Model 15 Stielhandgranate

Model 15 Stielhandgranate "Potato Masher".

Model 15 Stielhandgranate with Poppenberger spoon safety.

The Model 15 Stielhandgranate is the first stick grenade used by German troops. It was the predecessor for the Model 16, Model 17 and the infamous Model 24 Stielhandgranate that used by the Wehrmacht in WWII. This type of stick grenade was based on the experience of the not-so-successful Model 13 Kugelhandgranate.

The troops' desire for greater throwing ranges was a decisive factor in the development of the stick grenade, which began to be delivered in the spring of 1915. The following fall, larger quantities were produced and used for the first time. By attaching the explosive-filled sheet metal body to a hollow wooden stem, which accommodated the firing device, a greater range was achieved. The stick grenade could be thrown very precisely due to the wooden handle and had a tremendous explosive power due to its filling of up to 300 g of explosive, but the fragmentation effect was severely limited.

The detonation of the explosive charge was brought about by a fuse with a 7- or 5.5-second firing delay and a special detonator. The latter was the weak point of this design. Numerous accidents occurred during transport and storage because the hand grenades were carried openly with the coupling hook at the coupling. If, for example, one walked through damp bushes, the paper strip softened and it was enough to hang on a branch with the pull cord to activate the fuse.

This was helped by transporting the detonators separately and inserting them only immediately before use by the troops themselves, therefore, the pots were labeled with a corresponding note: "Vor Gebrauch Sprengkapsel einsetzen" (Insert detonator before use). Their dangerousness persisted, so simple means were used to help, e.g. adhesive tape in which the end cord was glued to the stick. An impact detonator and spoon safety were later issued.

Specifications

Type: Hand-grenade

Total Weight: 1.8 lbs (820 g)

Weight explosives: 0.4 lbs (0.2 kg)

Total length: 14.2 in (36 cm)

Explosive: Ammonium Nitrate and Tolite

Igniter: time, friction

Fuse Time: 7 seconds (or 5.5 seconds in some versions)

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The Model 15 Stielhandgranate appears in the following films, television series, and video games used by the following actors:

Film

Title	Actor	Character	Note	Date
Hearts of the World	Dorothy Gish	The Little Disturber	mockups	1918
		German soldiers
Wonder Woman	Eugene Brave Rock	Chief Napi		2017
		German soldiers

Video Games

Game Title	Appears as	Notation	Release Date
The Great War 1918			2013
Battle of Empires: 1914-1918	"M15"		2014
The Order 1886		Spoon Safety	2015
Verdun	"Stielhandgranate M1915"		2015
Tannenberg	"Stielhandgranate M1915"		2019