Original German WWII Entfernungsmesser EM 34 0.7m Range Finder by Waffenwerke Brünn with Tripod in Carry Case Original Items

Original Item: Only One Available. This is a lovely World War Two German Entfernungsmesser 34 (range finder 34 or EM 34), complete with the original mounting tripod in the correct carry case. The range finder is finished in a lovely Panzergrau (armor gray) finish, as used on equipment and steel helmets after 1940, and the carry case for the tripod is blue as well. Really a great setup that will look great as part of any display.

The Em 34 is a “coincidence” type 70cm rangerfinder, and was used by German machine gun, mortar and some artillery units during the Second World War. It could also be used for reconnaissance purposes. The range finder is fitted internally with a series of prisms, beam splitters and mirrors, which divide the viewed image into two halves. When focused into one image, the range finder provides a calculated distance or altitude to the target.

This example still has the original data plate present, which reads dow ✚ Em34 over serial 31366, indicating manufacture at Waffenwerke Brünn in Přerov, Czechoslovakia. This was a satellite factory of the famous Zbrojovka Brno in Brno, Czechoslovakia before being captured by Germany during WWII. It would later be renamed Opticotechna GmbH, Werk Prerau/Protektorat in 1943. The ‘blue cross’ indicates the type of lubricant to be used.

The tripod also still has the original data plate, marked eug over serial 0789A, for manufacturer by Optische Präzisions-Werke (Optical Precision Works) GmbH in Warschau (Warsaw), Poland. We have not been able to find much information about this company, except that during World War II, it was under the control of Carl Zeiss director, producing the unrivaled caliber of optical lenses. However it also possibly employed forced labor from the Warsaw ghetto.

Mechanically, the adjusters operate smoothly. The unit appears to be complete and there are no missing screws. Optically, there is no damage to any of the glass elements, and clarity seems surprisingly good, though there is definitely some haziness to the optics, as it has not been serviced for decades. The optic tube measures 32 inches in overall length, and the tripod holds it approximately 12 inches above the surface.

A lovely German WWII Em34 rangefinder from WWII, complete with an original tripod and ready to display!

A coincidence rangefinder or coincidence telemeter is a type of rangefinder that uses mechanical and optical principles to allow an operator to determine the distance to a visible object. There are subtypes split-image telemeter, inverted image, or double-image telemeter with different principles how two images in a single ocular are compared. Coincidence rangefinders were important elements of fire control systems for long-range naval guns and land-based coastal artillery circa 1890–1960. They were also used in rangefinder cameras.

A stereoscopic telemeter looks similar, but has two eyepieces and uses a different principle, based on binocular vision. The two can normally be distinguished at a glance by the number of eyepieces, one for a coincidence rangefinder, and 2 for a stereoscopic one.