1911 (6)

Just as I was celebrating the approval to establish the workshop, Paul Mauser, who had come to the Imperial Palace on business, stopped me. He told me I needed to hire people before I worried about the building.

“You can buy machines if you have the money. But good technicians don’t come just because you offer them money.”

“Wouldn’t they come if the Emperor summoned them?”

At my question, he stroked his beard.

“If the Emperor issued an order, their bodies would come.”

“You mean their hearts wouldn’t?”

“Imagine leaving the work you’re doing to help a young princess with her experiments. I know Your Highness is exceptionally clever, but others may not see it that way.”

I didn’t like hearing that, but I couldn’t say it was unreasonable.

Mauser said they couldn’t assign Fidel Feederle to me full-time. He had work related to C96 production and the company’s own testing. Instead, they offered to have him visit for a set period to review the initial designs and recommend personnel.

The day before the interview, Feederle first examined the notebook I’d filled with drawings since 1898 and my wooden model. At first, he pointed out problems with the feeding path and the inadequate bearing surface around the pivots. Then he stopped at the page where I’d drawn the barrel and slide moving together...