The billionaire survived an attempted assassination in 1999, when one of his closest financial advisors hired a hitman to attack him with a rubber mallet in a car park – but the manufacturer fought him off.
Gaston Glock, the man who gave his name to the handgun used by security services, militaries and criminals around the world, has died at the age of 94.
The Austrian founded the Glock company in 1963 near Vienna, making door hinges, curtain rods and knives.
It wasn’t until 1982, when he was 52, that he invented the firearm, decades after being a teenage conscript in Hitler’s Wehrmacht at the end of World War Two.
He was described as a reclusive billionaire, often giving millions to charities and handing over funds to political parties – notably the right-wing Freedom Party Of Austria.
Glock guns are often the handgun of choice, used by police militaries and underworld figures around the world.
It was lighter and cheaper than many other previous handguns manufactured.
According to the New York Times, Glock overheard Austrian officers discuss a new military contract for a pistol, then went on to design the semi-automatic weapon, which could fire 18 rounds and be reloaded quickly.
He went on to establish manufacturing plants in the US, Asia, and the rest of Europe.
On its website, Glock said its founder “not only revolutionised the world of small arms in the 1980s, but also succeeded in establishing the Glock brand as the global leader in the handgun industry”.
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In 1999, he survived an attempted assassination from Charles Ewert, one of his financial advisors, who hired a hitman to attack him with a rubber mallet in a car park – but Glock fought back and the men were sent to prison.
The Glock company was investigated over its financial affairs in 2014, where it was alleged it hid income in shell companies and laundered profits and while some staff members were prosecuted, Glock was not.
Emily Foster is a globe-trotting journalist based in the UK. Her articles offer readers a global perspective on international events, exploring complex geopolitical issues and providing a nuanced view of the world’s most pressing challenges.
