Original Item: Only One Available. This is a fantastic service used condition World War Hakenhammer (piton hammer) the Austrian firm of STUBAI, which still exists today. These are used to hammer hooked spikes (haken) into the rock face for the attachment of ropes. Even better, it is definitely a German military issued Axe, as it has both a German Waffenamt inspection mark, as well as a Gebirgsjäger regimental marking! We've never had one quite like this before!
This piton hammer is offered in lovely service used condition, with a great patina that is simply impossible to duplicate. This is a hammer that was "really there", used in the mountains during WWII. It measures 10 5/8" in overall length with a 5 1/4" long hammer head. The hammer has a 1"x1" face on one side, and a curved spike on the other. The head has a lovely lightly oxidized look, though we do not see much deformation on the head, while the top of wooden handle and metal side guards do show some damage from use.
The STUBAI logo is clearly marked on the head inside a diamond, and is the correct pre-war or wartime style logo. The other side of the hammer is stamped HV, and the haft on that side of the axe bears a faint Waffenamt WaA199 stamp, next to a regimental marking of G.J.R. 137, for the 137. Gebirgs-Jägerregiment (137th Mountain Trooper Regiment). We were not able to find any information on the inspector marking, but the marking is definitely old and original.
Condition overall is very nice, showing moderate wear from service. There is a lovely light used patina on the metalwork, and the handle is in great shape. It still has a lovely leather wrist strap threaded through the handle, though we do not know if it is WWII period or not.
A lovely German WWII issued Piton Hammer with some great research potential, ready to display!
The 137th Mountain Regiment (137. Gebirgs-Jägerregiment) was a former regiment of the Wehrmacht that was part of the 2nd Mountain Division. It was formed on the 1 August 1938 in the Wehrkreis XVIII. The regiment was the result of the merger between the 12th Infantry Regiment, 1st Carinthian Alpine Hunters Battalion and 3rd Austrian Alpine Hunters Battalion from the former Bundesheer. The regimental headquarters were stationed in Lienz in Wehrkreis XVIII, the 1st battalion was in Salzburg and the 2nd Battalion was in Spittal. Upon formation the regiment was subordinated to the new formed 2nd Mountain Division. Along with the movement a supplementary reserve battalion (replacement battalion) was formed known in Saalfeden.
Just after the German Mobilization in 1939 the regiment participated in the Polish Campaign. By the end of the year the regiment was stationed in the Lower Rhine Area. In 1940 the regiment was relocated along with the division to Norway where it would remain until the end of the war. Between 1941 and 1944 the regiment along with members of the Finnish Army fought against the Soviets in the Lapland War. In early 1945 the regiment moved to their home in Saarpfalz where it remained until the end of the war fighting off the Allies. Finally, In February 1945 the 201st Army Mountaineer Battalion was incorporated into the regiment.
By the end of the war each regiment was assigned a replacement battalion. The 137th Regiment had the Gebirgsjäger-Ersatz-Bataillon I./137 assigned to them.
