The Sauer 38H or often just H was a small semi-automatic pistol made in Nazi Germany

Nazi Germany

Nazi Germany , also known as the Third Reich , but officially called German Reich from 1933 to 1943 and Greater German Reich from 26 June 1943 onward, is the name commonly used to refer to the state of Germany from 1933 to 1945, when it was a totalitarian dictatorship ruled by...

 from 1938 until just after 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...

 by J. P. Sauer & Sohn

Sauer & Sohn

J. P. Sauer und Sohn GmbH is a German manufacturer of firearms. Founded in 1751 in Suhl, Thuringia, Sauer & Sohn is the oldest firearms manufacturer still active in Germany. The company's production remained there for two centuries, before relocating to Eckernförde in 1951...

, then based in Suhl

Suhl

- Geography :Suhl sits on the south edge of the Suhler Scholle, an upthrust granite complex that is streaked by numerous dikes. This is part of the Ruhla-Schleusingen Horst that defines the southwest side of the Thuringian Forest...

, Germany

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...

. The "H" in the model number denotes "hammerless"—the pistol uses an internal hammer.
Sauer developed the model 38H from their earlier semi-automatic handguns. It was necessary to compete with companies such as 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...

 and Walther in the commercial market.