It may be from a Czech word for early hand cannons, píšťala ("whistle" or "pipe"), used in the Hussite Wars during the 1420s. The Czech word was adopted in German as pitschale, pitschole, petsole, and variants.
The term may derive from a Czech word for early hand cannons, píšťala ("whistle" or "pipe"), employed in the Hussite Wars during the 1420s. The Czech expression was adopted into German as pitschale, pitschole, petsole, and similar terms.