[Warwick]

From German Infantry Weapons of World War 2 by A.J. Barker Arms and Armour Press 1969 :- "Because the Treaty of Versailles prohibited the Germans from manufacturing "heavy" machine guns (which in a modern context may be interpreted as medium guns), their designers set out to develop an all-purpose weapon which could be called a light machine gun but which could be adapted as a heavy weapon."

Regards, Warwick