Interesting Item From WW1
 

Recently I bought a German GEW 98 WW1 Mauser that was inscribed in the stock by an American Doughboy in Oct 16, 1918. So I have been thinking that I will add a few bits and pieces of WW1 German in particular war relics...

I also have a pair of German Binoculars with a American Marine inscritption inside the case...I bought those long ago..

Anyway today I found this for $60 plus shipping. It is a German Silver Plated cigarette case date 6/24/1915 and has the initials of 6 comrades below. The inscription inside translates to "HARD PASSAGE" I thought this was interesting so I bought it.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1334425825.jpg
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1334425881.jpg

Tabs,

Who did translate that for you? :D

It says "To your birthday from" and then the six initials. This was given to someone for their birthday by 6 individuals, most likely from their comrades. The front inscribe MH or HM are the initials of the owner of course.

The word for birthday used is old fashioned and basically means "cradle celebration".
dict.leo.org - Deutsch-Englisches Wörterbuch

Hope this helps. You can always PM me with your German translation needs.

G

It is certainly an interesting piece. I might be misinterpreting Hard Passage, but "zum wiegenfeste..." basically translates into: for your birthday.

Your right and I am wrong..it is for your B day...

Birth: hard passage for the mother at least...

Very cool!

I wish I would have bought some "trench art" that I saw at a gun show years ago. Brass artillery shells made into vases, really cool stuff.

Talking WW1 stuff Tabs, there is another auction coming up in Wellingtgon next month. Again I'm happy to get someone suitable to appraise items or to help out where I can.

From my maternal grandfather from WWI:

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1334681545.jpg

He had a degree in "Letters" from a local college and was fluent in English and French. Rather than fight in the trenches, he got to be a translator for a doctor at a hospital in Paris.