2018.002.053 [Grenade, Antipersonnel]

This is a German manufactured Stielhandgranate that would have been used in the First World War by infantry soldiers in the German Army. It consists of a long hollowed wooden tube (i.e. the stick) which houses the weighted pull cord for the detonator. The detonator/explosive component of the grenade is housed in a cylindrical metal can attached to the wooden shaft by four metal screws and a ring. The side of the detonator housing features a large clasp designed for easy carrying on a belt or harness. The bottom of the wooden shaft handle is crowned by an 8-sided metal star-shaped cap which unscrews to reveal the weighted pull cord. The cord is weighted by a white bead. The Stielhandgranate was introduced in 1915 as a replacement for the Kugelhandgranate-type grenade, which proved cumbersome to wield and expensive to produce. The Model 1915 (M1915) Stielhandgranate was for a time a direct competitor with the British Mills-type bomb grenades due to its ease of use and cheap mass production qualities. A soldier would prime the grenade by pulling the draw cord at the bottom of the handle, which then created friction inside the wooden housing that triggered the detonation process. The advantages of this type of grenade were that it would not roll away from the target area due to its size and shape and could be thrown great distances with an overhand pitch. One disadvantage was that their size restricted the number of grenades that could be carried at once. The purpose of this type of grenade was to stun and debilitate enemies in close quarters combat to weaken fortifications for an incoming infantry attack. The Stielhandgranate's concussive effect differed from many other grenades of the time, as many were fragmentation-types. This design was extremely efficient at clearing buildings and city streets and was used throughout both World Wars by the German armed forces. This content can be used with the following resources: SS.4.25: Technological Change This content can be used to educate students on the changes that were made to weapons technology during the First World War and how those changes impacted the lives of Iowa serivemen. For any use other than instructional resources, please check with the organization that owns this item for any copyright restrictions.