Theodor Koch was a German

Germany

Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...

 engineer

Engineer

An engineer is a professional practitioner of engineering, concerned with applying scientific knowledge, mathematics and ingenuity to develop solutions for technical problems. Engineers design materials, structures, machines and systems while considering the limitations imposed by practicality,...

 and weapons manufacturer, born in Stuttgart-Zuffenhausen, Germany. As a young man, Koch apprenticed as a precision mechanic. After completing his apprenticeship he attended an engineering school in Esslingen. In 1924 he started work for Mauser

Mauser

Mauser was a German arms manufacturer of a line of bolt-action rifles and pistols from the 1870s to 1995. Mauser designs were built for the German armed forces...

 in Oberndorf

Oberndorf

Oberndorf may refer to the following places:*in Germany:**Oberndorf am Neckar, in the district of Rottweil, Baden-Württemberg** Oberndorf , a suburb of Rottenburg am Neckar in the district of Tübingen, Baden-Württemberg...

 as an engineer and stayed with them until 1931. After the fall of Germany to the Allied Forces at the end of World War II

World War II

World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...

 the Mauser factory was dismantled. Koch, Edmund Heckler

Edmund Heckler

Edmund Heckler was a German weapons manufacturer and the co-founder of Heckler & Koch along with Theodor Koch and Alex Seidel. He is buried in Oberndorf.-References:...

 and Alex Seidel

Alex Seidel

Alex Seidel was a German weapons manufacturer and the co-founder of Heckler & Koch along with Theodor Koch and Edmund Heckler. Together the three men built the Heckler and Koch company out of the old name of Heckler & Co. on December 28, 1949.-References:...

 saved what they could and used it to found Heckler & Koch

Heckler & Koch

Heckler & Koch GmbH is a German defense manufacturing company that produces various small arms. Some of their products include the SA80, MP5 submachine gun, G3 automatic rifle, the G36 assault rifle, the HK 416, the MP7 personal defense weapon, the USP series of handguns, and the high-precision...

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