Odulf

A logical and solid reasoning, I would say. It is always nice to see such early photos, in particular of a VC recipient. Did you dive into his service records to reconstruct his career?

Yes, all orders of knight hood have to be returned to the Chancellery of Dutch Orders after the recipient died. The records are kept by the Chancellery and a copy is sent to the council where recipient lives. When recipient dies, the Council sends a notification to the Chancellery, and the Chancellery sends a letter to the decendants, requesting the return of the order (badge). In 90% of the cases the badges are returned. This does not apply to the Medals of Honour of the Order of Oranje-Nassau.

Indeed, many of the Dutch uniforms (tunics, trousers, coats, boots,belts, etc.) were recycled by the Germans. [http://gmic.co.uk/index.php/topic/46864-dutch-army-uniforms-recycled/?hl=dutch ] Quite a few "volunteers" from the USSR were organized into infantry and labour battalions and they served on the Atlantic Wall as axiliary troops, dressed and armed with 2nd rate equipment (also in The Netherlands). When the invasion occured, they were hastily moved away from the front. In early April 1945 on the brink of the German surrender, on the Isle of Texel in the Netherlands the Georgians of 822 Georgian Infantry Bat. (consisting of 800 Georgians and about 400 Germans) put up a mutiny against their German officers and NCOs. They realised that after the German capitulation the war was over and the Western Allies would send them over to the USSR as POWs. They had to fear much from Stalin, because they would be classified as deserters and traitors, so they thought to improve their chances of survival when they would "liberate" the Isle of Texel in advance. But the Germans retaliated and put up a fierce fight, supported by fresh units sent over from the main land. It took the Germans over a month to gain full control over Texel again, as the fighting turned to a guerilla war and did not end until 20 May 1945. Finally 565 Georgeans were killed (all buried on the Georgian Cemetary near Den Burg in Texel) and also 120 civilians died. The number of German casualties is about 800, but other sources mention the numer of 2000. Because of all this, the Texel is regarded as Europe's last battlefield. The surviving 236 Georgeans were hidden by local sympathisers or captured by the Germans and/or Canadians, all were send to Uncle Joe in Moscow in June 1945. [more can be found in this very complete (Dutch) internet document: http://www.derussenoorlog.nl/ ]

I am not sure Paul, there was a text written on the back in pencil, but it has been removed and the impressions left are difficult to decyphre. Perhaps some day with a black light lamp or so... I have always had this in a box with post war photos of POWs etc.

Last but not least, there was the Truppen-Sonderdienst (TSD). This is one of my favorite photos, nothe the most interesting ribbon bar of this guy... The photo is dated: "Weihnachten 1944, from Otto"

Technicians were also a special branch...

Many of the elderly Beamter served previously (in the First World War) as regular soldiers, as can be noted from their ribbon bars and decorations. Some even served in some of the many the Freikorps after 1918.

Some more regular Luftwaffe Beamter...

A Beamter a.K. (ranking with Lieutenant) with an unidentified foreign official

Two very interesting photos which belong together, showing a Beamter a.K. at work. Many of the official films and photos, as made by the Kriegsberichter units were in fact made with a B.a.K. behind the camera. In the first photo he is obviously guided by the major behind him. This major (probably an Austrian by birth) is clearly visible in the second photo.

Interesting stuff, I have alwys had a soft spot for Beamter. Here are some Beamter auf Kriegsdauer:

Thank you very much Glenn!

There was a German Military Mission in Constantinople since 1836, and also a British Military Mission which left Turkey in 1914. Besides, there were various German Naval units, not only the SMS Goeben and Breslau (who were reflagged into the Turkish Navy), but also a Torpedoboat Flottilla, a U-Boat Flottilla, Naval Artillery (also around the Dardanelles) and many other small units as advisors of the Turkish Forces. Many of the German units, in co-operation with the Turkish Forces, fought against the Russians on the shores of the Black Sea, but also on the Euphratus and Tigris, German Navy crews manned the gun boats. Many high ranking Germans commanded Turkish Army units, like Von Falkenhayn, who was C-in-C of all Turkish Froces in Iraq.

