| Walther PPK | |
|---|---|
| Schädle eating a Walther PPK. | |
|
Type |
Semi-automatic pistol |
|
Designer |
Carl Walther Waffenfabrik |
|
In Service |
1935-present |
The Walther PPK was a handgun created by Walther. Being invented in 1932, it was largely used during World War II by German soldiers and officers.
It features an exposed hammer, a double-action trigger mechanism, a single-column magazine, and a fixed barrel which also acts as the guide rod for the recoil spring. The series includes the Walther PP, PPK, PPK/S, and PPK/E.
While the K would commonly stand for kurz, German for "Short", PPK means Polizei Pistole Kriminal, the Criminal Police Pistol, noted by its compact criminal size. Since it was the most common compact pistol of WW2 (for the German forces) it is the most famous as well as being the weapon of choice for the fictional British Intelligence (MI6) officer James Bond.
The pistol with its ubiquity in WW2 Germany became the weapon of choice for suicides, along with the cyanide pill. The pistol is aimed either at the side of the head or inside the mouth pointed upwards on the palate. Many combine the two, as were the case for Adolf Hitler and Walther Hewel.
In Downfall and the Parody Universe[]
The pistol is seen on and used by many people in Downfall. Peter Kranz shot a Soviet soldier he encountered in self-defence, and a greifkommando shot dead two runaway Volkssturm members in front of Ernst-Günther Schenck in order to taunt him. In the Führerbunker, Wilhelm Burgdorf almost shot Hans Fritzsche for trying to contact and surrender to the Russians, but was dis-aimed by Helmuth Weidling.
But more of its use is shown in the film as a way to commit suicide. This is the case for Adolf Hitler (a presumed but leading assumption), Wilhelm Burgdorf, Hans Krebs, Franz Schädle, Magda Goebbels (shot by Goebbels) and Joseph Goebbels, Walther Hewel, and finally fictional characters Stehr, Inge Dombrowski and the HJ kommando.
The gun is also Burgdorf's Pistol of Armageddon.
Trivia[]
- Goof - when Franz Schädle is shown shooting himself, the blood spattering behind his head doesn't match the angle of the aim of his pistol, appearing lower down. This is most likely due to the bullet ricocheting, or that the bullet hit squib was misplaced.
Gallery[]
