A Puzzling Waffen SS Uniform

German SS and Waffen-SS 1923-1945.
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Bratwurst Boy
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A Puzzling Waffen SS Uniform

Post by Bratwurst Boy »

In the Blandford book on World War Two uniforms (published in the 70s), I have seen an illustration of what purports to be a Waffen SS officer serving in Italy in 1945.
He wears the usual grey tunic, but with a tropical 1943-pattern "ski-cap", tropical shorts, and what look like hobnailed mountain-boots. His cuff-title is "Der Fuhrer", suggesting a member of "Das Reich" Division, but they weren't in Italy in 1945.
The illustration was taken from a photo which I subsequently saw in another book, only there it was captioned "SS officers in Austria 1945" or words to that effect. This would make more sense, given that Das Reich ended up in Austria.
But was it so hot in Austria that tropical wear was necessary?
This illustration has long puzzled me. Anyone else ever seen it?
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Uniform Question

Post by AHK »

Many Waffen-SS men continued to wear former divisional cuffbands when they were posted to new duty assignments.
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Tom Houlihan
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Post by Tom Houlihan »

The shorts weren't that unusual in Italy. The boots, although probably not regulation quite possibly fall into the "wear what we have available" category. The hat could be a left over from the Afrika Korps, with W-SS insignia, or it could just be very faded.

Was it an actual photo, or an artist's rendering? Some of those artists may not be 110% accurate all the time.
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Post by Rolf Steiner »

If that's the book I'm thinking of it's artist illustrations, but pretty much directly based on existing photos? Same page as the bloke in the saggy looking uniform made out out italian camouflage pattern canvas, who I always think of as the exception to the 'Germans had the best uniforms' dictum!
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Post by Paddy Keating »

Image

The illustrations you describe were inspired by this event. The SS-Obersturmführer in question was serving with the SS-Karstjäger on the Yugoslav-Austrian border near Villach when he and his comrades surrendered to British soldiers of 6th Armoured Division on 9.5.1945. A British photo-reporter captured the surrender.

The Karstjäger were of various nationalities. The unit was formed as the SS-Karstwehr-Kompanie on 10.8.1942 and increased to battalion strength later that year. On 18.7.1944, Himmler ordered the creation of an SS-Karstwehr division, the Waffen-Gebirgs (Karst) Jäger-Division der SS, the nomenclature reflecting the presence of non-Germanic personnel in the unit. It received the divisional number '24' that September. However, the 6,000 anticipated recruits never materialised and the 'division' was redesignated the Waffen-Gebirgs (Karst) Jäger-Brigade der SS on 5.12.1944. Towards the end of April 1945, the brigade was in Austria, covering the route from Villach to Klagenfurt. Recruits were transferred in from various Waffen-SS units and formations, including the Prinz Eugen and the SS-Junkerschule Klagenfurt. The Karstjäger Brigade was placed in a Kampfgruppe under the command of SS-Brigadeführer Heinz Harmel, from the Frundsberg Division. Their job was to keep the mountain passes open for German forces fleeing the Titists in the Balkans.

The SS-Karstjäger fought a difficult war against some of the most vicious and dangerous Yugoslav and Italian partisans - many of whom were little more than gangsters and petty criminals on the run - ever to stalk the mountains of that part of Europe and, understandably, refused to surrender until they were assured of adequate protection by British regular troops.

Image

You can see that the SS-Ostuf is wearing what appears to be a faded GJ-type bergmütze, perhaps made of gabardine. I doubt that it is a woollen bergmütze or M43 fieldcap although it could be a very bleached-out example. The reason I tend to think it's a mountain cap is the ample room above the two-button folded earflaps for standard BeVo schiffen insignia. The insignia would be more crowded on a standard cut M43. Of course, it could be a privately-acquired cap.

As the others say, Waffen-SS men often wore the cuff titles of their parent units when attached to units that had no cuff titles of their own. This officer is also a holder of the Bandenkampfabzeichen in Silver so he had clearly been with the SS-Karstjäger for long enough to qualify for this hard-won decoration. A man of his rank in the Karstjäger Brigade would have been a company commander or perhaps an adjutant. I expect his name is a matter of record somewhere. Perhaps another member can help as the Karstjäger aren't a main interest of mine.

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Thanks!

Post by Bratwurst Boy »

Thanks a million, Paddy! That Karstjager dude had puzzled me for years!
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Post by Bratwurst Boy »

[quote="Rolf Steiner"] Same page as the bloke in the saggy looking uniform made out out italian camouflage pattern canvas...[/quote]

Yes, that's the book. The camouflage guy is taken from a photo of dejected-looking Wehrmacht POWs.
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Post by George Lepre »

The officer in question is SS-Ostuf. Karl Weiland.
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Post by Marko »

Hello George,

This officer's background has been puzzling me ever since I saw it in one of those Munin's Bildbands over a decade ago, until a year or so ago - that is when the two distinguished Italian authors came out with the new Karstjäger book. Yes, they identified him as Weiland. The mystery solved or so it seemed. But then while listing through this marvellous book one thing struck me - is this really Weiland? I mean this Ostuf. doesn't look like him. Here's some food for a thought.
http://forum.axishistory.com/viewtopic. ... 443#807443

I know this is kind of trivial thing but I would really like to hear your professional opinion. Thanks!

Kind Regards
Marko
Paddy Keating

Post by Paddy Keating »

Looking at the photos posted in that AHF thread, it's obviously Oswin Merwald. It's the same man.

PK
George Lepre
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Post by George Lepre »

Hi Marko -

It certainly does look like Merwald. and the decorations match as well.

Best,

George
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Post by Marko »

Thanks Paddy and George!

Marko
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