Original German WWI M1913/15 Poppenberg Inert Ball Stick Hand Fragmentation Grenade – Rare Original Items

Original Item: Only One Available. Germany entered World War I with a single grenade design: a heavy 750-gram (26 oz) ball-shaped fragmentation grenade for use only by pioneers in attacking fortifications. This was known as the Kugelhandgranate (“ball hand grenade”) also known as Khg Mod. 1913, the first German hand fragmentation grenade. However it was too heavy for regular use on the battlefield by untrained troops and not suitable for mass production. This left Germany without a standard-issue grenade and improvised designs similar to those of the British were used until a proper grenade could be supplied.

This occurred in 1915, with the development of the M1915 Stielhandgranate (“Stalk Hand Grenade”), the first of the iconic German “potato masher” grenades. Unlike other countries, it was not a fragmentation design, and had a long shaft on the warhead to aid in throwing the grenade long distances. It relied much more on concussion blast effect than shrapnel.

With the long hours spend in the trenches with surplus Khg M1913s and a supply of stick grenades, it was perhaps somewhat inevitable that armorers decided to combine the two concepts, along with the Poppenberg Spoon Safety system. The end result was the M1913/15 Ball Stick Grenade, which had a lever that could be pulled to ignite the internal friction fuse. It was, in practice, not extremely useful, but it is nonetheless a very impressive looking grenade, and also extremely rare and desirable.

Our example is in very good condition, with the Poppenberg system in good working order, with the original safety split pin and pull ring still intact. The modified M1915 end fitting is also in good shape, and is attached to the brass detonator/fuze of the Ball grenade warhead, which retains almost all of its original black paint.

A very rare grenade, ready to add to your collection and display!