pistol that was previously used by Hermann Anders, but the latter was seen with a Walther PP and never uses a Model 4.
Walther Model 4 - 7.65x17mm (.32 ACP)
Bartels finds the pistol and documents, hidden by Anders.
Rifles
Karabiner 98k
Karabiner 98k rifles are widely used by SA and SS personnel. In reality Karabiner 98k entered service only in 1935, and many of screen gun are of even later modifications, like version with hooded front sight, issued in 1939, and simplified Kriegsmodell version that appeared in 1944.
Note: see additional images on talk page.
Karabiner 98k - 7.92x57mm Mauser
SA stormtroopers with 98k rifles on road block in "In letzter Minute" (Ep.1).
In "Tod in der Vill" (Ep.2) SS-Sturmmann Gustav (
Ulrich Voß) carries a rifle when riding a bicycle.
A closer view of the barrel of Gustav's rifle. It has hooded front sight.
Rifles of the SS unit in gun rack. About half of them are Karabiner 98k, and the other half have Vz.24 style front sights.
Another view of the rifles.
An SA stormtrooper on guard holds a 98k with hooded front sight.
SS men fire their rifles during the massacre in von Wittke's estate. The rifle at the left is a Kar 98k while two other rifles have Vz.24 style front sights.
Another view of same scene.
More SS personnel fire at SA stormtroopers. The rifle at the left has Vz.24 style front sights, and the one at the right is a Kar 98k with hooded front sight.
An SS man carries a Kar 98k.
Karabiner 98k Sniper
In "In letzter Minute" (Ep.1) the head of Einsatzleiter Gestapo (Gestapo operative group) (Klaus-Jürgen Steinmann) is armed with a 98k with sniper scope.
Karabiner 98k with Zeiss ZF39 scope - 7.92x57mm Mauser
The Gestapo agent holds the sniper rifle. Note the hooded front sight and simplified top barrel band.
A close view of the sniper scope.
The Gestapo agent holds his sniper rifle when arresting Communist Jochen Hellmann (
Bernd Braun) who is wounded by the sniper.
Another view of the scene.
Mauser Vz.24/98k rifle
Mauser rifles of a different model are also seen in "Tod in der Vill" (Ep.2) and "Fund in der Nacht" (Ep.3). They have the front sight of Vz.24 Czech Mauser (it is different from all version of Karabiner 98k) and grasping grooves on the stock. But these rifles also have Karabiner 98k style open top upper handguards, attachment of the rifle sling and in some cases turned down bolt handles. Possibly such combination of the features of two Mauser rifles is a result of postwar reworking of enormous stocks of former Wehrmacht rifles, resulting in a kind of hybrid.
For comparison: Czech Mauser vz. 24 - 7.92x57mm Mauser. Unlike this sample, screen guns have open top handguards, like Karabiner 98k.
A close view of the barrel of von Wittke's bodyguard.
A general view of the rifle of said character.
Rifles of the SS unit in gun rack. About half of them have Vz.24 style front sights and open top handguards.
Another view of the rifles.
SS men fire their rifles during the massacre in von Wittke's estate. Rifles at the right and center have Vz.24 style front sights.
More SS personnel fire at SA stormtroopers. The rifle at the left has Vz.24 style front sights.
An SS guard carries a Mauser rifle in "Fund in der Nacht" (Ep.3). Note the Vz.24 style front sight.
The guard fires. Note the 98k style bolt handle.
Machine Guns
MG 34
In "Tod in der Vill" (Ep.2) during the Night of the Long Knives SS personnel use an MG 34 to massacre SA stormtroopers in von Wittke's estate. In reality MG 34 entered service only in 1936; in 1934 the light machine gun of German military was MG 13.
Other Weapons
Model 24 Stielhandgranate
In "Tod in der Vill" (Ep.2) during the Night of the Long Knives SS personnel take Model 24 Stielhandgranate hand grenades but they aren't used in action.
Model 24 Stielhandgranate "Potato Masher" high-explosive fragmentation hand grenade
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