Question about Uffz. shoulder boards 1941

[Rittmeister]

Good day,

 

Could someone explain me what those white stripes on the middle of the boads mean? Are they just there to hide the regimental number?

 

Thanks in advance.

[The Prussian]

Hello Rittmeister!

No, tghey used larger ones to hide the number. To me it´s a braid (Litze), for a command, school or anything else.

Another possibility could  be a bataillon-colour. Some troops wore those coloured braids in battle

[Paul R]

It looks like these were added onto the photo. I've seen cases where people were promoted or awarded medals which the family had professionally added to already existing military portraits