Bergmann MP 35/I

Bergmann MP 35/I left side - 9x19mm Parabellum

Bergmann MP 35/I right side - 9x19mm Parabellum

Bergmann MP 35/I long barrel - 9x19mm Parabellum

The Bergmann MP 35 (also known as Bergmann MP 34, MP 34/1 and MP 35/1) was a German submachine gun, which was used during the Second World War, especially by German police and the Waffen-SS. Emil Bergmann, son of Theodor Bergmann, developed the submachine gun in the early 1930s. During development, there were two different models, the Bergmann-Maschinenpistole (BMP 32) and the Bergmann-Maschinenkarabiner 32 (BMK 32) with a longer barrel. The BMP 32 is essentially identical to the model MP 34 (not to be confused with the Steyr MP 34). Until the mid-1930s, the submachine gun was slightly modified to the models MP 34/1, MP 35 (not to be confused with the Erma EMP 35) and MP 35/1. The variants differ only by smaller differences. So there were always models with different barrel lengths and calibers and in the weapons produced later small structural changes in order to reduce production costs.

The Treaty of Versailles prohibited German companies from developing and producing submachine guns. To circumvent this ban, production was outsourced from Germany, as was the case with the Steyr MP 34, for example. In addition, the company lacked production capacity to produce the weapons in mass production. From 1932 the weapon was manufactured under license by the Danish company Schultz & Larsen on behalf of Bergmann. This submachine gun was officially adopted by the Danish armed forces in the 9 mm caliber Bergmann Bayard. Also, the Swedish military bought a few specimens in the caliber 9 mm Parabellum, probably for experimental purposes. Weapons were also made for the calibers 7.63 mm Mauser, 7.65 mm Parabellum, 9 mm Mauser Export and .45 ACP. Walther Arms received end of 1934 an order for the production of the Bergmann machine pistols and began with the series production. From 1935 the submachine guns were also manufactured in Karlsruhe by the Junker and Ruh AG. Outside of Germany and Denmark, the Bergmann MPi was used mainly in South America, China, Ethiopia and during the Spanish Civil War. By 1945, a total of about 40 000 pieces have been produced.

The Bergmann MP was blowback operated, selective-fired weapon which fired from open bolt. Unusual feature of Bergmann was the cocking handle, which was placed at the rear of the receiver. To tighten the lock, the weapon has a bolt action. Before the first shot, it must be pulled back upwards like a rifle and then closed again. During firing, the bolt remains in the closed position. This design method has some advantages and disadvantages: The great advantage is that the weapon, except the ejection window, has no openings and thus is reliably protected against dirt from the outside. The disadvantages are the unconventional and comparatively complicated operation of the weapon and the high costs incurred by the time-consuming production. The submachine guns have a manual locking lever on the left side of the case, which can block the trigger and shutter. There is also a built-in firing pin safety. The firing pin is not firmly fixed to the bolt head, but is not moved forward until the bolt is fully closed by a lever on the bolt to ignite the cartridge in the cartridge chamber. The magazine shaft is attached to the right side of the weapon, which is unusual and makes the weapon easily distinguishable from similar submachine guns. When shooting, a specific construction of the trigger can be used to choose between single fire and continuous fire. If you only press the upper part of the trigger, you shoot into single fire. If you press the lower part of the trigger, an additional lever behind the trigger is activated and the gun fires in continuous fire. The aiming device is a curve sight, which can be adjusted for a distance of 50 to 1000 meters.

Specifications

(1932 - 1945)

• Type: Submachine Gun

• Country of Origin: Germany

• Caliber: 9 x 19 mm, 9 mm Bergmann-Bayard, 7,63 x 25 mm, 7,65 mm Parabellum, 9 mm Mauser Export, .45 ACP

• Weight: 4.24 kg (unloaded) (9.3 lb)

• Length: 840 mm (33.1 in)

• Barrel length: 200 mm (7.9 in)

• Capacity: 20-, 24- or 32-round detachable box magazine

• Fire Modes: Semi-auto / full-auto

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The Bergmann MP 35/I and variants can be seen in the following films, television series, video games, and anime used by the following actors:

Film

Title	Actor	Character	Note	Date
Fire and Ice (Le combat dans l'île)	Jean-Louis Trintignant	Clément Lesser		1962
		Terrorist
Monsieur Gangster	Horst Frank	Theo		1963
	Mac Ronay	Bastien
The Great Spy Chase (Les Barbouzes)	Charles Millot	Hans Müller		1964
Who's Got the Black Box (La route de Corinthe)	Maurice Ronet	Dex		1967
		One of Khalidès men
State of Siege (État de Siège)		A guerrilla fighter		1972
Borsalino and Co.		Siffredi and Volpone henchmen		1974
Cuba		Cuban guerillas	Seen in documentary footage	1979
The Dirty Dozen: The Next Mission	Lee Marvin	Major John Reisman		1985
	Ken Wahl	Louis Valentine
Fantômas se déchaîne	Henri Attal	Bodyguard of Fantômas		1985
		The guards of the factory
Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade		German soldiers		1989
Ay, Carmela!	Emilio del Valle	Nationalist Cabo (Corp.) Cardoso		1990
Pan's Labyrinth		Spanish Maquis		2006
Miami Vice		Guard		2006
Courier of Special Importance (Kurersky osoboy vazhnosti)	Aleksey Faddeev	Poruchik Andrey Belkin		2013
	Vladimir Yavorsky	Jack Brown

Video Games

Game Title	Appears as	Mods	Notation	Release Date
The Order: 1886	'M85 Automatisch'		Uses a drum magazine from the Mondragón Rifle and charging handle from Bergmann MP 18.	2015
Enlisted	"MP 35"	Normal barrel.		2021
	"MP 35/I"	Long barrel.	Available for reaching the appropriate campaign level.