I think I'm right in saying that the accepted wisdom is that the A7V got its name from Allgemeine Kriegsdepartment Abteilung 7 - Verkehrswesen. Now I have come across the suggestion that the origin is Allgemeine Kriegsdepartment 7 Abteilung - Verkehrswesen.
I've also seen the 7 written with a full stop after it, which is the German way of writing "7th". What is also interesting is that a number of contemporary drawings of various A7V projects have the "v" in lower case, as shewn below. I'm still inclined to the first version, but does anyone have any original documents, or can a native German speaker offer a clarification?
"Sometimes things that are not true are included in Wikipedia. While at first glance that may appear like a very great problem for Wikipedia, in reality is it not. In fact, it's a good thing." - Wikipedia.
Nein. If it's any interest though, BT White in "German Tanks and Armoured Vehicles 1914-1945" renders it as "Allgemeine Kriegsdepartement 7, Abteilung Verkehrswesen" which he translates as "General War Department 7, Traffic Section" (traffic section - I find that a hoot!).
From this version, it seems that the '7' is attached to the Allgemeine Kriegsdepartement (the book has an extra 'e' in department, as I have written - no idea which is correct), just as in your new version, but if you note, BT White has the 'Abteilung' and the 'Verkehrswesen' together, not separated as in your new version.
As you like it. In official texts: sometimes typewritten A.7.V., but most of the time A7V. (also in printed ministerial texts); handwritten in some rare cases A.7.v. with the v in raised mode, or even a plain A7V without fullstop at the end.
Originally, in August 1914, the sections of the Allgemeine Kriegsdepartement (A.D.) were numbered A2 to A7 and also included B5. A7 was split into A7V (transportation) and A7L (aviation). A1 formed a department of its own. - Since September 1918, A7V belonged to the Truppen-Departement (T.D.) but retained its designation.
Many thanks, citizens. Volckheim calls it the "A7V-Wagen", saying in a footnote that it was "Nach der Verkehrs-Abt. im Kr. Min. benannt."
Just thought it was worth checking, because sometimes things become the accepted truth and no one bothers to investigate. The suggested alternative version appears in the AWM booklet on Mephisto, about which more shortly.
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"Sometimes things that are not true are included in Wikipedia. While at first glance that may appear like a very great problem for Wikipedia, in reality is it not. In fact, it's a good thing." - Wikipedia.
