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What is Heereswaffenamt?
The Heereswaffenamt (HWA) was the weaponry office for the Wehrmacht. This office was responsibly for different inventions and for the correct armament of the Reichswehr and her successor the Wehrmacht.
The Heereswaffenamt was established in 8th November 1919 as a branch of the Reichswehr ministry. In peace time the ministry reported to the Chief of the Army High Command.
In war times it reported to the Chief of the Reserve Army, this situation became reality on 1st September 1939.
The main responsibilities were:
- Invention and testing of new weaponry and ammunition
- Massproduction of weaponry and ammunition (Industrial Mass Production of Weaponry)
- Taking actions to enable the industrial mass production
- Technology research
- Receiving of the produced armament and ammunition
- Checking and classification of enemy weaponry
The headquarters of the Heereswaffenamt (HWA) was in Berlin Hardenbergstraße 29.
On the 15th January 1945 its designation should be changed as it should be expanded to the Wehrmachtwaffenamt. But in the closing days of WW II this was something impossible.
By April 1945 the HWA was moved to Bavaria.
It was offically disbanded on the 27th April 1945.
One of the most famous inventions of the Heereswaffenamt was the Dora artillery gun.
Heereswaffenamt - video
