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| Mysteries |
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At the end of the war the Allies merged the German States of Baden and Württemberg, then divided them into three new lands. From north to south, Württemberg-Baden, Württemberg-Hohenzollern, and Baden. At Potsdam in July 1945 the French were granted Württemberg-Hohenzollern and Baden as part of their Occupation Zone. Württemberg-Baden became part of the American Occupation Zone.
The Americans divided Württemberg-Baden into two administrative districts based on the boundaries of the old States of Baden and Württemberg.
On 25 Apr 1952, all three districts merged and became the German state of Baden-Württemberg.
 Württemberg-Baden 1945-1952 |  Baden-Württemberg 1954 and later |
Württemberg is represented in the above crests by the stag horns. Baden is represented by the yellow crest with the red stripe. It was not uncommon for the various police agencies in Wurttemberg to add the stag horns to the markings on their carbines. It was also not uncommon for a Stadtkreis to add their coat of arms to the markings on their carbines (Stuttgart is one example).
When the U.S. M1 carbines were issued to the German police in Württemberg-Baden, two of the Stadtkreis that received carbines were Mannheim (Baden District) and Heilbronn (Württemberg District). Two examples have been found from Mannheim, one from Heilbronn. One of the two from Mannheim has the below coat of arms and inventory number stamped into the left side of the receiver ring. The example from Heilbronn has what appears to be the same coat of arms and an inventory number on the left side of the receiver ring.
 Heilbronn |  Mannheim |
The coat of arms on both appears similar to the layout of the coat of arms for Baden. The carbine from Heilbronn has a distinctive W stamped into the upper left of the coat of arms.
Logic would indicate this crest encompasses both districts of Württemberg-Baden and may indicate an agency at the Land level that issued the carbines. If you recognize the coat of arms, please contact me.
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INTRAC of Knoxville, TN imported only one lot of M1 carbines, and all of these carbines were used, and sold by Austria. The presence of an INTRAC import mark on the bottom of the barrel behind the front sight is synonymous with the U.S. M1 carbines used by Austria.
Four Austrian agencies are known to have used the U.S. M1 carbines. The Bundesheer, the Bundespolizei, Zoll, and the Gendarmerie. Information from Austria has indicated that the Bundesheer and Bundespolizei did not mark their M1 carbines. Zoll marked their M1 carbines with the letters ZW and a 3 or 4 digit inventory number on the bottom of the trigger housing, as in the following example.
 Zoll trigger housing markings |
The Gendarmerie marked their M1 carbines with the letters identifying the land Gendarmerie to which the carbine was assigned, along with a 4 digit inventory number, as in the following example.
 LGKNÖ - The Gendarmerie in Lower Austria |
Several of the M1 carbines that were imported by INTRAC from Austria have been found to have the 4 digit inventory number stamped on the bottom of the trigger housing but no letters to identify the agency to which they were assigned.
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Both of these examples have the INTRAC import mark and the last 4 digits of a receiver serial number on the stock, slide, and the bolt. The example above also has the 4 digits of a serial number on the handguard and on the trigger housing. The example below does not have the 4 digits of a receiver serial number on the handguard or bolt.
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Both of these carbines were used by the Bavaria police prior to Austria. One with the Bavaria Rural Police, the other with the Bavaria Forestry Police in Swabia.
Although it would be easy to assume that these two carbines were used by the Gendarmerie this may not be the case with these carbines. The Gendarmerie office to which the carbine was assigned has been consistently observed to be marked on the trigger housing, with their letters above these numbers.
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A small percentage of receivers on U.S. M1 carbines that served with the Bavaria Forestry Police have the top of the receiver on the rear sight mount drilled and tapped to secure the rear half of a scope mount.
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The carbine in this example has an M2 stock. The inside of the stock where the selector switch would be has the area chiseled out, allowing for a larger opening between the receiver ring and stock. The carbine does not have a selector switch and has no M2 parts.
(Upper stock is for comparison purposes only. Lower stock shows modification to M2 selector area.)
This alteration to the stock may, or may not be, for a forward half of a scope mount. There are no other alterations to the receiver or the stock that would hold a forward mount in place. It's possible the forward mount slid down between the receiver and stock and was held in place by pressure when the carbine was reassembled.
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