Heinrich Vollmer was a well-known weapon designer of Europe

Europe

Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...

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The chief designer Heinrich Vollmer, working for Erma Werke in Erfurt

Erfurt

Erfurt is the capital city of Thuringia and the main city nearest to the geographical centre of Germany, located 100 km SW of Leipzig, 150 km N of Nuremberg and 180 km SE of Hannover. Erfurt Airport can be reached by plane via Munich. It lies in the southern part of the Thuringian...

, used Bertold Geipel's MP36 (itself an offspring of VPM 1930 and EMP

EMP

EMP or Emp may refer to:Science and technology*Electromagnetic propulsion*Electromagnetic pulse, a burst of electromagnetic radiation*Electron microprobe microanalyzer, a tool for chemical composition determination...

) to develop one of the most famous German submachine guns of the Second World War, MP38/MP40

MP40

The MP 38 and MP 40 , often called Schmeisser, were submachine guns developed in Nazi Germany and used extensively by paratroopers, tank crews, platoon and squad leaders, and other troops during World War II.-Development:The MP 40 descended from its predecessor, the MP 38, which was in turn based...

 (wrongly known as Schmeisser MP). He also designed the MG 34

MG 34

The Maschinengewehr 34, or MG 34, is a German air-cooled machine gun that was first produced and accepted into service in 1934, and first issued to units in 1935. It accepts the 8x57mm IS cartridge....