Original German WWII Inert Model 39 Egg Hand Grenade with Original Fuze & Wings – 1944 Dated Original Items

Original Item: Only One Available. This is a very nice example of the extremely rare M1939, M39 or Eierhandgranate (egg hand grenade), offered in rough but fair condition, only missing the bottom ring. Like all deactivated ordnance, this is Not Available For Export.

The grenade has a tannish color which has been heavily cracked by oxidization, with some rusting marks near the bottom, where the ring would be if it were retained. The grenade still has the original screw off “wings” as well as the fuze top. The base of the grenade body and sides do have small rust holes present. The bottom is marked hkm and 44 for a production year of 1944. The fuze is marked lqz 44.

A totally honest original German Egg Grenade, in very nice display condition. This would make a worthy addition to any grenade collection.

The Model 39 Eihandgranate (or Eierhandgranate, “egg hand grenade”) was a German hand grenade introduced in 1939 and produced until the end of World War II. The Eihandgranate used the same fuse assembly (the BZE 39) as the Model 43 Stielhandgranate (“Stick Grenade”), which was screwed into the top of the sheet-metal body. To activate, the domed cap was unscrewed, and the pull-cord that had been coiled inside it was tugged sharply before throwing at the target.

The color of the cap indicated the burning time of the type of fuze fitted. Typically, a delay of around 4 seconds was used. However, if a grenade was to be used as a fixed booby-trap then an instantaneous fuse would be fitted. Enemy soldiers who found seemingly discarded grenades would attempt to use them (expecting a standard time delay) only to be blown up the moment they tugged on the pull-cord. Another scenario was to wire an instantaneously fuzed grenade to a door-frame in an abandoned building. Then the pull-cord would be attached to the door. When the door was kicked open by opposing troops the grenade would detonate.

Fuze Cap Colors:
Grey – zero delay (used exclusively for booby-traps and fuse igniters)
Red – 1 second delay (for coloured smoke, but also booby-traps)
Blue – 4.5 second delay (this was the standard fuze and the one most commonly issued)
Yellow – 7.5 seconds

As grenades were disposable, encountering them on the market is very rare, especially with the original fuze in place, making this an excellent opportunity to acquire one to complete a WWII ordnance collection.