Pistol, Luger P-08 Serial number 4588 German, 1940 S/42 markings. MISSING - WHEREABOUTS UNKNOWN. IT WAS NOT FOUND ON THE 2009 INVENTORY. The Pistole Parabellum 1908—or Parabellum-Pistole (Pistol Parabellum) is a toggle-locked recoil-operated semi-automatic pistol. The design was patented by Georg J. Luger in 1898 and produced by German arms manufacturer Deutsche Waffen und Munitionsfabriken (DWM) starting in 1900 with other manufacturers such as W+F Bern, Krieghoff, Simson, Mauser and Vickers. Ii was an evolution of the 1893 Hugo Borchardt–designed C-93. The first Parabellum pistol was adopted by the Swiss Army in May 1900. In German Army service, it was succeeded and partly replaced by the Walther P-38 in caliber 9mm Parabellum.