[2] Founded by Carl Walther in 1886, the company has manufactured firearms and air guns at its facility in Germany for more than 100 years.

The history of Walther started with the factory created by Matthias Conrad Pistor, the chief armorer of the Kassel Armory.

Still, the overall increase in dependability and high production quality with lower relative manufacturing costs made them the best option to replace the P-08 Luger.

[2] With his factory destroyed in World War II and Zella-Mehlis in the Soviet occupation zone, Walther was reduced to just a collection of designs and patents.

[3] The company resumed production of the P38 (renamed the P1) in 1957 to equip the new West German Army, the Bundeswehr, with sidearms.

When Fritz Walther died in December 1966, his son, Karl-Heinz, took over the company, concentrating on the sports sector.