The so called "Sonderstufe" of the Treudienst-Ehrenzeichen was in gold (gilted) AND on the 12 o'clock arm of the cross the decoration had the number "50". In the photo I do not see the number "50" on the cross. The "Treudienst-Ehrenzeichen" could be issued to long serving civil servants (per Decree from 30 January 1938) after 25 years service (2nd class) and 40 years (1st class), and for 50+ years as a "Sondersufe" (extra class). The awards were put on halt from 1-3-1943 until "after the war". Let's not jump to early conclusions... What would be the age of the recipient? If he was qualifying for the Sonderstufe he must have started his continuous career at a very young age. Perhaps the omission of the "50" cyphre on the cross and the "50" in a wreath on the wall leads to the conclusion that it is his 50th birthday, and the Ehrenzeichen is for 25 years (2nd class) or (more unlikely) 40 years (1st class).

Alas Paul, no context.... According to the authentic tekst on the back of the photo, the family lived in Danzig. Danzig, between 1919 and 1939 was an independent City-State (with much German resentment), but little coherent information has been published about the Danzig connetions with the NSDAP and preparations for the re-unifiction with the Reich. As Larry observed, he must have been a university student, with a preference for the noble sport of swords. The family name is to common for identification....

Recently I aquired this set of photos from ebay, much to my annoyment.... First of all, I have to explain my annoyment.... Today, we consider it "not done" to break up a set of medals issued to the same person (a century ago this was common practise!). Nowadays (in our line of photo and insignia collecting) we find it common to buy photos/insignia from sets broken up, only because we like the uniform in this photo, or the gun in another, (for the sake of the point, I will stick to the example of photos) etc... Vendors (mostly only driven by greed) do not mind to cut up (vast) sets of photographs and selling these without any information about the context, as this may have occured from the original source ( a unit, a place, a time, an identity, a box, an album, a relative,...). This makes A PHOTO (without any written info on the back) an object without context (and open for speculation and discussion about that context). I have seen often that such a snap shot, free from context, gathered unimaginable impact (usually fired by ignorance - also on forums...!). Us photo researchers are left with the job to patch the correct story to a photo.... but it is all to little to late. In time photos have become spread over family members and lost their significance for the owners. But when an album, as a whole, is taken apart for gain of money, it makes me sad. Well..., from an album broken up I bought these next photos, without information, so that I can only attempt to get an identity from the formal facts, as they are shown. Three portraits (sold seperate) comprising the naval career of a German Zahlmeister who rose from the ranks to officer's status. 1. As (Deckofficier / Senior-NCO) Oberzahlmeister (Chief-Writer), 2. As (Warrant-Officer) Oberzahlmeister (Assistant-Paymaster) 3. As (Officer) Stabszahlmeister (Paymaster-Lieutenant) In the German Navy (like in the RN) there were not so many Zahlmeister/Administrators. Could any one please help me with the identification of this man? In picture 3 (taken during WW1) his ODM are: EK1, Baden: Orden vom Zähringer Löwen 3. Klasse mit Schwertern, Hanseatenkreuz Hamburg. I assume that there are not so many Zahlmeister with EK1.

That is a very intersting portrait Morten. Kurt Scharf was first in the Reichsleitung der RAD (General-management of the Labor Service) as Leiter der Truppführerschulen (in charge of the Middle-Management Training Establishments) and later he became Generalarbeitsführer and Gau-Arbeitsführer of Arbeitsgau XXVIII Franken. In this manner, by and by, we are gathering a gallery of portraits of generals of the RAD...

Well, if you look for images of Hierl on the internet, you will find that Weitze had it wrong... Hierls face is very well known, in fact his was the face of the RAD! Hierl had a blanc (unnumbered) golden spade patch on his left upper arm, while this guy carries the Arbeitsgau number XVIII on a silver spade, which makes him an Arbeitsgauführer or AG staff member. Thus, it could be Oswald (or perhaps his deputy Oberarbeitsführer Fhreiherr von Korff). The adjutant left is clearly wearing silver embroidered collar patches, so the patches of (presumed) Oswald must be gold embroidered (as perscripted for General officers ranks from Generalarbeitsführer upwards). An interesting portrait, any way.

Nice kit lay out, I particularly like the Royal Yacht hat and jumper, with the badges in white!

What makes you think that this is Hierl, Morten?

That is an interesting portrait Morten. This Matrosenobergefreiter is an acting NCO (Diensttuer-Maat), this is indicated by the small silver chevron below the double yellow chevrons of Obergefreiter.

DLV-Flieger

The Strauss family, from Danzig (c. 1935)

Some more: 13. Schiffsstammabteilung Linienschiff Schlesien Marineartilleriedepot Torpedobootshalbflottille

Tally: Schiffsstammabteilung .... I very much like these studio portraits with brothers/friends all wearing different uniforms.