Liliput pistol

Lore & Background

The Liliput was designed and popularized by Austrian watchmaker Franz Pfannl. It was manufactured by Waffenfabrik August Menz in Suhl, Germany from approximately 1920 to 1927. The pistol uses a 4.25 mm rimless centerfire straight-sided cartridge, which became known as the 4.25mm Liliput and is no longer manufactured. This cartridge was introduced with the Erika 4.25mm handgun.

Menz also manufactured a similar .25 ACP pistol introduced in 1925 as the Model 1, and took over production of the Beholla Pistol, marketing it as the Menta in .25 ACP and .32 ACP. The Liliput is one of the few pistols that can be owned in the United Kingdom without a license.

The Liliput appears in a number of novels by Alistair MacLean, though he incorrectly refers to its calibre as ".21". According to an Allied report, a Liliput pistol was issued to members of the Werwolf resistance force.

Reader's Guide

The Liliput pistol occupies a unique niche in firearms history as one of the smallest semiautomatic handguns ever produced. Its diminutive size, inspired by the fictional Lilliput, made it a curiosity and a practical concealable weapon. The cartridge it used, the 4.25mm Liliput, was introduced with the Erika handgun and is no longer manufactured, making the pistol a collector's item. The fact that it can be owned in the United Kingdom without a license underscores its perceived low lethality. Its appearance in Alistair MacLean's novels, despite the author's error in calling it a .21 caliber, brought it some literary fame. The report that it was issued to members of the Werwolf resistance force adds a historical footnote. Manufactured by Waffenfabrik August Menz in Suhl, Germany, the Liliput was part of a family of small pistols that included the Menz Model 1 in .25 ACP and the Menta, a rebranded Beholla. Its legacy is that of a tiny, functional firearm that remains notable for its extreme miniaturization and its place in the early 20th-century pocket pistol market.

Did You Know?

• The Liliput is named after the fictional island of Lilliput, inhabited by tiny people.
• Alistair MacLean featured the Liliput in several novels but incorrectly called its caliber .21.
• According to an Allied report, the Liliput was issued to members of the Werwolf resistance force.