Weapons, History and Culture: The fascinating collection of Hubert Willkomm
A bestowal to the Deutsches Historisches Museum
12. February 2025 | Dr. Sven Lüken, David Schwalbe
The blog series on the collection work of the Deutsches Historisches Museum (DHM) deals with core questions such as the decision for or against the acquisition of certain objects, the different ways in which they are found and acquired, the changing research questions posed by the objects in the collections, the provenance and origin of the objects, and many other aspects.
The militaria collection in the Deutsches Historisches Museum is closely connected with the history of the Zeughaus. The collection forms the core of the museum’s stock of objects and continues to be expanded and enriched – as in the case of a private bestowal that contains extraordinary objects. Dr Sven Lüken, head of the militaria collection, and David Schwalbe, project assistant for the new Permanent Exhibition, reflect on the new donation.
The “Militaria” collection of the Deutsches Historisches Museum – a chequered history
The collection “Militaria: Weapons, armour and military equipment” of the Deutsches Historisches Museum looks back on a long, eventful history. Today it contains nearly 30,000 objects and was considerably larger before the losses incurred in the Second World War. Its roots are closely linked to the history of the Berlin Zeughaus. Originally built around 1700 as a representative building in a central position near the royal residence, the Zeughaus first served as an arsenal, or weapons depot, for the Prussian army. But from the beginning, not only weaponry current at the time, but also war booty, special technical devices and rare pieces were stored there – many as souvenirs of successful military campaigns.
A decisive moment in the history of the collection came in 1815, when numerous objects were brought from Paris to Berlin after the victorious wars of independence. These pieces served as illustrative material for the Prussian army, whose military technology fell short of that of the French armed forces. The Prussian architect Karl Friedrich Schinkel then made plans for a semi-public exhibition that was available to the officer corps at certain times and contributed to the training of the Prussian military. Nevertheless, the Zeughaus continued to be primarily a military agency and played a central role in equipping the Prussian army.
After the victorious wars in 1864, 1866, and 1871, which led to the founding of the Imperial German Reich, it was decided to convert the Zeughaus into a hall of honour for the Prussian army. It became an army and weapons museum that exhibited both Prussian and enemy weapons and focused on what was considered a glorious past. In 1883, the museum suddenly achieved European importance through the acquisition of the private weapons collection of Prince Carl of Prussia and became a central institution that measured up to the major military museums in London, Paris and Vienna. From that time on, the museum functioned as a destination for donations from Prussian military families, who entrusted their estates to the museum’s collection.
After the First World War, the function of the Zeughaus again underwent a change. It became a historical weapons collection of the Berlin Museums and took on a more civilian character. During the Nazi rule the regime misused the collection to justify its aggressive war policy. After 1945, the victorious Soviet power set a signal for the breakdown of German militarism by destroying around a third of the collection and bringing a further third to Moscow and Warsaw. In 1958 part of the lost objects were returned to Berlin and housed in the Museum for German History of the GDR, which had been founded in 1952. There the objects were used to illustrate chapters of military history.
After the reunification in 1990, when the collections of the East German Museum for Germany History were transferred to the Deutsches Historisches Museum after its founding in West Berlin in 1987, the question once again came up: What place should the original Zeughaus collection occupy in the new museum? Since then its place has been found both in the presentation of exhibitions about military conflicts and the documentation of the weapons that were used in the course of history. Important new topics have meanwhile been added, such as the history of hunting and of violence.
A central element of the collection was and still is the support by private foundations. This tradition has been carried on, as can be seen in the example of the collection of Hubert Willkomm.
Hubert Willkomm: a passionate collector and patron of the arts
Hubert Willkomm, a citizen of Bonn, worked in commerce and information technology and devoted himself with great passion to the hunt and the history of hunting. As a long-standing member of the Bonn hunting community, he was particularly active in the training and promotion of the younger generation of hunters. So it is not surprising that Willkomm also began over time to build up an impressive collection of weapons. In the beginning his collection comprised mainly historical hunting weapons, but then grew into a classic collection of weapons from the late Middle Ages to the 19th century. Willkomm’s passion and devotion are reflected not only in the careful documentation of his collection, but also in the considerable personal costs he invested in building it up.
