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LOT 1451
Erich Krempel’s Historic 1936 Berlin Olympics Engraved, Inlaid, and Relief Carved System Gotz Single Shot “Free Pistol” with Case, Bring-Back Papers, and Additional Documentation - NSN, 22 cal., 12 1/2 inch octagon bbl., blue/casehardened finish, walnut grips. As detailed on the included United States European Theater Headquarters certificate and Headquarters VIII Corps Office of the Ordnance Officer document, this elaborate presentation target pistol was captured by Colonel John H. Sampson Jr. (1902-1988) and brought back by him from Germany at the end of World War II. The pistol is tied to one of the major international events the preceding the great conflict: the controversial 1936 Olympic Games in Berlin. The inscription and inlays indicate this pistol was presented to German Olympic shooter Erich Krempel by the Suhl Schuetzen Guild for his success. This high level competition pistol features a removable blade front sight on a tall ramp along with “UNSERE EM OLYMPIA SIEGER ERICH KREMPEL. PRIV. SCHUTZENGILDE SUHL.” inscribed on top of the barrel with scroll accents and border engraving at the breech. The left side of the frame has an ornate “EK” monogram in silver, and “Olympia/ Berlin/1936” is inscribed in silver script on the right. The majority of the metal surfaces aside from the barrel have classic German oak leaf and acorn engraving. The breechblock is marked “SYSTEM/GOTZ” on the left, and “FRANZ GOTZ SUHL” is marked on the extended rear tang which is mounted with an adjustable target rear sight. The forearm has an antique ivory forend cap and incised oak leaf and floral carving. The elaborate grip is custom fitted for superior accuracy and has an antique ivory inlaid flag with the multi-colored Olympic rings on top of the thumb section, floral and oak leaf carving, and the trigger is tuned for a very light pull and has a small screw projecting forward to allow a precise trigger pull. The under lever has a dark horn pad. A maroon canvas case with leather straps is included.
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There had been calls to relocate the 1936 Summer Games to another city or to boycott them entirely due to the oppressive regime in Germany, but these efforts failed, and the Berlin games were the largest up to that point in history with forty-nine teams from around the globe. German leaders banned non-”Aryans” from participating on the massive German team of 348 athletes, and their propagandists used the games to promote German nationalism and bolster a view of a rising but peaceful Germany on the international stage. During the Olympics, the regime’s harsh treatment of Jews and other targeted groups was downplayed and kept largely out of sight. The large German team was by far the most successful country with 38 gold medals and 101 total metals, including three of the six medals in the two pistol shooting events, one gold and two silvers, making Germany the most successful country in shooting sports. However, American Jesse Owens was the most successful individual athlete with four gold medals, and the 18 African Americans on the U.S. team together won eight gold meals, four silver medals, and two bronze medals and thus publicly disproved the German regime’s claims of racial superiority and also helped build pressure for more racial equality in American sports.
Erich Krempel (1913-1992) of Suhl, Germany, was the top German pistol shooter of the 1930s and represented Germany in the 50m Free Pistol event. In shooting circles, the event was naturally closely watched. The Germans had already taken the top two medals in the 25m Rapid Fire Pistol event with Cornelius van Oyen and Heinz Hax winning the gold and silver respectively. Krempel was considered the favorite going into the event, and Adolph Hitler likely expected the German team emerge victorious. However, there was a clear threat coming out of the Rapid Fire event with Tortsen Ulmman bringing home the bronze for Sweden, just one point behind Hax and two behind van Oyen. Krempel had come in second to two time reigning World Champion Ullman the previous year. The overall 50m Free Pistol event was highly competitive in 1936. All of the top 33 competitors finished the competition with scores beating the previous record of 503 set back at the 1900 Paris Olympics. Krempel was in the lead coming out of the first day and finished with a score of 544 out of 600. The next highest placing German marksman was Paul Wehner who finished twelfth with a score of 525. Ullman, however, outperformed Krempel yet again and took home the gold for Sweden and set the new world record of 559. Charles des Jammonieres of France earned the bronze with a score of 544. The U.S. newspapers reported that the closest American was Elliott Jones in 6th place with a score of 536. The pistol is accompanied by the rare German book “Olympia 1936” detailing the 1936 Olympics in Berlin, including the “Schiessen” (shooting) events. A portrait of Ullman, Krempel, and Jammonieres is on page 145.
Ullman and Krempel were among the best handgun shooters of the era, and Ullman won the World Championships in 1933, 1935, 1937, 1947, and 1952 and won bronze at the 1948 Olympic Games in London. Krempel finally bested Ullman at the World Championship in 1939 and was inducted into the Hall of Fame of the German Shooting Association. In addition to competing, Krempel was the foreman in the prototype workshop at J.P. Sauer & Sohn and coached younger marksmen. His cousin Fritz Krempel (1905-1984) was also a competitive marksman and won the free pistol event in Nuremberg in 1934, placed third in the 1939 World Championships, and also competed on the German Olympic team in 1952.
CONDITION: Very fine with 98% plus original blue finish, vibrant original casehardened finish, crisp engraving, attractive aged patina on the silver inlays, small spots of minor oxidation, and generally only minor handling and storage wear. Aside from some repaired cracks in the thumb rest, the relief carved wood is also very fine and has crisp relief and incised carving, pinned felt pads, and minor handling and storage
marks. Mechanically functions fine although the action is stiff. This is a very rare and historically significant German pistol presented to Olympic silver medalist Erich Krempel in 1936.
Provenance: German Olympic Silver Medalist Eric Krempel from the Suhl Schuetzen Guild; U.S. Colonel John H. Sampson Jr.; Property of a Gentleman.
Estimate: 15,000 - 25,000