The German submachine guns Maschinenpistole 38 and Maschinenpistole 40 are probably among the most famous submachine guns in history. It is still a relatively unknown fact that the MP 40 submachine gun was also in the arsenal of the Slovak and thus the insurgent army under the name Submachine Gun Schmeisser model 41. Nearly one million MP 40 submachine guns were produced for the German army and its allies during the Second World War. The German influence in the Slovak Army and the experience of fighting on the Eastern Front made the army interested in this type of weapon. At the front, the absence of machine guns was resolved by the use of the seized Soviet submachine guns: PPD-40 (Pistolet-Pulemyot Degtyaryova-1940) and PPSh-41 (Pistolet-Pulemyot Shpagina-1941). A more comprehensive solution was implemented in 1942. As part of traditional ties, the Slovak Army turned to Zbrojovka Brno (Brno Armoury), where one thousand ZK-383 submachine guns were ordered, which were brought to the Slovak Army under the designation Submachine Gun ZB model 42. Only 190 pieces of the ordered quantity were finally delivered, and thus this weapon did not play a major role in the arsenal. To supplement the arsenal, the German MP 41 submachine gun was tested in 1943 and ordered in a quantity of two thousand pieces. The order was delayed and eventually pushed back to December 1944. After the outbreak of the Slovak National Uprising, the order was cancelled by the Germans. As a replacement for the undelivered ZK-383 submachine guns, Germany offered Italian submachine guns. In 1944, the Slovak Army ordered 800 Beretta submachine guns, model 1938 and 1938/42. Four hundred of these high-quality weapons were delivered by the time the Uprising broke out.
During the war, the most used submachine gun by the Slovak Army was the MP 40. From 1943 onwards, fewer MP 38 and MP 40 submachine guns appeared in the hands of Slovak soldiers. In 1943, the Slovak Army ordered two thousand MP 40 submachine guns, additional equipment, and two million rounds of ammunition as part of the “Eiche” armament programme. Machine guns model 41 were to be used by squad commanders to higher military ranks onward and as personal weapons of officers. They also belonged to parachute gunners – paratroopers of the Slovak Army, and each Slovak tank had one MP 40 submachine gun assigned to it. The number of submachine guns delivered to the Slovak Army by the summer of 1944 fell far short of the plan. Except for specialists-parachute gunners, tankers, or communication specialists, it was rather a weapon for commanding non-commissioned and commissioned officers.
After the outbreak of the Uprising, about half of the Slovak submachine guns were on the insurgent territory and were used by the units of the 1st Czechoslovak Army in Slovakia. Insufficient numbers of troops and combat losses were somewhat alleviated by weapon supplies from the Allies. Approximately two thousand submachine guns were delivered from the Soviet Union via an air bridge. This shipment included both Soviet PPS-41s and the more effective German MP 40s. Additionally, PPS-43 submachine guns were also found in the hands of the insurgents. The Soviet submachine guns were part of the arsenal of the 2nd Czechoslovak Paratroopers Brigade. Furthermore, U.S. weapon supplies included 220 United Defence UD M42 submachine guns.
The Museum of the Slovak National Uprising has several MP 40 submachine guns in its collections. Some of them can be identified as Slovak model 41 machine guns due to their markings. The most valuable collection items are those with a unique story connected to a specific individual. In 1966, an MP-40 submachine gun used by Martin Kučera during his military service was donated to the Museum of the SNU collections. In the summer of 1944, M. Kučera served in 2nd Signal Battalion of the Field Army of Gen. A. Malár. During the disarmament of Slovak troops by the German Wehrmacht in late August 1944, he was one of those soldiers who decided to march to the insurgent territory. During the Uprising, M. Kučera served with 2nd Combined Signal Company as part of the II Tactical Group. Like many insurgents, he also took his weapon home and thus managed to save another authentic object from the times of the Slovak National Uprising for the Museum. Another valuable addition to the Museum of the SNU are the photographs and the memoirs of M. Kučera, “The Breakup of Two Divisions,” also obtained in 1966.
PhDr. Marian Uhrin, PhD.