Before his death he bequeathed his valuable collection of 150 books to the Art Historical Institute of the University of Bonn. Unfortunately, there was no longer time to secure a home for his extensive collection of weapons. A trustworthy institution was needed that was willing and able to accept this legacy and to integrate it into its own collection. It was therefore the task of the estate’s notary to find a suitable place for the Willkomm weapons collection. During her research the notary came across the online presentation of the Deutsches Historisches Museum and recognised how perfectly Willkomm’s objects would fit into the collection of our house, so she contacted the museum.
A valuable supplement to the collection of the Deutsches Historisches Museum
The Deutsches Historisches Museum decided to accept the weapons collection of Hubert Willkomm, because it could be perfectly integrated into our existing collection and would expand the depth of its historical knowledge and widen the breadth of its topics. This fascinating collection of weapons of European, but also international origin, supplements the existing stocks of the Deutsches Historisches Museum in an excellent way. It helps to understand the global development of arms technology and military culture, and serves on occasion to show these aspects in special exhibitions.
Some of the non-European weapons in particular stand out among the 54 objects from the time between 1480 and 1945, and we find their stories, history and cultural context fascinating.
The Tibetan Dughti (W 2021/ 62) is a dagger that serves as a cultural symbol. With its wide blade the Dughti is designed for close combat and reflects the martial tradition of Tibet. Traditionally it is not only used for self-defence, but also plays an important role in ritual ceremonies, where it symbolises the connection between spiritual and martial power.
A further impressive object is the Khanjali or Kindschal (W2021/50), a dagger from the Caucasus. This weapon, which was traditionally carried by Central-Asian horsemen tribes like the Circassians, was not only an instrument used in battle, but also a sign of status and honour. The artistic workmanship of the blade often made the Khanjali a prestigious object.
Of similar importance is the Cossack sabre (W 2021/52), a classic weapon of the Cossacks. With its slightly curved blade it was perfectly suited for quick jabs and thrusts from horseback. These weapons embodied the martial tradition and extraordinary horsemanship of the Cossacks, who were known in Eastern European history as tireless warriors.
The Shin Guntō (W 2021/45), a modern military sword of the Japanese army from the Second World War, is known for its functionality and pragmatism. With its shorter blade and plain design it clearly differs from the artfully decorated Samurai swords and reflects the military requirements of the recent past.
Alongside these non-European weapons, European pieces like the hunting knife and the flintlock rifle illustrate the connection between the hunt, weapons technology, and craftsmanship. The Hunting knife (W 2021/25), a long knife designed primarily for deer hunting, was traditionally used in German-language territories for hunting large wild game – but the one shown here is a specially designed knife made by a so-called Deutschmeister marksman of the Austrian infantry regiment “Hoch- und Deutschmeister” No. 4 – while the Flintlock rifle (W 2021/36), a historical muzzle-loading gun, symbolises technological progress in the area of firearms.
The collection as a bridge to history and the world
Hubert Willkomm’s weapons collection is not only a valuable enlargement of the possessions of the Deutsches Historisches Museum, but also creates a tangible link between the different cultures and epochs. Every object tells its own story – from hunting and war in Europe to the fascinating traditions of Asia. These pieces exemplify craftmanship, technological progress, and the many ways in which people in different times and regions defended or exerted their power.
The non-European weapons in particular enrich the collection in many ways. On the one hand, they give us insight into the global network and the exchange of military tactics and mutual cultural influence. They help us to understand the interactions between Europe and other regions of the world through trade, diplomacy, but also conflicts. On the other hand, they open valuable perspectives on comparative cultural history, since the weapons are not only instruments of war, but also function as symbols of social status, power and identity. Here the focus is on the research of the original owners and the ways in which the objects were originally made and used. This allows us to show parallels and differences between European and non-European societies. Moreover, these objects document the technological innovations that came about in different regions either independently of one another or through mutual influence, and in this way they reveal a broad scope of ways to study craftmanship and the art of engineering in global comparison.
With these various perspectives, the collection gives us the opportunity to dig deeper into the past, not only from a European point of view, but also in a global context. Thus, the Deutsches Historisches Museum remains a wellspring of discovery and wonderment where objects are not only displayed, but can be researched in the context of their cultural and technological importance – in both a European and a global perspective.
